Little Boy
Vance Joy Lyrics


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I was only ten years old
Like the back of my hand, knew the roads
I swerved my bike and lost control
Over the handles in the air
A lady who came walking by found me lying there
And the nurse at the hospital said

"Little boy, don't be scared
Now your father is waiting in the next room
Little boy, don't be sad
Now your mom's on her way, you'll be out of here soon"

We drove so slowly through these streets
In the suburbs of our dreams
At night my father closed his eyes
He saw the new car in the drive
My mother standing in the doorway
Friday night, a smile on her face
And the voice I can hear in my head

"Little boy, don't be scared
Now you know we'll be sleeping in the next room
Little boy, don't be sad
Now tomorrow is as it is coming 'round soon"

We only need a little space
Just somewhere we could call our place
My mother standing in the doorway
Friday night, a smile on her face
These things always start so small
With no applause and no drum roll
And I came running up the hallway
See the car turn in the driveway

And I'll always be that little boy
And I've always been that little boy




Yeah, I'll always be that little boy
And I'll always be that little boy

Overall Meaning

The song "Little Boy" by Vance Joy is a poignant reflection on the memories of childhood and the lasting impact they can have on a person's life. The song begins with the singer reminiscing about a childhood accident that left him injured and scared. A lady passing by found him and took him to the hospital where he was comforted by the nurse who assured him that his parents were on the way. This experience is a powerful reminder of the safety and security that parents provide for their children, and how important it is to know that they are there when we need them.


As the song progresses, the singer thinks back on his childhood home and the happiness he felt when his parents were together. He recalls the excitement of seeing his father's new car in the driveway and his mother's smiling face as she greeted them on Friday nights. These memories are a testament to the simple joys of family life and how they can remain with us throughout our lives. In the final verse, the singer reflects on how these memories have shaped his life and how he will always be that little boy in his heart.


Overall, "Little Boy" is a touching tribute to childhood and the importance of family. The song captures the innocence, joy, and wonder of childhood, and the lasting impact that our early experiences can have on our lives.


Line by Line Meaning

I was only ten years old
At the age of ten, I was still young and vulnerable.


Like the back of my hand, knew the roads
I was familiar with the roads in my neighborhood.


I swerved my bike and lost control
I lost control of my bike while riding recklessly.


Over the handles in the air
I flew over the handlebars of my bike and got injured.


A lady who came walking by found me lying there
A kind-hearted woman found me lying injured on the road.


And the nurse at the hospital said
The nurse at the hospital spoke to me.


"Little boy, don't be scared Now your father is waiting in the next room Little boy, don't be sad Now your mom's on her way, you'll be out of here soon"
The nurse comforted me by assuring me that my parents were nearby and that I would soon recover and leave the hospital.


We drove so slowly through these streets In the suburbs of our dreams
We drove carefully through the streets of our suburban neighborhood, a place that we dreamed of living in.


At night my father closed his eyes He saw the new car in the drive My mother standing in the doorway Friday night, a smile on her face And the voice I can hear in my head
At night, my father would imagine buying a new car and my mother welcoming him with a smile on her face. I can still hear his voice in my head.


"Little boy, don't be scared Now you know we'll be sleeping in the next room Little boy, don't be sad Now tomorrow is as it is coming 'round soon"
My parents would reassure me by telling me that they were close by and that tomorrow would come soon enough.


We only need a little space Just somewhere we could call our place My mother standing in the doorway Friday night, a smile on her face
All we ever wanted was a place of our own, where my mother could welcome us at the door with a smile on her face.


These things always start so small With no applause and no drum roll And I came running up the hallway See the car turn in the driveway
Small things can grow into something significant without any grand announcements. I remember running down the hallway to see my parents arriving in a new car.


And I'll always be that little boy And I've always been that little boy Yeah, I'll always be that little boy And I'll always be that little boy
No matter how old I get, I will always be that little boy who remembers his childhood with nostalgia and fondness.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JAMES KEOGH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Alana Niih

I was only ten years old
Like the back of my hand knew the roads
I swerved my bike and lost control
Over the handles in the air
A lady who came walking by found me lying there
And the nurse at the hospital said

"Little boy, don't be scared
Now your father is waiting in the next room
Little boy, don't be sad
Now your mom's on her way, you'll be out of here soon"

We drove so slowly through these streets
In the suburbs of our dreams
At night my father closed his eyes
He saw the new car in the drive
My mother standing in the doorway
Friday night, a smile on her face
And the voice I can hear in my head

"Little boy, don't be scared
Now you know we'll be sleeping in the next room
Little boy, don't be sad
Now tomorrow is as it is coming 'round soon"

We only need a little space
Just somewhere we could call our place
My mother standing in the doorway
Friday night, a smile on her face
These things always start so small
With no applause and no drum roll
And I came running up the hallway
See the car turn in the driveway

And I'll always be that little boy
And I've always been that little boy
Yeah, I'll always be that little boy
And I'll always be that little boy



All comments from YouTube:

Andrea Saravia

Having an entire Vance Joy album is like early Christmas for me, man, I live for this music.

lil spaghetti stick

Same!But i'm only nine :P

Yumin -

Vance Joyce's songs are always such a joy... Discovering there is a new song on Youtube is a promise the day will be good :) He never disappoints

OfficialJamesG

Yumin- chi true

sterling jacobson

true dat

S.J. L.

And on this new album the vocals seem to be so pure on quite a many of the songs (too bad not all of them, though), being not autotuned. Way to go. :)

Ed

I am not scare, because I am hearing that voice. These songs are great for relaxing, it certainly helps to overcome anxiety attacks.

🤣😱💀4l3x4N1N51

And for studying with

joselinartist

I wish I could thank Vance Joy in person, this album already means so much to me. It's uplifting and calms me whenever I feel stressed <3

Alana Niih

I was only ten years old
Like the back of my hand knew the roads
I swerved my bike and lost control
Over the handles in the air
A lady who came walking by found me lying there
And the nurse at the hospital said

"Little boy, don't be scared
Now your father is waiting in the next room
Little boy, don't be sad
Now your mom's on her way, you'll be out of here soon"

We drove so slowly through these streets
In the suburbs of our dreams
At night my father closed his eyes
He saw the new car in the drive
My mother standing in the doorway
Friday night, a smile on her face
And the voice I can hear in my head

"Little boy, don't be scared
Now you know we'll be sleeping in the next room
Little boy, don't be sad
Now tomorrow is as it is coming 'round soon"

We only need a little space
Just somewhere we could call our place
My mother standing in the doorway
Friday night, a smile on her face
These things always start so small
With no applause and no drum roll
And I came running up the hallway
See the car turn in the driveway

And I'll always be that little boy
And I've always been that little boy
Yeah, I'll always be that little boy
And I'll always be that little boy

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