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Bronski Beat - Small Town Boy

dopey

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Discuss.

Depressing? Joyous? You decide.

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TUspiv

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Interesting...had to find the lyrics though.
 

rdawson808

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Gads, I haven't heard this song in decades. I used to be a huge Bronski Beat/Jimmy Somerville fan. Still am to a degree. Does the kid get out of the small town by the end of the song, I can't remember?

Far better, btw, is the Communards first album, Red. (That is JS's band after BB.)

b
 

dopey

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Originally Posted by rdawson808
Gads, I haven't heard this song in decades. I used to be a huge Bronski Beat/Jimmy Somerville fan. Still am to a degree. Does the kid get out of the small town by the end of the song, I can't remember?

Far better, btw, is the Communards first album, Red. (That is JS's band after BB.)

b


Yes, in the video. Unclear in the song itself, though he is clearly on his way from the very beginning since it starts with him alone on the platform with "everything [he] owns in a little black case."
 

Tangfastic

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I just watched the video to refresh my memory, its as I remember it. I don't know if its depressing or uplifting - the story told is pretty straightforward: Young Jimmy's perving on men in the swimming pool changing rooms isn't appreciated - he seems to escape with a relatively light beating, parents are disappointed, but mum still loves him, he gets on the train to the big city where he's joined by his pals for no doubt all sorts of fun in the big city.
 

lefty

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Originally Posted by Tangfastic
... he gets on the train to the big city where he's joined by his pals for no doubt all sorts of fun in the big city.

And is memorialised in an Attila Richard Lukacs painting.

18695.jpg


lefty
 

mensimageconsultant

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It's interesting that the video focuses so much on visual cues, especially the roles of various characters as told by their clothing but notably not the sexual orientation of the lead character/singer by way of what he wears. His clothing seems to be chosen to communicate "outcast trying to avoid negative attention," though he still seems gay at a glance.
 

lefty

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The Bronski Beat got me thinking about Atilla Lukacs which got me thinking about gayskins, which lead me to gay punk and finally, Elton Motello's Jet Boy Jet Girl.

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Actually, I just heard it on a Gossip Girl promo.

lefty
 

Bradford

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Wow - I haven't heard that Bronski Beat song in years. I'm really shocked that this thread wasn't started by Conne
laugh.gif
 

lefty

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Originally Posted by Bradford
Wow - I haven't heard that Bronski Beat song in years.

I'm really shocked that this thread wasn't started by Conne
laugh.gif


Jet Boy Jet Girl is the bait.

lefty
 

gnatty8

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What a thoroughly uplifting and joyous song.
 

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