"Smalltown Boy" is the debut single by the British
synth-pop band
Bronski Beat, released in May 1984. The lyrics describe a young gay man who is forced to leave home.
"Smalltown Boy" reached number three in the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium, and the top 10 in Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland and West Germany. It reached number 48 in the US pop chart and was a number-one US dance hit.
"Smalltown Boy" was included on the debut Bronski Beat album, The Age of Consent (1984). A remix by
Stephen Hague was released on 24 December 1990. The Bronski Beat singer,
Jimmy Somerville, released a new version, "Smalltown Boy Reprise" (2014), for its 30th anniversary.
Composition
"Smalltown Boy" features "ominous" discordant notes, an "electro-pop pulse", and
falsetto vocals.[7] The lyrics describe a young gay man who is bullied and decides to leave home.[7] In the Financial Times, David Gould wrote that it combines the
hi-NRG tempo of 1980s gay clubs with "plaintive" lyrics.[7]
The "Smalltown Boy" music video was directed by
Bernard Rose, who directed the video for "
Relax", by another openly gay band,
Frankie Goes to Hollywood, the previous year.[9] Rose said Bronski Beat felt "Relax" was too mainstream and upbeat, and wanted to convey a more serious message.[9]
The Independent described the "Smalltown Boy" video as "stark" and "grounded".[10] In the video, Somerville is the victim of a homophobic attack and is rejected by his parents. He leaves home and takes a train to London, joined by the other members of Bronski Beat.[10] Rose said the video depicted a common experience for gay people and that Bronski Beat wanted to draw attention to homophobia.[9]
Reception
Spin said "Smalltown Boy" "fashioned a young man's bitter memories of being driven away from home, alienated from his family, and persecuted by his friends, into a sweetly moving pop song".[11]
"Smalltown Boy" reached number three in the UK and[12] number one in the Netherlands and Belgium.[13][14] It reached the top 10 in Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland and West Germany. It reached number 48 in the US pop chart and was a number one US dance hit.[15] After the success, Bronski Beat released their debut album, The Age of Consent.[7]
A remix by
Stephen Hague was released on 24 December 1990.[16]Jimmy Somerville, released a new version, "Smalltown Boy Reprise" (2014), for its 30th anniversary.[17]
Legacy
In 2022,
Rolling Stone named "Smalltown Boy" the 163rd-greatest dance song.[18]Time Out ranked it number 12 in their list of the "50 Best Gay Songs to Celebrate Pride All Year Long in 2022", writing that it "takes the pain of rejection and makes it danceable".[19] Reviewing the Age of Consent reissue for Pitchfork in 2017, Laura Snapes wrote that "'Smalltown Boy' remains a perfect song. It is nimble and crushing, forlorn and relieved, frail yet determined."[20] Somerville said he was embarrassed by the song for many years, as he felt his lyrics were inferior.[21]
^Walters, Barry (20 June 2000).
"His beat goes on". The Advocate. p. 115.
ISSN0001-8996. As Bronski Beat's falsetto leader, Somerville made gay politics a hot pop topic with such hi-NRG dance floor staples as "Why?" and "Smalltown Boy"
^
abAdam Block (9 December 1986).
"A Clarion Call from England's Communards: Syl's New "Attraction""(PDF). The Advocate. Retrieved 23 December 2022. The trio had met as friends and performed as a hoot, but their first single, "Smalltown Boy" (an autobiographical tale of a gay youth fleeing homophobia for the tolerance of the big city), became a Hi-NRG disco fave on both sides of the Atlantic.
^
ab"Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Bronski Beat".
^Inc, Nielsen Business Media (24 November 1984).
"Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. – via Google Books. {{
cite web}}: |last= has generic name (
help)