So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
Guess who just got back today
Them wild-eyed boys that had been away
Haven't changed, had much to say
But man, I still think them cats are crazy
They were askin' if you were around
How you was, where you could be found
Told them you were livin' downtown
Drivin' all the old men crazy
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
I said, the boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
You know that chick that used to dance a lot
Every night, she'd be on the floor, shakin' what she'd got
Man, when I tell you she was cool, she was red hot
I mean, she was steamin'
And that time over at Johnny's place
Well, this chick got up and she slapped Johnny's face
Man, we just fell about the place
If that chick don't want to know, forget her
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
I said, the boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
Spread the word around
Guess who's back in town?
You spread the word around
Friday night, they'll be dressed to kill
Down at Dino's Bar 'n' Grill
The drink will flow and blood will spill
And if the boys want to fight, you better let 'em
That jukebox in the corner blastin' out my favorite song
The nights are getting warmer, it won't be long
Won't be long 'til the summer comes
Now that the boys are here again
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
(The boys are back, the boys are back)
The boys are back in town again
Been hangin' down at Dino's
The boys are back in town again
Them wild-eyed boys that had been away
Haven't changed, had much to say
But man, I still think them cats are crazy
They were askin' if you were around
How you was, where you could be found
Told them you were livin' downtown
Drivin' all the old men crazy
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
I said, the boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
You know that chick that used to dance a lot
Every night, she'd be on the floor, shakin' what she'd got
Man, when I tell you she was cool, she was red hot
I mean, she was steamin'
And that time over at Johnny's place
Well, this chick got up and she slapped Johnny's face
Man, we just fell about the place
If that chick don't want to know, forget her
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
I said, the boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
Spread the word around
Guess who's back in town?
You spread the word around
Friday night, they'll be dressed to kill
Down at Dino's Bar 'n' Grill
The drink will flow and blood will spill
And if the boys want to fight, you better let 'em
That jukebox in the corner blastin' out my favorite song
The nights are getting warmer, it won't be long
Won't be long 'til the summer comes
Now that the boys are here again
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
(The boys are back, the boys are back)
The boys are back in town again
Been hangin' down at Dino's
The boys are back in town again
Lyrics submitted by askewchan, edited by Tallica123, holybias11
The Boys Are Back in Town Lyrics as written by Philip Parris Lynott
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone).
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
What are you talking about Loboparamilitary? I have the album and the song was written by Phil Lynott. Are you making it up as you go along. Phil's mother had a pub in Manchester, and a notorious gang called the QSG used to frequent it. They were mostly Irish Mancunians and always getting jailed and when they were released, it was a great source of jubilation because they were so popular. Thats the meaning of the song.
All of you idiots are WRONG!! Dummies from America trying to calim he wrote this about Military in SC lol idiots. Then other trying to say a SC man wrote this....sad.
Phil wrote this song about a street gang called the "Quality Street Gang" and about Manchester United supporters, which he was a Manchester United supporter. He lived in Moss side, Manchester before moving to Ireland.
Excerpts from an article that appeared in New Musical Express, April 9th, 1977 about the song "The Boys Are Back In Town."
"...one of the few classic street songs. It was 1976's summer record."
"Lynott is proud of this achievement. It was inspired, he says, by both Manchester United supporters and a bunch of Manchurian tearaways called the Quality Street Gang. He reckons the message is pretty universal."
" 'Every street gang in the whole western world can identify with 'The Boys Are Back In Town,' he claims."
Case closed! This song is about a Street gang in Manchester called the Quality Street Gang and Manchester United supporters. A person I talked to said Dino's Bar and grill was in Whitworth st. Phil's mom Philomena ran a hotel in Manchester which people say was a shebeen, which the gang would sometimes hang out at. Johnny I think refers to Johnny the fox , which I think Johnny the fox was a member of the QSG but I'm not sure. Johnny the Fox is also their the seventh studio album, which they have a song named "Johnny." I think the line "If the boys want to fight, you'd better let them" refers to Football hooliganism. Some for the people that think this is a nice little song, no! It's a street working class song, not some yuppie middle class crap.
Even though I am from America, I can honestly say i have to agree with your excerpt. Nicely put!
This song is about the boys being back in town, plain and simple. Can't see how you would come to any other conclusion
its not really about the song but when i think of "the boys are back in town" i picture me with my 66 imapla full of mates just cruisin on the open road enjoyin life with the hot sun out, just cruisin, passing everything we come across listening to Phil singin' fuck i luv cruisin
thin lizzy are from ma home town! represtin dublin yo..lol. phil lynott (sp) used to live near my dad. he's dead now. one of the greatest tragedies in irish music. i loooove you phiil
One of the greatest tragedies to the whole of music.
Damn, Thin Lizzy are bloody under rated. they're the best band in all of history. No exaggeration.
One of Irelands greatest bands. Better than U2 in my opinion. Really great song, Its almost always played around christmas when you get home for the holidays. Im sure no one else would but i associate it with that, but i do.
@Squirt_gun yes I agree `Better than U2
This song is classic. Thin Lizzy is so underated
And another thing its not "But man, I still think those cats are great", its "But man, I still think those cats are CRAZY." I don't care what lyric site you copy and pasted it from, I hear it as crazy over and over again. Even when its live it sounds like 'crazy 'not 'great'.
Can someone please tell me why "Johnny the Fox" is no where to be found? That was a great song(and album) but I guess I'm all by myself on an island.