Birthday Boy
Posted: Fri 07 Apr 2006, 9:34 pm
I know I've previously posted that one should make their own interpretations towards songs but I can't help it! I gotta know! What the heck is Birthday Boy about?!!
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Birthday Boy
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Posted: Fri 07 Apr 2006, 9:36 pm
Stephen Lawrence?
Posted: Fri 07 Apr 2006, 9:46 pm
A boy's birthday?
Posted: Fri 07 Apr 2006, 9:51 pm
From geowaynes site...
Birthday Boy
An interview with Neil and Chris posted on the Boys' official website reveals the genesis of this enigmatic track. Neil was stuck for ideas for lyrics to an appealing chord sequence that Chris had developed. Chris picked up a newspaper and noted a reference to a "birthday boy," which struck Neil as a promising start. It was around Christmastime, which made Neil think of Jesus Christ as a "birthday boy" who also happened to be a figure of martyrdom. This brought to mind a pair of other, much more recent martyr figures: Steven Lawrence, a black teenager who had been killed by racists in London, and Matthew Shepard, a young gay man murdered in Wyoming. Neil views these two as modern-day Christ figures who had in essence "died for our sins"—young men whose tragic, violent, untimely deaths resulted in greater awareness and understanding ("from pain comes pity"), forcing people, as Neil has put it, to "confront their own hatred."
The line "He's been through all this before" is, in effect, a reference to the words of Jesus (as translated in the King James Version of the Bible), "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." That is, the persecution of another—and particularly of those who are disadvantaged or underprivileged—is tantamount to persecution of Christ himself. (If only more professed Christians would remember that.) The virtual riddle posed by the lyrics ("If you knew his name would you feel the same?") is explained by Neil in this way: "If you knew he was Jesus would you still be killing him?"
The sheer profundity of it all is heightened by the music: a slow, almost dirge-like arrangement provides at times an almost creepy air of mystery and foreboding, yet during the chorus and bridge the melody positively soars, building with sweeping, epic intensity. In sum, it's an incredibly powerful musical and lyrical statement. As such, "Birthday Boy" stands as one of the Pet Shop Boys' great latter-day triumphs.
Birthday Boy
An interview with Neil and Chris posted on the Boys' official website reveals the genesis of this enigmatic track. Neil was stuck for ideas for lyrics to an appealing chord sequence that Chris had developed. Chris picked up a newspaper and noted a reference to a "birthday boy," which struck Neil as a promising start. It was around Christmastime, which made Neil think of Jesus Christ as a "birthday boy" who also happened to be a figure of martyrdom. This brought to mind a pair of other, much more recent martyr figures: Steven Lawrence, a black teenager who had been killed by racists in London, and Matthew Shepard, a young gay man murdered in Wyoming. Neil views these two as modern-day Christ figures who had in essence "died for our sins"—young men whose tragic, violent, untimely deaths resulted in greater awareness and understanding ("from pain comes pity"), forcing people, as Neil has put it, to "confront their own hatred."
The line "He's been through all this before" is, in effect, a reference to the words of Jesus (as translated in the King James Version of the Bible), "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." That is, the persecution of another—and particularly of those who are disadvantaged or underprivileged—is tantamount to persecution of Christ himself. (If only more professed Christians would remember that.) The virtual riddle posed by the lyrics ("If you knew his name would you feel the same?") is explained by Neil in this way: "If you knew he was Jesus would you still be killing him?"
The sheer profundity of it all is heightened by the music: a slow, almost dirge-like arrangement provides at times an almost creepy air of mystery and foreboding, yet during the chorus and bridge the melody positively soars, building with sweeping, epic intensity. In sum, it's an incredibly powerful musical and lyrical statement. As such, "Birthday Boy" stands as one of the Pet Shop Boys' great latter-day triumphs.
Posted: Fri 07 Apr 2006, 9:51 pm
No clue as I never listen to 'Release', particularly 'cause
of boring songs like 'Birthay Boy'. What a lullaby ...
of boring songs like 'Birthay Boy'. What a lullaby ...
Posted: Fri 07 Apr 2006, 10:00 pm
Thanks for the time, to look up and type all that! Very revealing and fascinating! Neil Tennant truly is the greatest lyricist of our times!One of the crowd wrote:From geowaynes site...
Birthday Boy
An interview with Neil and Chris posted on the Boys' official website reveals the genesis of this enigmatic track. Neil was stuck for ideas for lyrics to an appealing chord sequence that Chris had developed. Chris picked up a newspaper and noted a reference to a "birthday boy," which struck Neil as a promising start. It was around Christmastime, which made Neil think of Jesus Christ as a "birthday boy" who also happened to be a figure of martyrdom. This brought to mind a pair of other, much more recent martyr figures: Steven Lawrence, a black teenager who had been killed by racists in London, and Matthew Shepard, a young gay man murdered in Wyoming. Neil views these two as modern-day Christ figures who had in essence "died for our sins"—young men whose tragic, violent, untimely deaths resulted in greater awareness and understanding ("from pain comes pity"), forcing people, as Neil has put it, to "confront their own hatred."
The line "He's been through all this before" is, in effect, a reference to the words of Jesus (as translated in the King James Version of the Bible), "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." That is, the persecution of another—and particularly of those who are disadvantaged or underprivileged—is tantamount to persecution of Christ himself. (If only more professed Christians would remember that.) The virtual riddle posed by the lyrics ("If you knew his name would you feel the same?") is explained by Neil in this way: "If you knew he was Jesus would you still be killing him?"
The sheer profundity of it all is heightened by the music: a slow, almost dirge-like arrangement provides at times an almost creepy air of mystery and foreboding, yet during the chorus and bridge the melody positively soars, building with sweeping, epic intensity. In sum, it's an incredibly powerful musical and lyrical statement. As such, "Birthday Boy" stands as one of the Pet Shop Boys' great latter-day triumphs.
Posted: Fri 07 Apr 2006, 10:04 pm
Liked the song before reading the above a long time ago, and after reading it really make me appreciate the lyrics and meaning so much more....
One of my top 20 psb tracks
One of my top 20 psb tracks
Posted: Fri 07 Apr 2006, 10:05 pm
LOL, Good one ...Young Offender wrote:One of my top 20 psb tracks
Posted: Fri 07 Apr 2006, 10:56 pm
mine alsoOne of my top 20 psb tracks
Posted: Fri 07 Apr 2006, 11:07 pm
as much as I like psb top 40 pop tracks, my favourite tracks are b sides, remixes and non single tracks.Pani wrote:LOL, Good one ...Young Offender wrote:One of my top 20 psb tracks
Posted: Sat 08 Apr 2006, 9:15 am
Can't see why this song should be boring. In fact, it's one of the strongest tracks on Release. N.'s vocals sound absolutely brilliant and the track contains a strong melody as well. But of course, it's all about the personal taste in music. In my opinion, Scooter tracks that are always the same and stupid sound much more boring.Pani wrote:[...]'cause
of boring songs like 'Birthay Boy'.
Posted: Sat 08 Apr 2006, 9:18 am
Pani, did u read the post above?Pani wrote:No clue as I never listen to 'Release', particularly 'cause
of boring songs like 'Birthay Boy'. What a lullaby ...
Still no clue?
Posted: Sat 08 Apr 2006, 9:22 am
Yes I did and I had a jolly good laugh aboutGhost within this house wrote:Pani, did u read the post above?Pani wrote:No clue as I never listen to 'Release', particularly 'cause
of boring songs like 'Birthay Boy'. What a lullaby ...
the 'comparison' with Scooter as a little side
blow ...
I find BB 'boring' as it is 2 slow for me ... no
matter what lyrix or how brilliant Neils voice
comes across.
Posted: Sat 08 Apr 2006, 10:01 am
fair enough!Pani wrote:Yes I did and I had a jolly good laugh aboutGhost within this house wrote:Pani, did u read the post above?Pani wrote:No clue as I never listen to 'Release', particularly 'cause
of boring songs like 'Birthay Boy'. What a lullaby ...
the 'comparison' with Scooter as a little side
blow ...
I find BB 'boring' as it is 2 slow for me ... no
matter what lyrix or how brilliant Neils voice
comes across.
So do you think Fundamental (with FIVE ballads!!) will satisfy you?
Posted: Sat 08 Apr 2006, 10:15 am
I wonder why you like most of the latest DM songs then...