I don't have too many strong recollections of actually liking the music in the 80's as a child, but as an adult I'm starting to appreciate it more and more. One song I've been listening to a lot lately has been 'Smalltown Boy' by Bronski Beat.
Formed in 1983 by Jimmy Sommerville, Steve Bronski and Larry Steinbachek, though bands with an openly gay image - all three members were gay - was becoming the norm, Bronski Beat were one of the first bands to tackle gay issues.
Peaking at number 3 in the UK singles chart, the bands debut single 'Smalltown Boy' tells the story of a young man in 80's Britain struggling with both family and society rejection for being gay.
In England & Wales gay sex was illegal until 1967 when it was decriminalise and the age of consent was placed at 21. In 1994 that age limit was brought down to 18 but was only brought in line with the straight age of consent, 16, in 2000. In Scotland it was illegal until 1980 when the age of consent was placed at 21 until 2000 when they joined England & Wales in making it 16. In Northern Ireland is was illegal until 1982 when the limit was set at 21. This was reduced to 17 in 2001 and then finally brought down to 16 in 2008. All this shows just how oppressed gay people would have felt at the time and how slow we have been in giving them some semblance of equality, though there is still plenty more we have yet to do.
Aside from the politics this is a catchy and memorable song and, despite the original line-up splitting in 1985 with Jimmy going on to have success with The Communards and then as a solo artist, it hasn't lost a single bit of it's quality over the years and is a classic song. The video also brings back so many memories of how the UK looked when I was a kid.
Hope you all enjoy the song and I'll catch you all next week!
Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy
You leave in the morning
With everything you own
In a little black case
Alone on a platform
The wind and the rain
On a sad and lonely face
Mother will never understand
Why you had to leave
But the answers you seek
Will never be found at home
The love that you need
Will never be found at home
Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away.
Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away.
Pushed around and kicked around
Always a lonely boy
You were the one
That they'd talk about around town
As they put you down
And as hard as they would try
They'd hurt to make you cry
But you never cried to them
Just to your soul
No you never cried to them
Just to your soul
Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away.
Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away.
Cry , boy, cry...
You leave in the morning
With everything you own
In a little black case
Alone on a platform
The wind and the rain
On a sad and lonely face
Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away.
Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away.
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