Boy

Boy

I Will Follow (3:36)
- The hit track off of this album, and certainly one to remember. The Edge starts off and leads with his trademark sound. A memorable part of the song is the bridge (Your eyes make a circle...), which makes the whole song more than just a few chords. For the music video, pay close attention to each member of the band. Larry looks like he's 12, Adam's got that blond afro, The Edge already looks bored, and Bono suffers from the infernal Lead Singer Syndrome (where the lead singer has nothing to do but sing, and invents stupid looking dance moves). The music video's good for a laugh, and the song is just plain good.

I will follow...

I was on the outside when you said
You said you needed me
I was looking at myself
I was blind, I could not see

A boy tries hard to be a man
His mother takes him by his hand
If he stops to think he starts to cry
"Oh why?"

If you walkaway, walkaway
I walkaway, walkaway...I will follow

I was on the inside
When they pulled the four walls down
I was looking through the window
I was lost, I am found

Walkaway, walkaway
I walkaway, walkaway...I will follow
If you walkaway, walkaway,
I walkaway, walkaway...I will follow
I will follow

Your eyes make a circle
I see you when I go in there
Your eyes, your eyes...

If you walkaway, walkaway
I walkaway, walkaway..I will follow

If you walkaway, walkaway
I walkaway, walkaway...I will follow

I will follow
I will follow...

Twilight (4:22)
- One of my favourite songs off this album, but it doesn't quite sound like much at first. Still pay close attention to the lyrics. If you noticed "I Will Follow" was somewhat lacking in that department, but "Twilight" makes up for it. And once again, U2 soars in the bridge of this song (In the shadows boy meets man). Overall, very good!

I look into his eyes
They're closed but I see something
A teacher told me why
I laugh when old men cry

My body grows and grows
It frightens me you know
The old man tried to walk me home
I thought he should have known

Twilight...
Twilight, lost my way
Twilight, can't find my way

In the shadow boy meets man
In the shadow boy meets man
In the shadow boy meets man
In the shadow boy meets man

I'm running in the rain
I'm caught in a late night play
It's all; it's everything
I'm soaking through the skin

Twilight...darkened day
Twilight...lost my way
Twilight...night and day
Twilight...can't find my way

Can't find your way
Can't find my way
Can't find your way

Twilight...darkened day
Twilight...lost my way
Twilight...night and day
Twilight...can't find my way

In the shadow boy meets man
In the shadow boy meets man
In the shadow boy meets man
In the shadow boy meets man

An Cat Dubh (6:21)
- Something about this song really aannoys me. It's either Bono trying to hit a wrong note at the chorus everytime, that annoying triangle, or that fact that the song just keeps going on and on... The title is Gaelic, in case you didn't know, and means The Black Cat. What that has to do with the rest of the song, well, your guess is as good as mine. I have to go easy on them though. It's their first album! And who knows, maybe songs like this were big in Ireland in the late 70's.

Say goodnight
She waits for me to
Put out the light
Lay there still
She waits to break my will

Yes, if I know the truth about you...

And in the daylight
A blackbird makes a violent sight
And when she is done
She sleeps beside the wild

Yes, if I know the truth about you...

Into The Heart (1:53)
- This song is great, but it's too short!! Also, if you've got the cd, you'll notice that "An Cat Dubh" slowly fades into this song, and as such "Into The Heart" is counted as track 3 with "An Cat Dubh". If you've never heard the cd before, this will really throw you off when you skip to a particular song, but you wind up on the proceeding song. Anyway, not much to this song, but you have to admire Adam. He was just hammering out "An Cat Dubh" and kept going on straight into here.

Into the heart...of a child
I stay a while...oh, I can go back

Into the heart...of a child
I can smile
I can go there

Into the heart
Into the heart of a child
I can go back
I can stay awhile

Into the heart...

Out Of Control (4:13)
- I love this song! It's basically about some kid who wakes up on his 18th birthday and realizes he's grown up. Kind of sappy theme, but awfully realistic feeling. Bono's great in this song, throwing his voice around and Larry's just pounding away. I wonder how personal this song is to all of them. If I recall, Bono's mom died at around his 18th birthday...

Monday morning
Eighteen years of dawning
I say how long
You say how long

It was one dull morning
Woke the world with bawling
I was so sad (so sad)
It was so bad

I was of a feeling it was out of control
I had the opinion it was out of control

Boys and Girls
Go to the school and girls
They make children
Not like this one

I was of a feeling it was out of control
I had the opinion it was out of control

(Out of control)

I fought fate
There's blood on the garden gate
The man said childhood
It's in his childhood

One day I'll die
The choice will not be mine
Will it be too late
You can't fight it

I was of a feeling it was out of control
I had the opinion it was out of control

Stories For Boys (3:02)
- Running along with the childhood/adolescence/growing up theme of the album, this song will probably remind you of the other songs on this album. Yes, Boy is awfully repetitive, but at least it's not an annoying sound. "Stories For Boys" is an okay song, being held up by the carrying backup vocals adding to Bono's hurried urgings. A great song lyrically, a mediocre song musically. So I'd call it average.

There's a place I go
And I am far away
There's a TV show
And I can grow

Sometimes the hero takes me
Sometimes I don't let go
Hello hello

There's a picture book
With colored photographs
There's a comic strip
That makes me laugh

Sometimes the lady takes me
Sometimes I don't let go
Hello hello

Stories for boys...stories for boys
Stories for boys...stories for boys
Stories for boys...

There's a place I go
And it's a part of me
There's a radio
And I will crawl

Sometimes the hero takes me
Sometimes I can't let go
Hello hello

Stories for boys...

The Ocean (1:34)
- Surprising, this is a song that if you heard it by itself, you'd think it was from The Unforgettable Fire. Very mellow, and a very different melody from the rest of this album. Here's a tip, if you've got insomnia, put this short track on repeat at a low volume. I'm not saying it's boring...more like relaxing.

A picture in grey
Dorian Gray
Just me by the sea

And I felt like a star
I felt the world could go far
If they listened
To what I said

Washes my feet
Washed the feet
Splashes the soul of my shoes

A Day Without Me (3:14)
- Best song on the album. I love this song. Pure U2. Just great. The song's about a young man contemplating suicide, and (here's a twist) takes a lighthearted tone to a serious song. Not even Blink182 wanted to attempt that. Anyway, even if you think the rest of the album's boring, you'll like this song. Unless you hate U2 altogether. In that case...why are you here?

Starting a landslide in my ego
Look from the outside
To the world I left behind

I'm dreaming
You're awake
If I were sleeping
What's at stake
A day without me

Whatever the feelings
I keep feeling
What are the feelings
You left behind

Today's a day without me

I started a landslide in my ego
Look from the outside
To the world I left behind

In the world I left behind
Wipe their eyes, and then let go
To the world I left behind
Shed a tear, and then let go...

Another Time, Another Place (4:34)
- This song is interesting that's for sure. Longer than most songs on this album and has a bridge where Bono starts rattling off in German, or Dutch. I guessed German because Bono sounded angry when he sang it. But then I found out it was Gaelic! Amazing. At any rate, it's a song full of emotion, and the lyrics really stand out in this song. The music's not too bad either, so all in all, a pretty good song.

Bright morning lights
Wipe the sleep from another day's eye
Turn away from the wall
And there's nothing at all
Being naked and afraid
In the open space of my bed

I'll be with you now
I'll be with you now
I'll be with you now
We lie on a cloud
We lie...

Just as I am
I awoke with a tear on my tongue
I awoke with a feeling of never before
In my sleep I discover the one
But she ran with the morning sun

I'll be with you now
I'll be with you now
I'll be with you now
We lie on a cloud
We lie...
Another time, another place
We lie...
Another child has lost the race
We lie...
Another time, another place
We lie...
Your time, your price

We lie...
Another time, another place
We lie...
Another child has lost...

{Gaelic words...}

We lie...
Another time, another place
We lie...
Your time, your place

The Electric Co. (4:48)
- Another big song off of Boy is this one here. And it's not a bad song either. Okay, big problem here. I've looked everywhere for the complete lyrics to this song...and I can't find them! As the song does a false fade out, Bono says a couple words vaguely, and they're really hard to nab. I also tried U2's site, and the lyrics they list aren't even the ones they sing in the song. So, I'm sorry, but this is the best you're going to get.

Boy, stupid boy
Don't sit at the table
Until you're able to

Toy, broken toy
Shout shout
You're inside out

If you don't know...Electric co.
If you don't know...Electric co.

Red, running red
Play for real
The toy could feel
A hole in your head
You go in shock
You're spoon-fed

If you don't know...Electric co.
If you don't know...Electric co.

One two three four...
[vague words]

If you don't know...Electric co.
If you don't know...Electric co.
If you don't know...Electric co.
If you don't know...Electric co.
If you don't know...Electric co.
If you don't know...Electric co.

[more vague words]
Just to hear me
[more vague words]
I've found me way home

Shadows And Tall Trees (4:36)
- Okay folks, listen closely for this one. "Electric Co." quickly fades into this song, and poor Bono was really belting it out. So right before he starts singing here, he clears his throat really deeply. Anyway, I'll layoff the nitpicking. This is a great ending song. It closes the album very well, wrapping up the mood on a nonchalant note. I don't know who those backup singers are at the end, but kudos to them for helping for sore throated Bono out there.

Back to the cold restless streets at night
I talk to myself about tomorrow night
Walls of white protest
A gravestone in name
Who is it now
It's always the same

Who is it now
Who calls me inside
Are the leaves on the trees
Just living disguise
I walk sweet rain tragicomedy
I'll walk home again
To the street melody

But I know, oh no
But I know, oh no
But I know...

Shadows and tall trees
Shadows and tall trees
Shadows and tall trees
Shadows and tall trees

Life through a window
Discoloured pain
Mrs. Brown's washing is always the same
I walk street rain tragicomedy
I'll walk home again
To the street melody

But I know, oh no
But I know, oh no
But I know...

(Out there)

Do you feel in me...
Anything redeeming
Any worthwhile feeling
Is love like a tightrope
Hanging from the ceiling

But I know, oh no
But I know, oh no
But I know...

Shadows and Tall Trees...

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