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What's happening at the start of "Smalltown Boy"? by Bronski Beat

wulbert

wulbert

pfm Member
Something weird happens to the rhythm at the start of Bronski Beat's Smalltown Boy.

At first I thought it simply speeded up, but then thought it kind of stumbles rhythmically. Any one know what gives? (I love this song by the way, and the original video that goes with it. So evocative and poignant)
 
Wonderful song, & voice. Do you mean in the intro immediately after he hits that ultra high top C (or whatever note it is) ? If so I notice on the remix version.. this mistake is absent.

I suspect it's two fingers, doing the bass riff in the intro here (kinda super-analogue method) but just got a bit anxious. Not enough money to redo the take, or this take was so good they just left it as is.

There's an outro on one side of my DSOTMoon which speeds up, last few seconds. Weird too.
 
Yes, the bit at the beginning where Jimmy hits the first high "ahhhhhhh".

It's just me though! I must be hallucinating. I tried playing an on-line metronome alongside the song and I swear I could hear that speed up as well. Which is impossible. Must be a quirk of how I'm hearing it or responding to the increased excitement in the music. ( I should have been a drummer)

It does sound to me like two recordings stitched together at the beginning though. There is something that sounds like tape hiss at the very start which disappears about 16 bars in. Anyway it's all good music. WTFDIK !
 
Adore that song, and the video is filmed around the back of Watney Market in East London, and the local King George's swimming baths, where i frequented as a kid, and made my day when i first saw the video.
 
Blue Belle said:
Adore that song, and the video is filmed around the back of Watney Market in East London, and the local King George's swimming baths, where i frequented as a kid, and made my day when i first saw the video.
Click to expand...

Jimmy Somerville grew up in the Ruchill area of Glasgow which, in the 1970's, was a very scary and deprived area. My friend who stayed there with his granny sometimes, recalls groups of men with swords roaming the streets and chasing people. It can't have been an easy place to grow up as a gay young man. I imagine some of the scenes in the video would have resonated with him.

"The Comet" bar, Ruchill
 
@wulbert no it's definitely there despite what a metronome says, you're not going bonkers.

I remember as a 12 yr old listening SO many times to my cassette -one of the first albums I ever possesed- I heard it back then in 1983 or so. Annoyed me, just like it does you today!

Actually I think it as likely a tiny quirk of the 1/4" master tape mechanism, or whatever guage recorded on. Maybe an ant. Perhaps he had some chums, & his name was.. Adam.
 
So Smalltown Boy was likely himself fleeing.. to London- I'm almost sure of it.

I have a loose connection to Jimmy Sommerville. Now don't get too excited, but a family friend is Sarah Jane Morris, who dueted on the Communards Don't Leave Me This Way, quite a smash hit/ on totp etc.

Capt
 
I don't see/hear the annoyance personally - for me it helps in revving up the train engine on the tracks into the amazing scream. When we first see the tracks it's like its searching for a path (train of thought) in life.
 
The Captain said:
So Smalltown Boy was likely himself fleeing.. to London- I'm almost sure of it.

I have a loose connection to Jimmy Sommerville. Now don't get too excited, but a family friend is Sarah Jane Morris, who dueted on the Communards Don't Leave Me This Way, quite a smash hit/ on totp etc.

Capt
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I read a quote way back, where Somerville said "Glasgow isn't a small town, but it has a small town mentality" This would have totally true in the 1980's.
 
wulbert said:
Jimmy Somerville grew up in the Ruchill area of Glasgow which, in the 1970's, was a very scary and deprived area. My friend who stayed there with his granny sometimes, recalls groups of men with swords roaming the streets and chasing people. It can't have been an easy place to grow up as a gay young man. I imagine some of the scenes in the video would have resonated with him.

"The Comet" bar, Ruchill
Click to expand...

Oh, i can well imagine.
 
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