It really wont, together with the 70's music, ever lasting music died at the end of the 1990's. Millenial whoop killed music and then came the Voice of and music is now officially dead. Nothing to do with age and nostalgia of us old farts, it's all the same autotune and whoop that sounds great when you hear it the first time and put on repeat for 10 times, rince and repeat the next No. 1 hit and get fed up and end up back in the eighties because that music never bores and you want to repeat 100 times and more
I danced to this when it was brand new in a nightclub in ‘84. 37 years later I’m sitting in my wheelchair dancing in my head ♿️ I love you all. Now go love each other. Time is too fast, love lasts forever. ❤️
That's so moving and eye-opening. Thank you!!! I was just thinking about my first time hearing it, and indeed... I was a 10-y.o. smalltown boy, living in a small town in central Bosnia, walking to the city centre to buy me a Bronski Beat cassette and then walking back home and listening to it on my walkman... I didn't know what they looked like or what they stood for, the only thing I knew was that they were from England and their sound was fresh. Enough for me to make up the rest in my Smalltown Head ☺ Those were very happy days... We used to be such happy kids ❤
@@landser3336 thanks a lot! Partly I did, yes. I left the country in July of 1993, two years into a conflict, but that didn't stopped me from living through all what happened. To tell you the truth, in a way I still do. It comes back every now and then and it's as vivid as if it happened yesterday...
This song was released in 1984. 41 years later, here we are in 2025. This always has been and always will be a timeless classic. A happy new year to all!! Full of health, joys and achievements!!!🙏🙏🙏.
This song changed my life. I remember the first time I saw the music video for this song in an isolated small town boy in northern Alberta, Canada. After school my brothers and I watched CBC's 'Video Hits with Samantha Taylor'. I was 15/16 years old ... my brothers were playing games when the Smalltown Boy music video started. It was me. My life. All of it. Every word went straight to my heart and for the first time in my life, I did not feel alone. I remember being so paranoid looking to see if any of my family recognized me, recognizing the content, the lyrics, the terrible loneliness, the fear, the hatred and the bullying. Years later a dear friend heard my story while we were roommates and she bought me the CD of an album I was too afraid to buy as a teenager. (I still have it by the way Lavender Menace.) This song is everything to me. When someone asks me what life was like growing up in the 80s, gay in small town nowhere, I tell them it's 'Smalltown Boy' by Bronski Beat and the music video is about fleeing to save your life. I ❤ you Bronski Beat. Always. You may have saved my life.
I had this 45" single on import here in the US. I am a big fan of broski beat and alphaville. Both are outstanding and unique. RIP and Anne Rice. We have lost so many treasures in the last 5 years. It really makes you question your own mortality
Steve was the Beat that made Bronski. He will always have a space in my heart and my playlist. RIP that genius. I'm not religious but should there be a heaven, I hope Steve's conducting the choir.
I’m not gay, but as someone who left home very young, this has always resonated with me. So grateful for Steve Bronski putting this out into the world to reach people like us who had to leave home with everything we had in small cases and go find life.
Me to, I left home aged 16! With everything I owned in a carrier bag, via my sisters 1st floor bedroom window, which I jumped out of😱 RIP Steve Bronski😪😪😪
I‘m also not gay but in my opinion this has nothing to do with sexual orientation but with art, it is really difficult if not impossibile to find sth in this quality these days, Rip Steve Bronski u will be remembered
Smalltown Boy” resonates deeply with my soul. The story it tells feels so close to my own: the isolation, the emotional scars, and the yearning to find a place where you can truly be yourself. Like the protagonist in the song, I’ve experienced moments of loneliness and misunderstanding, finding solace only in music. This song is also a part of my repertoire, and I never miss the chance to perform it during my live shows, alongside the songs I write myself. It’s my way of paying homage to a timeless piece that inspires me every time I sing it. In a few months, I’ll graduate in Pop-Rock singing, and I’m already planning to leave Italy-not to escape, but to seek a place where music is pure emotion, not just a business. I dream of being part of a world that values feelings over numbers. This song is not just a classic; it’s a universal cry for anyone who has ever searched for where they truly belong. 💔🎶
The music industry is kinda shit wherever you go. But if your comfortable singing in english, might as well have a go for it, London, LA, NYC, Berlin, worst thing that can happen is you'll have a bunch of fun and have a to get a day job to make up the difference!
@@shayneoneill1506 Hi Shayneoneill, I totally get your point of view, and I know it won’t be easy to find balance in this industry. But the truth is, I can’t put music in a drawer and forget about it-it’s part of who I am, my essence, my life! I can’t imagine walking away without at least trying. I’ve been studying music since I was 6 years old, and honestly, the path was already laid out for me the day I was born. Sure, it would have been easier to live a life where I just listened to music without being consumed by it. But that’s not who I am. Thank you for the warning-I’ll definitely do my best to stay cautious and get hurt as little as possible in this challenging world. Wishing you a great day! 😊
@@GretaWhite I watched your live performance of Smalltown Boy on UA-cam… truly impressive and moving! Keep following your path-it won’t be easy, but it’s our deepest needs that give life its meaning. Don’t give up!
I loved this song when I was young, but never really understood the lyrics. Older now, I listen and it breaks my heart, especially as I’ve just watched the video for the first time. I have tears of sadness and sympathy for all those poor boys who have suffered prejudice and violence and been forced to leave home for a dangerous and cruel world. All the love I have goes out to you all.
I've have same feeling when watch the video, never seen this before i've grow up an finaly understood the lyrics since i've bein kid at 90s-00s long time ago and moved to from small town. Having some empatic ironic nostalgy when watch that video.
This song was so powerful when it came out, and still is..my brother came out in 76 at 16, quite a thing to do in those days, thankfully my mum and dad just accepted him for who he was, i once asked my dad what he said when my brother told him, a man of few words ' your my son and i love you know matter what' is how he put it..dad im forever grateful you did that...hes still with the guy he met 40 years ago..love you tony and david x
This song is so haunting that it verges on being almost depressing. My heart aches for all the lost, ostracized souls who feel they have no option but to abandon home and family in order to live some semblance of an authentic life. If you're reading this, there truly are people out there who care.
@@xamurai00 You have a lot to learn. It's not about sex; it's about identity. No one should have to abstain from seeking love. People should, however, abstain from ignorance and judgement.
Yes , the perfect song ; this is true . I would slow down some parts of it a little bit for the playback speed of .75 and some parts and introduce a heavier base ... rich and resonant .
Even though I’m part of the Gen z generation I still prefer 70s and 80s music to modern-day music at least in the 80s music had an artistic sense to it unlike today where music is written by algorithms that sound similar to each other which is very unoriginal.
You can find good music in any year if you look hard enough but with the 50s,60s,70s,80s there is an abunence of it. No one can ever deny this, no matter how woke you are.
@@aidansmoker Lyrics are really meaninful in this song, "run away, turn away... crying to your soul", whoever wrote this, he was really inspired. And the videoclip is great too
Glad you mentioned this. I believe this to be a theme in people's upbringing. When you are young you allow the melody to energise you without heeding the words. Once you're older and wiser, with the ability to comprehend the world. You realise there is a message to be heard.
It's an anthem for people who don't feel they belong - in their family, their street, their town etc. Inspirational. Find your street, your town, your people. You'll be be happier !!!
@@sailenthotcarathot8540 It is yes, but it had much wider resonance. I'm not gay, but I went to London when I was 17 in 1991 and this song chimes so much with how I felt at the time. There were countless others like me too.
I treasure my monochrome memories - FP4 and HP5 were and still are the biz. Just gone back to my trusty film camera and God it captures those 70s & 80s vibes so well.
@@ЛеонидСтафеев-о9е Усе однаково плівки зникнуть з виробництва, вже зараз просуваються окуляри доповненої реальності і ми потроху рухаємося у ту реальність, як у фільмах фантастики де люди переважно мешкають у ліжках з шоломами та окулярами доповненої реальності і знімають їх щоб поїсти та зробити "людські справи"
Erasure s hideaway is much more powerful it made me cry as I was struggling to come out the first second I Heard the track I burst into tears that song saved me
As young in the 80ish and grew up in a small town I know everything about what this song is about. I had so many dreams and hopes back then. I felt exactly as he sings, alone on the platform when I arrived in the big city.
This song has it all, just perfect. It sounds so sad and euphoric at the same time. You can really feel that someone is trying to break the chains and leave it all behind. Jimmy Somerville's angelic and beautiful voice still gets under my skin every time I hear it, pure gold.
One of the most euphoric times of my life was leaving home - yes, with a suitcase on a train from a small seaside town to the big city (Brum in my case). Magical time.
The lyrics are applicable to many different scenarios. Not just being gay. Many young people face a difficult time coming of age. Or even just being themselves. Timeless jam.
But this song is about that and very important to mark how it was in the 80s and earlier, this is a particular situation and it's specifically about that, there are other songs that would fit better for other circumstances
I was born in 82, and came from a busted up home. My mum then ran pubs. I left home at 16, got into drugs, and lost everything, and became a complete scumbag, and went raving until 21, when I joined the army and went to war. I then did 5 years, got PTSD, and got kicked out for drugs in 2008. Then I lost everything again, and rebuilt my life, and moved to Australia, drove to Mongolia, and travelled 35 countries. I had a bad car crash which disabled me, and I'm still having surgeries for the injuries. I'm 41 now and run a building and project managing company. I have an equally damaged girlfriend of 7 years, and we have a house, and a veg garden and chickens. We have one rule in this house....dignity, love, compassion and understanding are more important than anything else. Wherever you're going through....just enjoy what you can from it, and see it for what it is...a scene from the film of your life. Life is both beautiful and tough...so don't make yours, or anyone else's harder than it already is I love you all, and wish you well! X
@@FLAC2023 ex military isn't exactly hetero, fighting these illegal wars making every member of the military stepping foot in another country illegally or operating drones remotely in that country a war criminal. I don't lack respect for ex military if they recognise in their own hearts that what they were doing was wrong - and there is no excuses as each made their choice (albeit from brainwashing and being duped). There is always the possibility of redemption from just realising the truth. Peace brother
@@bigbasil1908 can you point where exactly I said that the military is heterosexual only? I spoke about myself looking at other people different than me with empathy and understanding... This is the problem with the Web... dumb people who are emotionally challenged acting and reacting to comments that they misunderstand or misapply... Could that be you?
@@bigbasil1908 wars have always existed and always be.... even in the animal kingdom they fight for food, territory, etc... Don't be so naive and idealistic. You are not going to do well in life with that attitude... don't like my response? Ask God why he created us like this... Let's just hope that no major war or natural Armageddon takes place in which you will certainly find out that in no time it becomes a matter of survival of the fittest...
By 1984, when this song came out, I was a lost, lonely, physical abused, alcoholic/naïve, drop out full time working young 15 year old boy who thought he had all the answers, trusted nobody & listened to nobody but myself. By 1994 I was a 25 year old combat veteran, married, still an alcoholic & now dependent on opiates & benzos while trying to hold a full time job & still thinking I was in control, knew it all, had all the answers while still only listening to myself. By 2004 I was 35 year old divorced, 3 DUI’s while addicted to alcohol/opiates/benzos & had a son with a new girlfriend & was a stay home dad due to my inability to work because of those addictions & alcoholism but still thought I was in control, knew it all & still only listening to myself. By 2014 I was 45, 3x divorced, been in & out of the VA hospital due to my addictions & PTSD/anxiety issues, many more run-ins with the law, 2 sons but most importantly I was clean & sober & able to work part time all while having serious doubts about me knowing it all & started realizing I was not in control, didn’t have all the answers & open to listening to others. Today in 2024 at age 55, I’ve got 18 years of sobriety, I’m married 3x, am an involved father to both my 21 & 14 year old sons as well as my wife’s children, have gotten my criminal record expunged & sealed, have a home with lots of stability, hold a full time job & came to the realization I didn’t know much, accepted I need to listen to others around me that genuinely have my best interests at heart & learning from all my experiences. Looking back, as hearing this song tends to allow me to do, life was definitely a struggle & a bit of a roller coaster ride for me. Making matters worse was the fact that for about 35 + years I listened to nobody but myself thinking I had all the answers which included surrounding myself with people who told me what I wanted to hear not what I needed to hear. Most importantly, DO NOT give up, even when it’s gets dark & tough, because trust me you are worth it! ✌🏽🙏
What is the difference between the people who tell you what you want to hear and people who tell you what you need to hear. How to feel what is really necessary for you?
@@diariv the people I surrounded myself with while out there raising hell on a motorcycle, jobless, womanizing, drinking & using encouraged more of that type of behavior. Things I wanted to hear. While on the other hand my probation officer & a couple of family members encouraged me to stop get off the drugs, stop drinking in excess, get a job, become responsible & settle down & create a family. Things I didn’t want to hear but needed to. ✌🏽
This song just resonates. Jimmy saved a lot of young men's life with this song, gave hope that there was something better after running away from the place that should of loved you.
I can agree with you even considering my completely different cultural background and age. I just can't find such truly sincere songs of my generation.
When I first saw this video, I cried. I went out the next week and bought the album. Nothing has ever touched me as much as the raw angst of Jimmy Somerville and this album. I cherish the fact that I have this album I and I can still play all these years later.
2025 anyone??? I remember when this song came out- I never realized how sad it was! We danced to this song throughout the 80s! I dream of better times - Dream of returning to the 80s❤❤
I appreciate this comment. I stopped drinking a few months ago, after years of binge drinking in the clubs, and going out dancing all night has never felt better. ❤️
You are right. When i hear music (loudly) i am getting high like i have drank alcohol. I can't compare to drugs cause i never did. Now i don't drink alcohol at all and i don't miss it.
This song has deep lyrics and one of the greatest beats ever. I’m 25 and I feel very glad to have a taste for 80’s, what has led me to know songs like this
I'm 32 now but growing up I always felt connected to 80s music. I think it just speaks to your ability to recognize good music. some music (like this song) are just timeless!! ❤️ young people loving it is what helps keep it alive 🔥
Same. I’ve always been an 80s music fan. Brought up with good taste. I’m also 25. Born too late for the music, but I’m honestly glad. Life would have been a lot harder for me back then.
80's music will never be matched in substance , variety, and unique sound!!!! I love you 80's..I sit and try to remember songs 🎵 like this to feel my days of youth...
What is the magic that they can't do that kind of music videos? I don't know 1 good song of the last 10 years, it's so sad. Despacito is that what music has become.. Damn
I didn't get what this song/video about when I was a kid, and the first time I saw it I just sort of shrugged it off. Now, I find it deeply moving. Funny thing, empathy, as you get older. That his dad didn't even shake his hand was the part that really got me.
Jimmy was in my class at secondary school before I left in 1978 to be a car mechanic and gradually lost touch with my schoolmates. .I met my (then girlfriend-now my wife) in 1983 and surprisingly she told me Jimmy used to work beside her and her mum in Alexander Ferguson’s paintwork in Ruchill Glasgow.What a small world! This song holds a special meaning to me as I also had to heartbreakingly leave home without fond goodbyes-not to come out as gay but for the love of my wife who my parents and sister wouldn’t accept into their lives and I didn’t want to lose her. We’ve been happily married for 39 years but the rift and bitterness is still there despite my father dying suddenly 36 years ago and my mother is now 91.Some wounds don’t heal. How strange though that this old schoolmate has been in the “background” personally and musically within my life. Wishing you every success Jimmy and thanks for putting Maryhill forever on the map you and my best mate Bobby Carlisle.
What an incredible and profound testimony! You left me speechless...with a sense of sadness for what you all had to endure, Jimmy included. I wish you the best in your life. Greetings from Italy❤
When this came out as a teenager living in a very abusive home I felt he had looked into my soul and about summed me up. This song made me not feel alone.. still makes me cry even now but love this song even with tears in my eyes.
The song tells a very deep story. Not only is it a musical masterpiece it’s also had a very very deep story that a lot of people will relate to. Sadly.
RIP Steve and Larry - as long as this plays, you will always be remembered. I think in 100 years from now, you will be remembered, because this is a masterpiece of pop writing and execution.
I've always held this song close to my heart, myself being a gay man who had to run from home. My father hasn't spoken to me in about 5 years since I came out, and I don't expect to be in contact with him again anytime soon. I still remember leaving town on the train and never looking back..just like the song. It's always felt very personal to me and I will always cherish this song
My parents asked me recently who my childhood hero was and I replied "Jimmy Somerville". I think they were very surprised. I wouldn't have admitted it at the time. Unlike others in the industry he didn't hide who he was. Salute you Jimmy. Respect.
This dropped a few months after I left a small rural town in the midwest for LA. As a young gay boy tasting the gay life in WeHo when this was playing in all the clubs, I was like a kid in a candy store, and this song gave me the sense I wasn't alone and a sense of community I never felt at home. I learned to like myself and gain the confidence that would lead to a long and happy life - one without shame or fear Of course the whole era was one where gays from coast to coast became family and tight nit in the face of the AIDs crisis and our fight to prevail. The timing of this song at the beginning of the crisis was hugely significant in creating the community that would get us all through it. A heart felt thank you to Bronski Beat, the stations and clubs and MTV that made it such a staple, and to all my brothers who fell, and all those who survived, thank you for what we can only pray is a once in a lifetime epic
I was working at that time ( 1984) in a famous Camden Town nightclub and Bronski Beat came for a gig, very few people knew about them like me altough this 45 rpm record was goin' up the sales, can't remember who of those three asked me to help them unloading instruments and all what they needed for the gig , I still have got the flier of their gig...
After having just accidentally coming across this song while casually sifting through Shorts on UA-cam, something happened deep within my soul, and I was instantly transported back 41 years to the innocence 1984. A plethora of fantastic, overpowering memories are possessing me. I am now rediscovering other songs from that period of time as we speak ♥️ The medicine of music ✨
I'm 44 and I've been listening to Heavy Metal since I was 13 but I have always loved this song, there's something special and magical about it, it evokes memories of times long gone..
@@buickadelaide1283Of course there was a Steve Bronski - who did you think Bronski Beat was named after??? 😉😉😉 According to Wikipedia, he suffered a stroke in 2018 which limited his mobility. Then in December of 2021, he died from smoke inhalation in a fire inside his home.
@@hello-vs4dc thank u for the details, i never knew song was about being gay, jus watched vid for 1st time thought it's the struggle for everyone trying to find love outside of oneself/home/family/God RIP Steve, RIP so many....
@@Anonymous-km5pj Although a songwriter typically writes a song about something specific - in this case about being gay and finding acceptance as an out and proud gay man - once a song has been released to the mainstream masses, people will inevitably perceive a song from their own viewpoints … and in my opinion, as long as that perspective isn’t completely opposite of what the songwriter originally intended the song to mean, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with your interpretation. Just as an example, Sinead O’Connor’s song “Troy” sounds to most listeners as if it’s about a love affair (perhaps an obsessive love) that didn’t work out well, Sinead actually wrote this song about her relationship with her mother and the abuse she endured as a child while growing up …
I looked all over in my very conservative town's record stores for this album when it first came out. I finally found one lone copy tucked away in the back in a little record store in a mall. I was not out but I could tell the fellow at the register knew why I was so happy I had found the record finally. He gave me kind of a nod and a wink that I can still see in my mind. Silly now but it's a nice memory for me.
@@safebans1369I guess being "lost" depends on where you live. I hope you don't consider yourself lost much longer... love, is love, is love. Most people are pretty accepting/inclusive.
The words to this song always bring me down to earth. I am not gay, but that doesn't matter, the song is highlighting someone that is different. I was sexually abused by a guy from 8 to 11 years old in a small community in Norfolk, as a result I got badly bullied for being quite. A few years later at 16 this 'smalltown boy' escaped to join the army - still cannot stop shedding a tear to this song though!
Glad you liked it , but this isn't electronic music . Many new wave bands were using a drum machine before this . For game changers check out Krautrock from the 70's . Everyone lists Kraftwork as the father of electronic music , but there were many other electronic bands . Miles davis also experimented with electronics in early 70's . Happy hunting !
@@ChuckyDoll79 I would say this is a GREAT example of synthpop .Depeche Mode uses more synthesisers and is not considered electronic music .Great song yes , electronic no , and how did it change the game ? Who did it inspire ,what artists are disciples ? At least we can agree it's a great song .
@@agamotto5041 Listen up. Synthpop is a subgenre of electronic music. I got news for you, Depeche Mode is considered electronic music too because they are synthpop too. Repeat after me, synthpop is a subgenre of electronic music. And by the way, you mispelled Kraftwerk in your previous reply.
I left school around the time this was out. As soon as I left I began to isolate myself from friends and found it hard to hold down a job. All these years later I have been diagnosed with autism. I have lived a very hard and lonely life and only beautiful songs like this have got me through.
This song came out in 1984. In 2007 it was sampled on Cry for you by September, and now, Charli XCX sampled September's song and released Beg for you... This song and melody will never die and will continue to influence musicians for decades to come
The New Ed Sheeran Bad Habits song sounds like the September song, and now I learned September used this beat too. Interesting. Although, I haven't heard any accusations of his bad habits song sounding like september--since this is the primary source probably.
I wonder how many lives u saved with this song, Jimmy. Be blessed by the universe for it. And i saw this incredibly full of energy little man on stage, years ago, when he stopped singing in the middle of a song to tell the audience to wait, for 2 children were there, in front of him, uncomfortable among grown ups dancing and fans pushing to get to the first row. He asked the security guys to take them out and let them dance more safely, between the public and the security gates. Then he started singing again. It was a wonderful moment and gig (for them, and us watching them dancing freely till the end of it). Beautiful man.
@PEARLMANN🕎✝️ And Santa Claus and the tooth fairy exists as well, ey? Get a clue about this thing called science, it's overtaken the assumptions of uneducated tribal elders with facts about the origins of the universe, solar system, earth, and humanity. No ribs nor magic were involved. Bye now.
A musical group from Germany made a new version of this song a couple of years ago that is even more touching and emotional. It's called Hurensohn by K.I.Z.
I think If you're young and confused about life you can relate to this song. People who quite don't know how to fit into conventional society. One of the most haunting and enduring songs of the eighties. A timeless classic.
I'm 50 and have never felt so confused about life as now. If I could choose to go back to the 80s and have 5 years of bliss or 50 years of uncertainty like we have now, there would be no need to even think about which option I'd take. I miss the 80s so much. 😭😭😭😭
Like so many others, I came to watch this after hearing of Steve Bronski's death today (December 9, 2021). It immediately transported me back to 1984. I may not be gay, and things weren't horrible at home, but the song just happened to be a hit at the same time that I was leaving my own small town with not much more than a little black case, venturing into the terrifying unknown. There was nothing for me if I stayed, but I had no idea what might await me if I left. I just knew I had to leave. Listening to "Smalltown Boy" at the time gave me hope. Luckily, like Jimmy in the video, I found my tribe. The song still carries particularly powerful memories and resonances for me. RIP Steve.
Stefano i agree with your comment , this lovely guy gave us this fantastic song and dance , He could move to this x The words mean a lot , it describes a what if scenario xx What a fine fella i will always love him xx Jane xxx
40 years ! Note that at 1:37 the egg is almost too big for the egg cup. Todays eggs are smaller and sink in the egg cup. Mais où sont les neiges d’antan ?
@@arriyad1arriyad649 The chickens are laying smaller eggs to make more money for the farmers 😄? My L eggs look like the one in the video in an egg cup from the 70s. If you buy cheap eggs they're S eggs that's been sorted from the premium ones.
This song was released in 1984. 40 years later, here we are in 2024.
This always has been and always will be a timeless classic.
Agree
all time banger
goddamn
literally 1984
all 3 bandmembers were gays, i dont want to know what dirty things they did behind closed doors
@@ElectronicHouseFlash I'm referring to the tune you melt.
80's music will never die
Epic music never die.
Nope 80s music will never die even if we move forward into the 20s. The next 80s will be the 2080s and will all be dead by then
That's a pity
@@shaneinkster4775 i will be alive probably
It really wont, together with the 70's music, ever lasting music died at the end of the 1990's. Millenial whoop killed music and then came the Voice of and music is now officially dead. Nothing to do with age and nostalgia of us old farts, it's all the same autotune and whoop that sounds great when you hear it the first time and put on repeat for 10 times, rince and repeat the next No. 1 hit and get fed up and end up back in the eighties because that music never bores and you want to repeat 100 times and more
I danced to this when it was brand new in a nightclub in ‘84.
37 years later I’m sitting in my wheelchair dancing in my head ♿️
I love you all.
Now go love each other.
Time is too fast, love lasts forever. ❤️
You go girl
thank you Joker
That's so moving and eye-opening. Thank you!!! I was just thinking about my first time hearing it, and indeed... I was a 10-y.o. smalltown boy, living in a small town in central Bosnia, walking to the city centre to buy me a Bronski Beat cassette and then walking back home and listening to it on my walkman... I didn't know what they looked like or what they stood for, the only thing I knew was that they were from England and their sound was fresh. Enough for me to make up the rest in my Smalltown Head ☺ Those were very happy days... We used to be such happy kids ❤
@@intangibleassetsmusic Wonderful comment. Did you live through the chaotic days of the Bosnian War?
@@landser3336 thanks a lot! Partly I did, yes. I left the country in July of 1993, two years into a conflict, but that didn't stopped me from living through all what happened. To tell you the truth, in a way I still do. It comes back every now and then and it's as vivid as if it happened yesterday...
'But you never cried to them just to your soul'. I'm crying right now.
"The love that you need will never be found at home."
That still hits hard all these years later.
Absolutely heartbreaking. And I'm straight
@@birdswont Why the need to say that you're straight ?
@@TheStickMachine good question. I don't know why I said that
@@birdswont perhaps because the pain is felt no matter the barriers?
@@birdswont you meant ally ;)
Even of your not gay you can still relate to feeling isolated and looked down upon. What a great track. Timeless.
Trust me , if you're not gay, you can't relate to that song .
@@morganolfursson2560 Perfect example of gatekeeping.
@@sean2mush Oh darling, i'm not that altruistic . I couldn't give less of a crap about keeping any gate .
@@morganolfursson2560 r/gatekeeping
Morgan Olfursson you’re right, as a gay person, i feel what the song is talking about.
Groundbreaking for its time and a perfect slice of arpeggiated synth pop. RIP Steve
I love this song.
Juste là pour commenter surtout quand l'artiste est mort.
The beats are very classic,rip Steve.
Absolutely, this song is clearly the forebearer to a lot of music
This was way ahead of its time
Rip Steve
This song was released in 1984. 41 years later, here we are in 2025.
This always has been and always will be a timeless classic.
A happy new year to all!! Full of health, joys and achievements!!!🙏🙏🙏.
This is a fantastic song. Even after all these years. All the best x
Truth doesn't age!
This song changed my life.
I remember the first time I saw the music video for this song in an isolated small town boy in northern Alberta, Canada. After school my brothers and I watched CBC's 'Video Hits with Samantha Taylor'. I was 15/16 years old ... my brothers were playing games when the Smalltown Boy music video started.
It was me. My life. All of it.
Every word went straight to my heart and for the first time in my life, I did not feel alone.
I remember being so paranoid looking to see if any of my family recognized me, recognizing the content, the lyrics, the terrible loneliness, the fear, the hatred and the bullying. Years later a dear friend heard my story while we were roommates and she bought me the CD of an album I was too afraid to buy as a teenager. (I still have it by the way Lavender Menace.)
This song is everything to me. When someone asks me what life was like growing up in the 80s, gay in small town nowhere, I tell them it's 'Smalltown Boy' by Bronski Beat and the music video is about fleeing to save your life. I ❤ you Bronski Beat. Always. You may have saved my life.
❤ bless you
just be yourself my friend all u can be ive known ive been gay from age 14 or 15 we cant do nothing bout it mate just live life mate fuck all haters
can i guess, youre the middle child, right? (just curious)
You’re loved
❤❤❤
This is a masterpiece, a life-changing piece of work. Rest in Peace, Steve...
Thank you Steve. U will always be alive
I had this 45" single on import here in the US. I am a big fan of broski beat and alphaville. Both are outstanding and unique.
RIP and Anne Rice. We have lost so many treasures in the last 5 years. It really makes you question your own mortality
Thank you Steve and RIP.
Steve was the Beat that made Bronski. He will always have a space in my heart and my playlist. RIP that genius. I'm not religious but should there be a heaven, I hope Steve's conducting the choir.
@@lynnsullivan2757 ááaaáaáaáaaAAAAAAAÁAÁAÁAA
I’m not gay, but as someone who left home very young, this has always resonated with me. So grateful for Steve Bronski putting this out into the world to reach people like us who had to leave home with everything we had in small cases and go find life.
same here, my mate
Same. I was a 15 year old girl.
same. I didn't leave home young, but I've never felt like I fitted in.
Me to, I left home aged 16! With everything I owned in a carrier bag, via my sisters 1st floor bedroom window, which I jumped out of😱 RIP Steve Bronski😪😪😪
I‘m also not gay but in my opinion this has nothing to do with sexual orientation but with art, it is really difficult if not impossibile to find sth in this quality these days, Rip Steve Bronski u will be remembered
Smalltown Boy” resonates deeply with my soul. The story it tells feels so close to my own: the isolation, the emotional scars, and the yearning to find a place where you can truly be yourself. Like the protagonist in the song, I’ve experienced moments of loneliness and misunderstanding, finding solace only in music.
This song is also a part of my repertoire, and I never miss the chance to perform it during my live shows, alongside the songs I write myself. It’s my way of paying homage to a timeless piece that inspires me every time I sing it.
In a few months, I’ll graduate in Pop-Rock singing, and I’m already planning to leave Italy-not to escape, but to seek a place where music is pure emotion, not just a business. I dream of being part of a world that values feelings over numbers. This song is not just a classic; it’s a universal cry for anyone who has ever searched for where they truly belong. 💔🎶
The music industry is kinda shit wherever you go. But if your comfortable singing in english, might as well have a go for it, London, LA, NYC, Berlin, worst thing that can happen is you'll have a bunch of fun and have a to get a day job to make up the difference!
@@shayneoneill1506 Hi Shayneoneill, I totally get your point of view, and I know it won’t be easy to find balance in this industry. But the truth is, I can’t put music in a drawer and forget about it-it’s part of who I am, my essence, my life! I can’t imagine walking away without at least trying. I’ve been studying music since I was 6 years old, and honestly, the path was already laid out for me the day I was born.
Sure, it would have been easier to live a life where I just listened to music without being consumed by it. But that’s not who I am. Thank you for the warning-I’ll definitely do my best to stay cautious and get hurt as little as possible in this challenging world. Wishing you a great day! 😊
@@GretaWhite I watched your live performance of Smalltown Boy on UA-cam… truly impressive and moving! Keep following your path-it won’t be easy, but it’s our deepest needs that give life its meaning. Don’t give up!
I loved this song when I was young, but never really understood the lyrics. Older now, I listen and it breaks my heart, especially as I’ve just watched the video for the first time. I have tears of sadness and sympathy for all those poor boys who have suffered prejudice and violence and been forced to leave home for a dangerous and cruel world. All the love I have goes out to you all.
I've have same feeling when watch the video, never seen this before i've grow up an finaly understood the lyrics since i've bein kid at 90s-00s long time ago and moved to from small town. Having some empatic ironic nostalgy when watch that video.
True I have same feeling…..
love you too 🖤
It was awesome that his mates who encouraged him to talk to the chap also came to join him on the train.
in tears as well after watching this video for the first time
one of the best things about 50 years old,is the fact that i lived my teenage years in the 80's that is priceless and I am grateful!!!
Same. What a great time to be young
i remember ...
remember berries
Same here, but my eyesight is getting worse each year, I want to be younger.
I am 20 and I really wish I could of experienced the 80s!
Certainly with ya on that one !
What an absolute incredible time !!
This song was so powerful when it came out, and still is..my brother came out in 76 at 16, quite a thing to do in those days, thankfully my mum and dad just accepted him for who he was, i once asked my dad what he said when my brother told him, a man of few words ' your my son and i love you know matter what' is how he put it..dad im forever grateful you did that...hes still with the guy he met 40 years ago..love you tony and david x
congrats man and congrats tony and david !!!
7/10
I appreciate the fact your family was so accepting of your brother coming out.
You all sound like a fucking cool family👌🏻
Cute
OMG 40 ans plus tard, j'ai encore des frissons en écoutant cette chansons!!!
...en boucle dans le baladeur K7😂
There is something special about a song that can make you very sad and nostalgic and make your soul want to dance at the same time. ✌
This 🙌
Best Comment ever I totally agree
I feel you
Resonate deep w this
Yes this is life I swear
1984 - this song is awesome!💥
2024 - this song still awesome!💥
I remember listening to this on my first Walkman I was 10 years old lol. What a tune still 👍
What i would give to go back to those days ❤
💯🔥
Agreed!!! Here's another..
ua-cam.com/video/J9wo0cqq_Mk/v-deo.html
Top song! Love 💕 It!
I was 10 when this was released, the intro still gives me goosebumps 40 years later.
Gone but not forgotten. RIP.
I was 10 when this came out too and I'm sory to tell you but its almost 40 years.
@@djkoti74 I was never any good with numbers 😁
@@leeroybrown5762 😁
Same here, always goosebumps
Yeah but her voice is annoying
It´s 2025 and it can still make me cry that young boys must go through this. They still have to run away...
The things are gonna more bad then 80's... Sorry for my english. But the way is evil...
Yes let's all dance 🎉❤
This song is just heartbreaking. He pours his heart and soul out in this song. Undoubtedly one of the greatest singles of the 80's.
@@tyedyemike7425 Naturally, I'm British .
YA, YA
Billy Smith ======= world class 🎸👍🎶👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻‼️‼️‼️🎼🎸🆒🆒🆒🆒❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Instead of Slow Hand or You Make Me Feel Mighty Real or Born To Be Alive, this should be the must listen of all the gay men out there.
Cf
This song is so haunting that it verges on being almost depressing. My heart aches for all the lost, ostracized souls who feel they have no option but to abandon home and family in order to live some semblance of an authentic life. If you're reading this, there truly are people out there who care.
thnk you
So poignant because it rips through me and opens my eyes to an “authentic life” pursuit
@@MrFrendan
Everyone deserves that :)
Or they could have just abstained and didnt have sex rule their lives.
@@xamurai00
You have a lot to learn. It's not about sex; it's about identity. No one should have to abstain from seeking love. People should, however, abstain from ignorance and judgement.
Only the 80’s can give you a song that fills you with grief and dance at the same time.
Epic era
uh what about spice1 dudes tunes are totally danceable but whole families are being put to rest
uh what about spice1 dudes tunes are totally danceable but whole families are being put to rest
uh what about spice1 dudes tunes are totally danceable but whole families are being put to rest
uh what about spice1 dudes tunes are totally danceable but whole families are being put to rest
Still makes me cry…if you have any close to have lived it in 2025
This song is a masterpiece. Timeless tune, lyrics in tune with how so many people feel, hard hitting yet gentle. Perfect.
@@francescosartor8991
Zz
Yes , the perfect song ; this is true .
I would slow down some parts of it a little bit for the playback speed of .75 and some parts and introduce a heavier base ... rich and resonant .
@@francescosartor8991 w
I agree with you. Greetings from Spain.
@@miguelgaldonmoragues ¡Excelente! Saludos desde Inglaterra! (with thanks to Google translate 😉)
Many of the 80s songs were timeless masterpieces
Even though I’m part of the Gen z generation I still prefer 70s and 80s music to modern-day music at least in the 80s music had an artistic sense to it unlike today where music is written by algorithms that sound similar to each other which is very unoriginal.
@@emmanuelsengo684 I totally agree
That s why some of our today artist are still using them. Fir exemple this is the Main soundtrack of Bad Habits- Ed Sheran
@@emmanuelsengo684 r/lewronggeneration 🤣 plenty great music about mate whatever the year
You can find good music in any year if you look hard enough but with the 50s,60s,70s,80s there is an abunence of it. No one can ever deny this, no matter how woke you are.
Released in 1984. Comments 3 days ago. That’s how you know it’s a good song that will last forever.
Amazing song
I just read the part of your comment that talks about comments being made 3 days ago and your comment is 3 days old. Fkn mad.
@@cole396 ye
indeeed
This a song that took you away to that untouchable place in your head while dancing with friends and strangers!
Lyrics: 🌈
Vibes : 🕺
Gives me shivers when that synth comes in at 0:10
me too, man. It is THE song that does it for me like no other song.
When I get stressed, it goes on loop. The energy is so positive. 💫
Synth Pop Blisssss!
I wanted to be a synth player in a band so badly.
@@aidansmoker “wields them” was the perfect term to use hahahaha
@@aidansmoker Lyrics are really meaninful in this song, "run away, turn away... crying to your soul", whoever wrote this, he was really inspired. And the videoclip is great too
As a naive young teenager, I just loved the melody of this tune.
As an adult, aware of its significance I appreciate it even more.
Glad you mentioned this. I believe this to be a theme in people's upbringing.
When you are young you allow the melody to energise you without heeding the words.
Once you're older and wiser, with the ability to comprehend the world. You realise there is a message to be heard.
I'm honestly shocked a song like this became popular in the 80s especially during the HIV scare.
I always think I’m the only one obsessed with the melody😂
@@samjones527 the UK and U.S. were more open to gay artists
Massively powerful and massively ballsy for the 80s.
It's an anthem for people who don't feel they belong - in their family, their street, their town etc. Inspirational. Find your street, your town, your people. You'll be be happier !!!
Was adopted myself so its hard to fit in where no one understands you but you do your best.
I think it's mostly about homophobia, and family isn't always the one you start out with, but the one you choose.
well sure...BUT it truly is a gay anthem.
@@sailenthotcarathot8540 It is yes, but it had much wider resonance. I'm not gay, but I went to London when I was 17 in 1991 and this song chimes so much with how I felt at the time. There were countless others like me too.
I wish I could love this
Born in 2004 but deeply attracted to music from the 80's. Y'all had gold
I am 51 I was a teenager growing up in the 80s. Was a great generation to grow up in. Loved the 80s music. When MTV played music
Yessss, so much agree
i'm 31 I love 80s music i put 80s radio stations on my digital radio very day
53, I agree, times have really changed
Yep graduated in 85......
I'm 15 and I love music from 80s because of my dad
This song speaks for all people from small towns, where we haven't been understood. It still makes me sad.
It is heartbreaking indeed. But mind you, if you were brave enough to be different...chapeau.
It talks about a person who had to go away from home (for any reason).
That’s why you move to the bigger cities. That’s why places like London, New York. Paris, San Fran have more gay people/ open minded people.
Still misunderstood...🤔
@@SimonLeeds There a lot of lgbqt people in small town too, they are just afraid to come out
I love when i am drinving in the Highway and this song starts in the radio, Thanks GTA.
U so stupid 😂😂😂
@@claudiofernando1678 you mom
@@claudiofernando1678 your grandfather
@@claudiofernando1678 your grandma
@@TheMatezz your cousin
When you feel good you dance listening this song, When you’re sad you understand the lyrics. Peace and love to you all
1983 - this song is awesome!
2020 - this song is awesome!
epijaydj wait thats illegal
@@danielsergio8531 not east of Greenland and Azores, it's 2020 here already :D
You posted it too soon. Jail
3147 - this song is awesome!
Просто ахуенно
Cinematography in the 70s and 80s was great, such warm colors, the image is so real and warm, I wish Kodak kept producing the film and the equipment.
I treasure my monochrome memories - FP4 and HP5 were and still are the biz. Just gone back to my trusty film camera and God it captures those 70s & 80s vibes so well.
@@stephenspark776 Excellent, I hope old cameras never die.
Совершенно с вами согласен цифра не заменит плёнку
@@ЛеонидСтафеев-о9е Усе однаково плівки зникнуть з виробництва, вже зараз просуваються окуляри доповненої реальності і ми потроху рухаємося у ту реальність, як у фільмах фантастики де люди переважно мешкають у ліжках з шоломами та окулярами доповненої реальності і знімають їх щоб поїсти та зробити "людські справи"
They lol you can pretty much get every film they produced then still
This is a masterpiece. From the opening synth chords, to the high falsetto vocal. A musical pearl
Erasure s hideaway is much more powerful it made me cry as I was struggling to come out the first second I Heard the track I burst into tears that song saved me
Thankyou who ever replied to my comment
And not to mention the bravest subject matter of any song which even today would be daring but this was in the early '80s. I cannot believe it
Couldn’t have say it any better.
As young in the 80ish and grew up in a small town I know everything about what this song is about. I had so many dreams and hopes back then. I felt exactly as he sings, alone on the platform when I arrived in the big city.
The lyrics speak of sadness, but the music....!
After all these years this tune still gives me the shivers.........what a great song!!!!!
If i ever had a kid and he turned out to be queer I am sure I would have given him money when he turned 18 and told him never to return.
322 likes and no comment ? Let me fix this.
💯🙏💓
This song has it all, just perfect. It sounds so sad and euphoric at the same time. You can really feel that someone is trying to break the chains and leave it all behind. Jimmy Somerville's angelic and beautiful voice still gets under my skin every time I hear it, pure gold.
I still get shivers down my spine even after hearing this for the 1000th time, it's totally timeless.
@@candytiger644 Same!
spot on...melancholic yet uplifting...an electronic blues...a beautiful lament
One of the most euphoric times of my life was leaving home - yes, with a suitcase on a train from a small seaside town to the big city (Brum in my case). Magical time.
@@Chris-Shinn I can imagine that it was a magical moment that you will never forget. ✨ It's a scene we often see in movies.
“The love that you need will never be found at home” one of the most tragic lyrics ever written.
Stefan Kovacevic 😭❤️
@Stefan Kovacevic hqQrm ķ6 ,
💔💔💔
Stefan Kovacevic me too
Just sent it to my old military boys back in the day, I went on dance floor by myself w no one else there.
This is one of those times when art expressing itself in the personal is what actually makes it feel universal.
I'm 18 years old and I definitely love these songs and the 80s, they're just WOW
same!!!
I believe its not about age
@@arturkaznacheev8022 i agreee
Instead i am 11
And I love the 80s so freacking much
much narcoticum them doing back then many deceased it a badman ting seen
The lyrics are applicable to many different scenarios. Not just being gay. Many young people face a difficult time coming of age. Or even just being themselves. Timeless jam.
yea
No! it's explicitly about coming out as gay. You can interpret any way you which.
But this song is about that and very important to mark how it was in the 80s and earlier, this is a particular situation and it's specifically about that, there are other songs that would fit better for other circumstances
Many musicians never really fit in at school and where they lived and have a hard time going back, too many hard memories.
It is even more relevant coming out as White heterosexual and male.
I danced to this back in '95, the vibes in that club was amazing. I miss those days, no fighting just absolute happiness.
Take me back to that time ❤
Would love to be in 95 now ❤
You should dance now
All was hope
Me too!
This always moves me to tears. Briefly met Jimmy once, sweet guy.
I was born in 82, and came from a busted up home. My mum then ran pubs. I left home at 16, got into drugs, and lost everything, and became a complete scumbag, and went raving until 21, when I joined the army and went to war. I then did 5 years, got PTSD, and got kicked out for drugs in 2008. Then I lost everything again, and rebuilt my life, and moved to Australia, drove to Mongolia, and travelled 35 countries. I had a bad car crash which disabled me, and I'm still having surgeries for the injuries. I'm 41 now and run a building and project managing company. I have an equally damaged girlfriend of 7 years, and we have a house, and a veg garden and chickens. We have one rule in this house....dignity, love, compassion and understanding are more important than anything else. Wherever you're going through....just enjoy what you can from it, and see it for what it is...a scene from the film of your life. Life is both beautiful and tough...so don't make yours, or anyone else's harder than it already is
I love you all, and wish you well! X
Que lindas palabras! Saludos de agentina❤
Meine Kindheit verlief ähnlich.
👍
Right on keep your head up and remember to stop and enjoy life!
David ,,i don't know you and never will but....God Bless You My Friend from New Scotland Canada....
thank you for sharing this... and message received (and currently needed )
The absolute GUTS it took to create this in the 80s is unmatched. Kings.
Agree... said by me, a true heterosexual, ex military...
@@FLAC2023 ex military isn't exactly hetero, fighting these illegal wars making every member of the military stepping foot in another country illegally or operating drones remotely in that country a war criminal. I don't lack respect for ex military if they recognise in their own hearts that what they were doing was wrong - and there is no excuses as each made their choice (albeit from brainwashing and being duped). There is always the possibility of redemption from just realising the truth.
Peace brother
@@bigbasil1908 can you point where exactly I said that the military is heterosexual only? I spoke about myself looking at other people different than me with empathy and understanding...
This is the problem with the Web... dumb people who are emotionally challenged acting and reacting to comments that they misunderstand or misapply...
Could that be you?
@@bigbasil1908 wars have always existed and always be.... even in the animal kingdom they fight for food, territory, etc...
Don't be so naive and idealistic. You are not going to do well in life with that attitude... don't like my response? Ask God why he created us like this...
Let's just hope that no major war or natural Armageddon takes place in which you will certainly find out that in no time it becomes a matter of survival of the fittest...
@@bigbasil1908 ..."ex military isn't exactly hetero"
WTF does ( In your opinion) do illegal wars have to do with one's sexuality one way or the other?
By 1984, when this song came out, I was a lost, lonely, physical abused, alcoholic/naïve, drop out full time working young 15 year old boy who thought he had all the answers, trusted nobody & listened to nobody but myself.
By 1994 I was a 25 year old combat veteran, married, still an alcoholic & now dependent on opiates & benzos while trying to hold a full time job & still thinking I was in control, knew it all, had all the answers while still only listening to myself.
By 2004 I was 35 year old divorced, 3 DUI’s while addicted to alcohol/opiates/benzos & had a son with a new girlfriend & was a stay home dad due to my inability to work because of those addictions & alcoholism but still thought I was in control, knew it all & still only listening to myself.
By 2014 I was 45, 3x divorced, been in & out of the VA hospital due to my addictions & PTSD/anxiety issues, many more run-ins with the law, 2 sons but most importantly I was clean & sober & able to work part time all while having serious doubts about me knowing it all & started realizing I was not in control, didn’t have all the answers & open to listening to others.
Today in 2024 at age 55, I’ve got 18 years of sobriety, I’m married 3x, am an involved father to both my 21 & 14 year old sons as well as my wife’s children, have gotten my criminal record expunged & sealed, have a home with lots of stability, hold a full time job & came to the realization I didn’t know much, accepted I need to listen to others around me that genuinely have my best interests at heart & learning from all my experiences.
Looking back, as hearing this song tends to allow me to do, life was definitely a struggle & a bit of a roller coaster ride for me. Making matters worse was the fact that for about 35 + years I listened to nobody but myself thinking I had all the answers which included surrounding myself with people who told me what I wanted to hear not what I needed to hear.
Most importantly, DO NOT give up, even when it’s gets dark & tough, because trust me you are worth it!
✌🏽🙏
You are never more lonley ❤
What is the difference between the people who tell you what you want to hear and people who tell you what you need to hear. How to feel what is really necessary for you?
@@diariv the people I surrounded myself with while out there raising hell on a motorcycle, jobless, womanizing, drinking & using encouraged more of that type of behavior. Things I wanted to hear.
While on the other hand my probation officer & a couple of family members encouraged me to stop get off the drugs, stop drinking in excess, get a job, become responsible & settle down & create a family. Things I didn’t want to hear but needed to.
✌🏽
Needed this brother, thank you
@@tompositive7001 thank you brother for taking the time to read this & take it in. I’m so grateful that you took something away from it.
🙏✌🏽
'80s songs had such beautiful melody and back-beat.
This song just resonates. Jimmy saved a lot of young men's life with this song, gave hope that there was something better after running away from the place that should of loved you.
Great comment mate, respect.👨❤️👨
Yes, one of those young men was me.
@@NESalMonella nice
Awesome comment besides the "should of".
No entiendo ingles peto seguro q es todo bueno.
Who’s else thinks 80s music is the best ever 🕺🏻🎶
Yes Sir😉
💯👌👌
Greatest period ever , lucky to have lived through it .
and 90s
I can agree with you even considering my completely different cultural background and age. I just can't find such truly sincere songs of my generation.
When I first saw this video, I cried. I went out the next week and bought the album. Nothing has ever touched me as much as the raw angst of Jimmy Somerville and this album. I cherish the fact that I have this album I and I can still play all these years later.
I read this far too quick and thought you were gonna say nothing has touched you as much as Jimmy saville haha
You are hella lucky!!
😭❤
Pish!
Did you cry? Really? Utter bollocks. What's happening to the world?
2025 anyone???
I remember when this song came out-
I never realized how sad it was!
We danced to this song throughout the 80s!
I dream of better times -
Dream of returning to the 80s❤❤
I did not drink. I did not do drugs. I just danced all night in clubs and I felt as high as anyone. Music is the answer to everything.
I appreciate this comment. I stopped drinking a few months ago, after years of binge drinking in the clubs, and going out dancing all night has never felt better. ❤️
Music saved my life...literally...
You are right. When i hear music (loudly) i am getting high like i have drank alcohol. I can't compare to drugs cause i never did. Now i don't drink alcohol at all and i don't miss it.
just pop molly bruh
I drank and did drugs. Made it even better.
The song, the video, the vibe. The message .... my God i miss the 80’s...
Da war die Welt noch in Ordnung 🤗
A
All I keep hearing is "Run mother fucker run", what the hell are you hearing?
Me too@
This song has deep lyrics and one of the greatest beats ever. I’m 25 and I feel very glad to have a taste for 80’s, what has led me to know songs like this
🎶🍻✌
You saw it on tik tok don't lie lol
I'm 32 now but growing up I always felt connected to 80s music. I think it just speaks to your ability to recognize good music. some music (like this song) are just timeless!! ❤️ young people loving it is what helps keep it alive 🔥
Same. I’ve always been an 80s music fan. Brought up with good taste. I’m also 25. Born too late for the music, but I’m honestly glad. Life would have been a lot harder for me back then.
@@robertkcisaw7528 haha not a tik tok user
Thank you GTA for bringing me here.
One of the very best songs of the 80s and such an emotional video.
I was thinking it's pretty sad.
What is the story of the video
@@craigjennings5274 pretty sure he runs away from home because he’s gay and isn’t accepted
Miss music videos like this where they tell a story and not cliche.
Yeahhhh 👍
80's music will never be matched in substance , variety, and unique sound!!!! I love you 80's..I sit and try to remember songs 🎵 like this to feel my days of youth...
@@1-CRoss same here🙌
Me too 😘💚👍
What is the magic that they can't do that kind of music videos? I don't know 1 good song of the last 10 years, it's so sad. Despacito is that what music has become.. Damn
Rest in Peace Steve! Your beats won't be forgotten.
ja das ist wohl wahr
So sad about It!
I am from the future! I'm still listening it in 2028!
Me too 🎵🎶🎧
I never realized how deeply sad this song is. My heart goes out to that guy, from 2020 all the way back to 1983.
Azazello1482 agreed!
The part where he pulls a sandwich out of a bag on the train eats it 😥 Something very sad about that part.
I didn't get what this song/video about when I was a kid, and the first time I saw it I just sort of shrugged it off. Now, I find it deeply moving. Funny thing, empathy, as you get older. That his dad didn't even shake his hand was the part that really got me.
Azazello1482 no it’s old tune x
Jimmy was in my class at secondary school before I left in 1978 to be a car mechanic and gradually lost touch with my schoolmates.
.I met my (then girlfriend-now my wife) in 1983 and surprisingly she told me Jimmy used to work beside her and her mum in Alexander Ferguson’s paintwork in Ruchill Glasgow.What a small world!
This song holds a special meaning to me as I also had to heartbreakingly leave home without fond goodbyes-not to come out as gay but for the love of my wife who my parents and sister wouldn’t accept into their lives and I didn’t want to lose her.
We’ve been happily married for 39 years but the rift and bitterness is still there despite my father dying suddenly 36 years ago and my mother is now 91.Some wounds don’t heal.
How strange though that this old schoolmate has been in the “background” personally and musically within my life.
Wishing you every success Jimmy and thanks for putting Maryhill forever on the map you and my best mate Bobby Carlisle.
GOOD GLASWEGIAN...😊 GOVAN HERE IN 2024...🙏🏻🏴
Nice!
What an incredible and profound testimony! You left me speechless...with a sense of sadness for what you all had to endure, Jimmy included. I wish you the best in your life. Greetings from Italy❤
Dumbarton here..great story..I worked in Kwik Fit, Maryhill Road for a few years.. 😂.. 🏴🏴🏴🏴🏴
That’s so sad and selfish of your family what about what made u happy. So sorry.
When this came out as a teenager living in a very abusive home I felt he had looked into my soul and about summed me up. This song made me not feel alone.. still makes me cry even now but love this song even with tears in my eyes.
Your one brave girl.
same here, and I am straight
Love to you
Bless u sweetheart 💓
Hope you are OK now.
Found one of the best influential beat combinations ever composed
80's synthesizer effects have something special. Gives me nostalgic feelings - Love it
⁸7
I love 80s music!
Listen to John foxx’s album metamatic
They makes me cry of nostalgia and I’m a 2002 kid
This is why i am into 80s so much
what makes me emotional is despite what he endures, he's not alone or unhappy in the end. He's got what he needs and he'll be okay.
If "got what he needs" means a good ol-fashioned bum-pummeling!
And creepy swimmer stalking.
@@Bhatt_Holelol cry
@@Bhatt_Hole he was happier than a blind queer at a weenie roast
Your comment is gay!
@@Bhatt_Hole no they mean at the end when the other members of the band join him and hes okay
The song tells a very deep story. Not only is it a musical masterpiece it’s also had a very very deep story that a lot of people will relate to. Sadly.
I have no clue why but I love this song.
also it tells us that back in the 1980s it only cost 10 quid to get rid of your gay son.
@@odakyuodakyu6650 It's just history of pain and more pain, Britain has suffered a lot.
I agree with you. Greetings from Spain.
I didn't get the message, my brain it's not working so can u explain u?
RIP Steve and Larry - as long as this plays, you will always be remembered. I think in 100 years from now, you will be remembered, because this is a masterpiece of pop writing and execution.
So true - no music these days is a patch on this
Only the 80's had the poppiest, most joyful music set against the darkest lyrics.
Lo acabo de ver en Instagram 👀
Perfectly summed up
Yes 💯
Donnie Darko captured that whole essence you’re referring to perfectly in my opinion
Funny but true
I've always held this song close to my heart, myself being a gay man who had to run from home. My father hasn't spoken to me in about 5 years since I came out, and I don't expect to be in contact with him again anytime soon. I still remember leaving town on the train and never looking back..just like the song. It's always felt very personal to me and I will always cherish this song
Based dad?..
❤️❤️❤️
@@davidthomson9747 Thanks for the love, right back at ya mate ❤❤
@@vadimmorozov It’s time we band together in solidarity
I appreciate your Story just chills man
My parents asked me recently who my childhood hero was and I replied "Jimmy Somerville". I think they were very surprised. I wouldn't have admitted it at the time. Unlike others in the industry he didn't hide who he was. Salute you Jimmy. Respect.
Totally🙏
least it wasn't Jimmy saville
@vlаdimir рutin is аndrеi раnin - russian actor WOULD YOU FUCK OFF
@@dannyboyc3po SaVILE (as it is spelled), very disrespectful to mention him in this context.
This dropped a few months after I left a small rural town in the midwest for LA. As a young gay boy tasting the gay life in WeHo when this was playing in all the clubs, I was like a kid in a candy store, and this song gave me the sense I wasn't alone and a sense of community I never felt at home. I learned to like myself and gain the confidence that would lead to a long and happy life - one without shame or fear
Of course the whole era was one where gays from coast to coast became family and tight nit in the face of the AIDs crisis and our fight to prevail. The timing of this song at the beginning of the crisis was hugely significant in creating the community that would get us all through it.
A heart felt thank you to Bronski Beat, the stations and clubs and MTV that made it such a staple, and to all my brothers who fell, and all those who survived, thank you for what we can only pray is a once in a lifetime epic
2024 anyone ?
Yeah b*tch 🤘🏼
From Russia😊 peace❤
WOULD PEOPLE PLEASE STOP ASKING THIS!? I SEE THIS COMMENT EVERYWHERE!
@@brentmunroe1227 why you are so stupid? are you a democrat?
It is indeed 2024. Next year will be 2025.
2026 after that.
I was working at that time ( 1984) in a famous Camden Town nightclub and Bronski Beat came for a gig, very few people knew about them like me altough this 45 rpm record was goin' up the sales, can't remember who of those three asked me to help them unloading instruments and all what they needed for the gig , I still have got the flier of their gig...
Pass it down to family, I got a blue Peter badge 😊
J'aurais aimé les voir en concert...
Baguette
as a waitress? In a cocktail bar?
no as a cellarman@@dublinvanlife466
Finally this song got 100M. Very underrated, deserved more
It's because of the new Christin Stewart movie, love lies bleeding soundtrack. Always been a good song though.
Me listening April 2024 ❤❤
This song was a huge hit and has been regularly played on radio stations around the world for the past 40 years...how is that underrated.
@@AnUndisclosedLocationstairway to heaven is underrated
@@AnUndisclosedLocation people misuse that term nowadays. It's actually cringy.
After having just accidentally coming across this song while casually sifting through Shorts on UA-cam, something happened deep within my soul, and I was instantly transported back 41 years to the innocence 1984. A plethora of fantastic, overpowering memories are possessing me. I am now rediscovering other songs from that period of time as we speak ♥️
The medicine of music ✨
I'm 44 and I've been listening to Heavy Metal since I was 13 but I have always loved this song, there's something special and magical about it, it evokes memories of times long gone..
That sound in background between 0:53 and 1:00
Me too man! Metalhead but I also love the pop music from the 80´s!
@@devisdaldon3580 I love that sound from the background
Have you head the Paradise Lost cover? It's f$#@ awesome
@@yveslavrilloux63 Yes I've heard their cover, and yep it's a belter alright
Crying to my soul since '89.
RIP Steve Bronski. This song still fucking rocks after almost 40 years.
Was there a Steve bronski…n what happened to him…do you have details.?
@@buickadelaide1283Of course there was a Steve Bronski - who did you think Bronski Beat was named after??? 😉😉😉 According to Wikipedia, he suffered a stroke in 2018 which limited his mobility. Then in December of 2021, he died from smoke inhalation in a fire inside his home.
I’m from AUSTRALIA…WE NEVER HAD THOSE DETAILS…AND NEVER HEARD FROM THE BAND AFTER THEIR BIG HIT…SO NEVER KNEW THE DETAILS…
@@hello-vs4dc thank u for the details, i never knew song was about being gay, jus watched vid for 1st time thought it's the struggle for everyone trying to find love outside of oneself/home/family/God
RIP Steve, RIP so many....
@@Anonymous-km5pj Although a songwriter typically writes a song about something specific - in this case about being gay and finding acceptance as an out and proud gay man - once a song has been released to the mainstream masses, people will inevitably perceive a song from their own viewpoints … and in my opinion, as long as that perspective isn’t completely opposite of what the songwriter originally intended the song to mean, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with your interpretation. Just as an example, Sinead O’Connor’s song “Troy” sounds to most listeners as if it’s about a love affair (perhaps an obsessive love) that didn’t work out well, Sinead actually wrote this song about her relationship with her mother and the abuse she endured as a child while growing up …
I looked all over in my very conservative town's record stores for this album when it first came out. I finally found one lone copy tucked away in the back in a little record store in a mall. I was not out but I could tell the fellow at the register knew why I was so happy I had found the record finally. He gave me kind of a nod and a wink that I can still see in my mind. Silly now but it's a nice memory for me.
Thanks for sharing your slice of queer history, its beautiful to hear how this song travels down the generations for us lost queer souls
I love this song. Am I gay?
@@TB0NEx "It Aint Necessarily So...."
what a sweet story, thanks for sharing
@@safebans1369I guess being "lost" depends on where you live. I hope you don't consider yourself lost much longer... love, is love, is love. Most people are pretty accepting/inclusive.
What a perfect voice and music to compliment it.
The words to this song always bring me down to earth. I am not gay, but that doesn't matter, the song is highlighting someone that is different. I was sexually abused by a guy from 8 to 11 years old in a small community in Norfolk, as a result I got badly bullied for being quite. A few years later at 16 this 'smalltown boy' escaped to join the army - still cannot stop shedding a tear to this song though!
Thank you for sharing Bro!! Yore not alone, keep it strong!! Greetings from Amsterdam
courage in a few words, take care
I am so sorry that you had to go through something some tramatic as that. With help from a profressional you will get over it one day at a time
@@COMAPRYGENT
your description is ON POINT 👏👏👏
😪 Stay strong. Blessings.
*an absolute game changer in the development in electronic music!* 👍
Glad you liked it , but this isn't electronic music . Many new wave bands were using a drum machine before this . For game changers check out Krautrock from the 70's . Everyone lists Kraftwork as the father of electronic music , but there were many other electronic bands . Miles davis also experimented with electronics in early 70's . Happy hunting !
@@agamotto5041 Huh, this is electronic music. I don't know what you are talking about saying otherwise.
@@ChuckyDoll79 I would say this is a GREAT example of synthpop .Depeche Mode uses more synthesisers and is not considered electronic music .Great song yes , electronic no , and how did it change the game ? Who did it inspire ,what artists are disciples ? At least we can agree it's a great song .
@@agamotto5041 Listen up. Synthpop is a subgenre of electronic music. I got news for you, Depeche Mode is considered electronic music too because they are synthpop too. Repeat after me, synthpop is a subgenre of electronic music.
And by the way, you mispelled Kraftwerk in your previous reply.
No way. It was 1984. Great tune nonetheless.
I left school around the time this was out. As soon as I left I began to isolate myself from friends and found it hard to hold down a job. All these years later I have been diagnosed with autism. I have lived a very hard and lonely life and only beautiful songs like this have got me through.
Thankyou for sharing , good luck with your journey..Check out " Sadhguru " for some interesting insights..
I will be your friend bro. My son has autism. Its not easy i know.
Stay strong
so sorry you were tought r aolone..
You've crystalized my thoughts eloquently. I wish we were friends. We could help each other and sometimes laugh.
2025 still jamming my 80s mix
This song came out in 1984. In 2007 it was sampled on Cry for you by September, and now, Charli XCX sampled September's song and released Beg for you...
This song and melody will never die and will continue to influence musicians for decades to come
I also can hear some similarity on the music When love takes over (david guetta, kelly rowland)
curren$y- woh also samples this beat!
Supermode tell my why?
The New Ed Sheeran Bad Habits song sounds like the September song, and now I learned September used this beat too. Interesting. Although, I haven't heard any accusations of his bad habits song sounding like september--since this is the primary source probably.
@@youngepicurean8282 For many years I thought of a super mode - tell me why is the original version
I wonder how many lives u saved with this song, Jimmy. Be blessed by the universe for it.
And i saw this incredibly full of energy little man on stage, years ago, when he stopped singing in the middle of a song to tell the audience to wait, for 2 children were there, in front of him, uncomfortable among grown ups dancing and fans pushing to get to the first row. He asked the security guys to take them out and let them dance more safely, between the public and the security gates. Then he started singing again. It was a wonderful moment and gig (for them, and us watching them dancing freely till the end of it).
Beautiful man.
@Tzeite'l -Arial, Pearlmann🕎✝️ oh dear... u sad little soul, go pray any of them, if it makes u less agressive and arrogant, it s good to me.
@Tzeite'l -Arial, Pearlmann🕎✝️ Let me correct you Allah made the universe
Lol how. Any lives lol fk off
@PEARLMANN🕎✝️ And Santa Claus and the tooth fairy exists as well, ey? Get a clue about this thing called science, it's overtaken the assumptions of uneducated tribal elders with facts about the origins of the universe, solar system, earth, and humanity. No ribs nor magic were involved. Bye now.
I would have been pissed having this brilliant song interrupted. But total hero for the call out.
This song is so precious, just imagine the lives that it has touched and saved. ❤️
@Amy Corbett. I totally agree with you !
I love this song too
I feel the same...
truth will never be found in a cozy and pleasant place full of delight... That much beyond doubt.
A musical group from Germany made a new version of this song a couple of years ago that is even more touching and emotional. It's called Hurensohn by K.I.Z.
Essa música tem uma vabe inexplicável, amo muito!!! 😍❤️
RIP Steve Bronski, you were huge music pioneer in the 1980’s and will never be forgotten.
Sad that he died in a house fire.
@@MxC420 😢😢😢
RIP STEVE BRONSKI THANKS +++++
I think If you're young and confused about life you can relate to this song. People who quite don't know how to fit into conventional society.
One of the most haunting and enduring songs of the eighties. A timeless classic.
Hell, I am 53 and still don't know how to fit into conventional society.
I'm 50 and have never felt so confused about life as now. If I could choose to go back to the 80s and have 5 years of bliss or 50 years of uncertainty like we have now, there would be no need to even think about which option I'd take. I miss the 80s so much. 😭😭😭😭
Like so many others, I came to watch this after hearing of Steve Bronski's death today (December 9, 2021). It immediately transported me back to 1984. I may not be gay, and things weren't horrible at home, but the song just happened to be a hit at the same time that I was leaving my own small town with not much more than a little black case, venturing into the terrifying unknown. There was nothing for me if I stayed, but I had no idea what might await me if I left. I just knew I had to leave. Listening to "Smalltown Boy" at the time gave me hope. Luckily, like Jimmy in the video, I found my tribe. The song still carries particularly powerful memories and resonances for me. RIP Steve.
Totally agree. The song and video perfectly captures that 1984 feel of loneliness and apprehension.
Amo esse cantor. Não sabia que tinha morrido. Morreu do quê?
I may not be gay…. Ok mate… I love the song and I’m straight too.
Einer der besten 80er Songs 🤎
For me , this song is one of the absolutely best 80's pop songs ever!! In memory to Steve Bronski.
Stefano i agree with your comment , this lovely guy gave us this fantastic song and dance , He could move to this x The words mean a lot , it describes a what if scenario xx What a fine fella i will always love him xx Jane xxx
Stefano lots of love Jane xx x
r.i.p to steve bronski :(
This song will live forever
this ain't pop, this is master piece in art of music. Sound, lyrics, vocals and overall message - all are at the TOP.
One of the best songs of all time, in which personal story and artistic realisation merge credibly.
SONGS OF PSALMS ARE MINE.
MATTHEW 3:2
This makes me cry... so much passion put into a song. An actual masterpiece.
Daniel Lyons totally agree so sad but still so warming especially in these times
Sad but a bitter sweet happy ending. He is with his friends now on to a new life where he can be himself.
I have just realised how brave the video is for the time. I always loved the song and end up teary 'cos it's so sad.
Thats hoe you discribe this song perfect just a masterpiece
Ducking right, emotional as hell
40 years ! Note that at 1:37 the egg is almost too big for the egg cup. Todays eggs are smaller and sink in the egg cup. Mais où sont les neiges d’antan ?
Fucking deep state
Strange thing to notice 😂
Eggs come in sizes from S to L 🙄
@@Gonken88 L of today would have been S in 1984. It’s called shrinkflation. Believe it from an old man who has been cooking all his life.
@@arriyad1arriyad649 The chickens are laying smaller eggs to make more money for the farmers 😄? My L eggs look like the one in the video in an egg cup from the 70s. If you buy cheap eggs they're S eggs that's been sorted from the premium ones.