☝️ Key Points
- The song is about a young man who leaves his small hometown to discover and accept his true identity.
- The young man is determined to leave behind his past and his community that rejects him, which is symbolized by 'with everything you own/ in a little black case'.
- There is a clear generational conflict and a difficulty for the young man to distance himself from traditional norms, which is reflected in 'Mother will never understand/ why you had to leave'.
- The repeated 'Run away, turn away' shows the need to flee from discrimination and intolerance to protect oneself and find one's own identity.
- 'Pushed around and kicked around/ always a lonely boy' refers to the teasing and abuse the protagonist has experienced due to his sexual orientation.
- The song ends with the same lyrics it starts with, symbolizing the journey of the young man from darkness to hope.
Interpretation
The song 'Smalltown Boy' by
Bronski Beat is about the experience of a young man who flees his small hometown to discover and accept his true self.
In the song lyrics, the protagonist is portrayed as someone who 'in the morning / with everything you own / in a little black case' sets off. This symbolizes his decision to leave behind his past and the rejection he experienced in his community.
The song also speaks of the mother's inability to understand the boy's decision: 'Mother will never understand / why you had to leave'. This points to the generational conflict and the difficulty a young person has in breaking free from traditional expectations and norms.
The repeated 'Run away, turn away' is both an instruction and an expression of the boy's desperation and determination. It shows the need to flee from discrimination and intolerance to protect oneself and find one's own identity.
The line 'Pushed around and kicked around / always a lonely boy' refers to the teasing and abuse the protagonist has endured. It is a clear picture of the exclusion and mistreatment many people experience due to their sexual orientation.
The song ends with the same lines it began with, symbolizing the boy's journey from darkness to hope. The 'sad and lonely face' on the platform becomes a face hoping for a better future.
Overall, 'Smalltown Boy' is a powerful message of self-acceptance and courage to live one's own truth, regardless of society's expectations and rejection.