When My Boy Walks Down The Street

Trust me #13
When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields

The Magnetic Fields is a band led by Stephen Merrit.

In 1999 the band released the incredible 69 Love Songs album, glorious lofi guitar pop music with cool titles, lyrics, guitars and synths. All 69 songs were written by Merrit, some lasting 27 seconds, others lasting a full 5-minutes.

When My Boy Walks Down The Street always stood out for me. In under 3-minutes, Merrit paints a clear poetic, hopelessly romantic picture of how head over heels in love he is. This is a lo-fi love song masterpiece.

Looking back, it may well have been the first openly male gay song that I was aware of. I love the vibe, the distorted guitar chords are so simple, Merrit's voice is captured beautifully, there is a kind of Velvets-y feel to it.

The opening line is incredible; Grand pianos crash together when my boy walks down the street and I love how Perrit is so openly captivated and targeted in the chorus;

Amazing, he's a whole new form of life

Blue eyes blazing and he's going to be my wife

 And in the second verse he ponders Maybe he should be illegal, he just makes life too complete

Enjoy this live performance and also the recorded version. The lyrics and links to all the previous blogs in the Trust Me series are below.

There is also (for the first time) a Spotify playlist with all the songs featured. Search for Everything Flows - Trust Me on Spotify or click the embedded playlist.

Grand pianos crash together, when my boy walks down the street

There are whole new kinds of weather, when he walks with his new beat

Everyone sings hallelujah, when my boy walks down the street

Life just kind of dances through ya, from your smile down to your feet

Amazing, he's a whole new form of life

Blue eyes blazing and he's going to be my wife

The world does the hula-hula, when my boy walks down the street

Everyone thinks he's Petula, so big and yet so petite

Butterflies turn into people, when my boy walks down the street

Maybe he should be illegal, he just makes life too complete

Amazing he's a whole new form of life

Blue eyes blazing and he's going to be my wife

Oh, shadows of echoes of memories

Oh. things that he brings he found in the sea

Oh, shadows of echoes of memories of songs

Oh, how could he know that it won't be long

Grand pianos crash together, when my boy walks down the street

There are whole new kinds of weather, when he walks with his new beat

Everyone sings hallelujah, when my boy walks down the street

Life just kind of dances through ya, from your smile down to your feet

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton
1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells
2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond
3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell
4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot
5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon
6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras
7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans
8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland
9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave
10. Sometimes by James
11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time
12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre