Jimmy Somerville Reprises Landmark Hit On 30th Anniversary Of Smalltown Boy

In the summer of 1984 my roommate and I returned from one of our twice-weekly record hunts bearing the 12" of Bronski Beat's Smalltown Boy - which we'd initially fished out of the import bin purely because we were intrigued by the cover's pink triangle. The mournful lyrics on the flip side of that 12" sleeve only hinted at the plaintive, painful disco bliss that turned Smalltown Boy into what would become the most well-known pop hit about gay bashing and being rejected by one's family for being gay. (Maybe the only well-known one?) Smalltown Boy was a global smash, topping the pop charts in several countries and hitting #1 on Billboard's dance chart during February 1985. Today, on the 30th anniversary of Smalltown Boy's release in the UK, former Bronski Beat vocalist Jimmy Somerville, now 52, has released a gorgeous, spare version. He's still got it. Get it on iTunes. Below is the original 1984 video. Dance the pain away.


(Tipped by JMG reader Bear Bob)