Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: garage
Song Meaning of “That Boy” by The Babies
The Babies’ song ‘That Boy’ tells the story of a relationship gone wrong. It paints a vivid picture of a young woman who is trying to make sense of the end of her relationship with an unappreciative, unstable lover. She muses on the pain of the break-up and her longing for a more fulfilling relationship.
The song opens with the singer reflecting on the instability of the relationship – ‘That boy was here, then gone again / He couldn’t stay / He wasn’t built that way.’ She conveys the emptiness and loneliness she felt from her partner’s lack of commitment, despite her best efforts to help him grow.
As the song progresses, she grapples with feelings of heartache and regret, but also has a sense of relief that she escaped such a tumultuous relationship. The lyrics ‘I washed my hands of his crazy games/Got me thinkin’ maybe ending it was the best for me’ embrace the idea of letting go and focusing on personal growth, despite the grief associated with the breakup.
The chorus of ‘That Boy’ encapsulates the emotional struggle to accept the end of the relationship, while also coming to terms with the fact that it was the right decision. The parting words ‘Maybe better off, for me/They say that don’t mean you can’t be free’ express the singer’s desire for freedom and inner peace, free from the chaos of the relationship.
Overall, ‘That Boy’ is an ode to the bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye for the right reasons. With thoughtful, emotionally charged lyrics, The Babies evoke a powerful and resonant understanding of the struggles faced when a relationship fails.