Boston

Album: All The Stars And Boulevards (2005)
Charted: 34
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Songfacts®:

  • This, like many of Augustana's songs, was written about a place they had been. The song is about somebody feeling left out or unfulfilled in one place and wants to move on. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Mike - Wareham, MA

Comments: 14

  • Ben from Centennial, Co@ Ava: Sorry if I'm hurting your feelings. I'm sure you love the song so much, since you live there. Sure enough, I still like it, too. :)
  • Ben from Centennial, CoThis is a coincidence I had with Augustana when I first had my mission for college: to go to a place like Boston "where no one knows my name". Like the description said, in 2014, I was a "somebody feeling left out or unfulfilled" while in Berklee College of Music (Boston, accordingly). Even though "[they] don't know me and [they] don't even care" after Berklee accepted my admission, I found Boston not just a good place to visit, but also a very uncomfortable city, because of its people. So, after staying in Berklee for 7 months, I risked myself to "move on" and go back to where I belong, due to... well, I can't say. The point about the song I found was: Augustana once had a good point about going there. It was set as a goal to help raise a fund for college there and one of the songs I played during it. In case you don't know, I'm a pianist. Long story. Nowadays, I don't care about the city ever again.
  • Thomas from Chicago@ Kelly: The writer saw her later at a concert in Seattle. Money kept her home. She met a guy and moved to Washington. She still dreams of Boston and Spain and though they parted long before, she knew the song was about her and loved it. Still friends, they've not seen one another since. But she seemed happy.
  • Thomas from Beaverton, OrThe "tired of sunsets" lyric actually appears to me to be a double meaning. The aforementioned West coast/East coast difference but also the end vs a new beginning (dying vs living). While the "Cheers" ref is tongue in cheek it is part of a mind creating a fantasy of expectations of a new start.
  • Ava from Boston, MaThis is just one of those incredible songs I never get sick of listening to.
  • Rose from No Hope, PaLove the song. Very pretty. I'm very curious to know what happened to all those pianos.
  • Bob from Las Vegas, NvWats dis song about? Please tell me
  • Lori from Alexandria, VaSuch a haunting song...

    The sunrise and sunset images work very well. Clearly, they have literal meanings for two coastlines on opposite sides of the nation that are so extremely different from each other. Also, there's the symbolism of a sunrise as starting over and a new beginning. And, being "tired of sunset" refers to both the west coast's famous sunsets and the boulevard in Los Angeles.

    I always enjoy the wink at the old "Cheers" theme song -- the place "where everybody knows your name" -- to Boston as a city where "no one knows my name".
  • Mark from Worcester, MiSorry Kelly. That was a little more harsh than intended. I took the song as a grief induced stream of conscience. Ever been there when you're sad or angry? I'm going to do this and I'm going to do that etc etc etc In the end you do none of it. All you do is eat cake or ice cream and get on with your life.
  • Kelly from Wilmington, NcNote my sarcasm.
  • Kelly from Wilmington, NcI just wanted to know if there was more to the story. Glad I could be of entertainment to you.
  • Mark from Worcester, MiDon't worry about it Kelly. Of course she meets a lover and flys off to Spain. Then they come back and have 2.2 kids and live on Main St USA. They're currently putting up a white picket fence and are very very happy. She stays in touch with the writer and they remain good friends. I hear there's talk of making a TV movie.
  • Kelly from Wilmington, NcHas the writer of the song ever said what happens to the girl after they've met?
    Does she ever get to Boston? Or find that lover she wanted to fly out to Spain?
    Does anything happen between her and the writer?
    I mean, supposedly, according to the song.
  • Matthew from East Brunswick, NjAwesome song. I feel the same way.
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