I'm A Boy

Album: Meaty, Beaty, Big And Bouncy (1966)
Charted: 2
Play Video
  • One girl was called Jean Marie
    Another little girl was called Felicity
    Another little girl was Sally Joy
    The other was me, and I'm a boy

    My name is Bill, and I'm a head case
    They practice making up on my face
    Yeah, I feel lucky if I get trousers to wear
    Spend evenings taking hairpins from my hair

    I'm a boy, I'm a boy
    But my ma won't admit it
    I'm a boy, I'm a boy
    But if I say I am, I get it

    Put your frock on, Jean Marie
    Plait your hair, Felicity
    Paint your nails, little Sally Joy
    Put this wig on, little boy

    I'm a boy, I'm a boy
    But my ma won't admit it
    I'm a boy, I'm a boy
    But if I say I am, I get it

    I want to play cricket on the green
    Ride my bike across the street
    Cut myself and see my blood
    I want to come home all covered in mud

    I'm a boy, I'm a boy
    But my ma won't admit it
    I'm a boy, I'm a boy, I'm a boy
    I'm a boy, I'm a boy, I'm a boy, I'm a boy
    I'm a boy, I'm a boy, I'm a boy Writer/s: PETER TOWNSHEND
    Publisher: T.R.O. INC.
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 15

  • Oliver from None Of Your Businesstransmasc teen here. this encapsulates my feelings pretty well, albeit a bit simplistically. wonderful song and surprisingly progressive for the sixties :)
  • Ben from AustraliaAs a trans man, this song hits really close to home. Really captures the s--ttiness of being misgendered by your own mum.
  • Clemence from New YorkI always wondered if this song was autobiographical for Pete Townsend. Sounds like it wasn't.
  • Scott from New York, NyChris, it's a French Horn. That was John's first instrument and he plays it on various who songs such as My Wife.
  • Guy from Woodinville, WaThis is a great song! I grew up one boy with four sisters, so I could always relate to it. I didn't have the extreme issues portrayed in the song, but it always cracked me up and I felt like it was one of my theme songs. It pays to have a sense of humour. Pete Townshend wrote about real psychology like no other rocker!!
  • David from Boerne, TxThis lyric is surprisingly touching. Especially to an adult who might've had "gender identity issues" as a kid, which I understand Townshend did.
  • Tomcat from Richmond, VaReply to Zack:
    I think that this means that if the poor kid tries to assert himself, his parents whack the living tar out of him.
  • Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScThe description of "Quads" in the above mensioned songfacts sounda little like what happens in the movie "Gattica". has anyone else noticed that?
  • Chris from Elk River, MnOne of the few rock songs I am aware of that uses a tuba. At least I'm pretty sure it's a tuba, at the end of the song.
  • Zack from Burnley, EnglandCan anyone else here a voiceover on "...but if I say I am I *get it*"?
  • Fintan from Cheltenham, EnglandThe family in "Quads" had ordered four girls but had instead gotten three girls and one boy.
  • Eddie from Petaluma, Cathis song rocks. the lyrics rock and so does the actual song. god bless the who and pete townshend for coming out with such a great song
  • Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScWow pete Townshend was definitely ahead of his time. I mien, I dould the song was about a boy whose mother wanted him to be a girl, but noone else would have written about that in the '60's. Would they have?!
  • Ryan from Albion, Nyi thought this song was kind of the opposite..like a girl who acts like she's a boy or something..oh well
  • Shana from Detroit Rock City, Canadahaha this song is cool...it starts to rock out a bit into it and I think they should have stuck with that for the rest of the song, or at least made it into a chorus type thing...
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Steve Morse of Deep Purple

Steve Morse of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple's guitarist since 1994, Steve talks about writing songs with the band and how he puts his own spin on "Smoke On The Water."

Angelo Moore of Fishbone

Angelo Moore of FishboneSongwriter Interviews

Fishbone has always enjoyed much more acclaim than popularity - Angelo might know why.

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real Group

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real GroupSong Writing

The leader of the Modern A Cappella movement talks about the genre.

Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt On How To Create A Music Scene

Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt On How To Create A Music SceneSong Writing

With $50 and a glue stick, Bruce Pavitt created Sub Pop, a fanzine-turned-label that gave the world Nirvana and grunge. He explains how motivated individuals can shift culture.

Songs Discussed in Movies

Songs Discussed in MoviesSong Writing

Bridesmaids, Reservoir Dogs, Willy Wonka - just a few of the flicks where characters discuss specific songs, sometimes as a prelude to murder.

Christmas Songs

Christmas SongsFact or Fiction

Rudolf, Bob Dylan and the Singing Dogs all show up in this Fact or Fiction for seasonal favorites.