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Draft:Only a Lad (Oingo Boingo song)

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Only a Lad is a song by American new wave band Oingo Boingo, taken from their 1981 album of the same name. Written by frontman, Danny Elfman, it was released as a single in May 1981.

"Only a Lad"
Single by Oingo Boingo
B-side"Ain't This The Life"
ReleasedMay 15, 1981
GenreNew Wave
Length
  • 3:56 (album version)
  • 4:18 (EP version)
Songwriter(s)Danny Elfman
Producer(s)Pete Solley
Oingo Boingo singles chronology
"Only a Lad"
(1981)
"Little Girls"
(1981)

A jerky synth and guitar focused track, it details a story involving a so-called "juvenile delinquent" who commits several crimes, always getting away with it because, according to those around him, "he's only a lad".

Background

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The track was the first single to be released after the band dropped the "Mystic Knights" name and switched their focus to the fast paced electronic style they'd become known for in the coming years. It would remain a staple of their live shows, up and until their final performance on October 31, 1995.[1]

One year prior, it was released on their self-titled EP, albeit in an earlier form. It was then re-recorded for inclusion on the album.

Legacy

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In 1983, when discussing the album, Elfman claimed that the intention was "to be angry and keep a sense of humor at the same time", explaining "the songs themselves may not be delivered real seriously, but there is a point which I intend not to be taken lightly".[2]

In the July 4th, 1981 issue of Billboard, alongside "Capitalism", "Perfect System", "You Really Got Me", and "On The Outside", the track was selected as an album highlight when reviewed under the recommended LPs section.[3]

Uses In Other Media

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The song is a playable track in the 2007 PlayStation 2 video game Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s.[4]


References

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  1. ^ "Oingo Boingo Setlist at Universal Amphitheatre, Universal City". setlist.fm. Retrieved 2024-11-09.
  2. ^ Flans, Robyn (October 7, 1983). "Oingo Boingo's Mondo Schizo!". BAM.
  3. ^ "Billboard Magazine: 1894 to 2021". WorldRadioHistory.com. July 4, 1981. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  4. ^ "Eight more tracks from Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s". Engadget. 2007-06-12. Retrieved 2024-11-09.