From Poignant Queer Hit to Viral TikTok Trend: How Bronski Beat's "Smalltown Boy" Became the Ultimate LGBTQ+ Anthem
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| Forty years after its release, Bronski Beat's queer anthem "Smalltown Boy" has captivated a new generation of fans with its heartbreaking yet hopeful message. |
When Pride Month arrives every June, iconic gay anthems dominate marches, parties, and even coffee shop playlists. Some songs are joyful and defiant—Lady Gaga's "Born This Way," Diana Ross's "I'm Coming Out," Sylvester's "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)"—while others are more poignant and yearning. Bronski Beat's "Smalltown Boy," currently enjoying a major renaissance on TikTok 40 years after its release, fits firmly into the latter category.
"‘Smalltown Boy’ is a song that anyone who is queer can relate to," says Neil Prince, a DJ who plays at LGBTQ+ venues in London and beyond. "It's also a brilliantly produced piece of pop."
Written by the British synth-pop group's founding members—singer Jimmy Somerville, and keyboardists Steve Bronski and Larry Steinbachek—"Smalltown Boy" tells a heartbreaking yet hopeful story that has resonated with generations of LGBTQ+ people. Feeling lonely and persecuted in his small town, the song's protagonist, a young gay man, heads to the city in search of acceptance and freedom. "Mother will never understand why you had to leave / But the answers you seek will never be found at home," Somerville sings in his astonishing, piercing falsetto. When the chorus arrives, it feels like fraternal advice: "Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away."
Released as Bronski Beat's debut single in May 1984, "Smalltown Boy" quickly became a massive hit in the UK, peaking at number three. It also broke into the top 10 in Australia, Canada, France, Italy, and West Germany, and reached a respectable number 48 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. Over the subsequent four decades, the song's evocative synth riff, driving bassline, and emotionally charged vocals have retained their powerful appeal, making it a favorite for music supervisors in film and TV. This year, "Smalltown Boy" has featured in Netflix's hit stalking drama "Baby Reindeer" and the Kristen Stewart-led lesbian thriller "Love Lies Bleeding." In the past five years, it has also been used in episodes of "Euphoria," "It's a Sin," "Élite," "White Gold," and "Narcos: Mexico."
Thanks to a TikTok trend centered on its nostalgic appeal, aptly named #80sdancechallenge, "Smalltown Boy" has re-entered the UK charts at number 51. To commemorate its 40th anniversary, Bronski Beat's label, London Records, is preparing a digital reissue for later this month. This reissue will feature the original 1984 song alongside a brilliant, slow-building "rework" by DJ-producer ABSOLUTE.
London-based musician Ant McGinley, known as ABSOLUTE, admits it was "kind of terrifying" to put his own stamp on this timeless classic. "I wanted to keep the essence of the original because it's so powerful and iconic, but just add energy and elements that would propel it into the new generation," he explains. McGinley believes "Smalltown Boy" remains incredibly compelling because each component is "powerful" on its own. "I could have done the rework with just the synth part, just the vocal, or just the bassline—they're all so catchy," he says. Neil Prince agrees, calling "Smalltown Boy" "the finest synth-pop" of its era.
### 'Being Part of Something Uplifting'
Although "Smalltown Boy" has been hailed as an all-time great gay anthem by publications like Billboard and Rolling Stone, its current popularity on TikTok doesn’t heavily emphasize its queerness. Instead, Bronski Beat's song has become the backdrop for a dance trend where Gen Z and millennials challenge their parents to show off their finest 1980s-style dance moves. While the exact reason "Smalltown Boy" became the go-to song for this trend, which began taking off in early May, is hard to pinpoint, ABSOLUTE suggests that Bronski Beat's old-school analogue synth sounds give it an edge. "Lots of producers still use analogue synths today because of their richness—I love using them in my music," he says.
Some might argue that this TikTok trend—often showcasing middle-aged parents dancing in family kitchens or living rooms—inadvertently "straightwashes" an inherently gay pop song about escaping that very life. However, it’s worth noting that Jimmy Somerville has given it his blessing. In a post shared on May 25, the 40th anniversary of "Smalltown Boy’s" initial release, the singer said the challenge has "made me smile and warmed my heart." He added, "Everything is going so crazy in the world—there's so much that's terrifying. But here on TikTok, there are all these people finding a moment to have a bit of fun, and all these older people reliving some memory and being part of something uplifting."
### Smalltown Boy's Enduring Power
In the same post, Somerville spoke eloquently about the song's origins and ongoing relevance as an LGBTQ+ rights anthem. "[We were] three young gay men: out, proud, in your face, and we had a message," he recalled. "That message still resonates 40 years later because we seem to be regressing. In so many places, rights are being chipped away at, and there's a real surge of homophobia, aggression, and discrimination towards anyone who wants to be themselves and love who they choose."Music writer Ian Wade, author of "1984: The Year Pop Went Queer," says it was evident from the start that "Smalltown Boy" was not only a "great" pop song but also an "important" one.
He credits the powerful accompanying video, which depicts Somerville admiring another boy at the local swimming pool before being beaten up by the same boy and his friends, for reinforcing the song's message. "It felt so real and wasn't sugar-coated in any way," says Wade, who is particularly moved by the "realistic interactions" between Somerville and the actors portraying his parents. "You see the tears and upset of his mum but also the gentle hostility of his dad, who hands Jimmy some money but won't shake his hand," he notes. In a 2015 interview, Somerville revealed that the video was conceived as a mini "socio-documentary," which was a "groundbreaking" idea at the time.
The singer also suggested that "Smalltown Boy" continues to resonate because it was "a real cry" for acceptance and understanding. "The whole history of the song is that it comes from a passion for change in politics and society," he told lifestyle blog Madame Soho in 2015. For Somerville, Bronski Beat emerged from a politically charged underground scene that splintered from London's growing commercial gay and lesbian scene in 1982. After recording a song called "Screaming" for a seminal documentary about this movement, 1983's "Framed Youth – The Revenge of the Teenage Perverts," Somerville was invited by Bronski and Steinbachek to make music with them. All three were former "smalltown" boys: Somerville and Bronski moved to London from Glasgow, Scotland, while Steinbachek hailed from Southend-on-Sea on England's south coast.
### Embraced by a New Generation
Bronski Beat quickly gained attention after their live debut at September in the Pink, a 1983 gay and lesbian arts festival held at the LGBTQ+ venue Heaven in London. "We did five gigs and then had a record deal – then 'Smalltown Boy' was put out. It happened really quickly," Somerville told Madame Soho. As their profile rose, the band doubled down on their political agenda. Their second single, "Why," was a stirring dance floor anthem about overcoming homophobic prejudice – "Name me an illness, call me a sin, never feel guilty, never give in," Somerville sings over driving hi-NRG beats. Released in October 1984, a month after "Why," the trio's debut album was pointedly titled "The Age of Consent." Many European countries had by this stage reduced the age of consent for MSM (men who have sex with men) to 16, but in the UK, it remained five years higher at 21.
Sadly, "The Age of Consent" would remain the only album made by Bronski Beat's founding trio. Somerville left in 1985 and went on to enjoy success first as a member of The Communards, a duo he formed with classically trained musician Richard Coles, and then as a solo artist. Released in 1986, The Communards' dazzling cover of Thelma Houston's disco classic "Don't Leave Me This Way" topped the UK singles charts and reached number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100. Following Somerville's departure, Bronski and Steinbachek recruited a new vocalist, John Foster, whose initial stint with the group lasted until 1987. Two years later, the new duo iteration of Bronski Beat teamed up with famously vampish singer-actress Eartha Kitt for the campy club track "Cha Cha Heels," which peaked at number 32 in the UK.
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