Wide Boy - Musical References

Musical References

The Kinks referred to the term in the lyrics to their song "Scum of the Earth" on their 1974 album Preservation: Act 2. This is an early usage of the term in a modern rock and roll song. Kinks songwriter Ray Davies later used the term again in his song "Stand Up Comic".

In Richard Thompson's song "I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight", on the album of the same name by Richard and Linda Thompson (1974), the lyrics include the line "The wide boys are all spoiling for a fight". When he performs the song live, Thompson often changes it to "big boys".

Ultravox released the song "Wide Boys" on their eponymous first LP in 1977. The 1970s rock band Foghat had a popular song "Wide Boy" on their 1981 Girls to Chat Boys to Bounce album, and Godley and Creme released a single of the same title in 1980 which was to start their careers in video direction. Kevin Mooney, formerly of Adam and the Ants, formed the short-lived band Wide Boy Awake in 1982 who disbanded after a couple of EPs. Nik Kershaw also released a single called "Wide Boy" in 1984, making Top Ten in the UK. The Flying Pickets a British a cappella vocal group also did a song called "Wide Boy" on their album Lost Boys in 1984. Marillion (with Fish) released "Heart of Lothian" on the 1985 album Misplaced Childhood, in which the lyrics mention "wide boys, born with hearts of Lothian".