Anthony And The Johnsons - I Fell In Love With A Dead Boy

Oh, such a beautiful boy
I'm asking
Are you a boy or a girl

One of my friends recommended this one to me long ago and, for the life of me, I can't remember who. If it was YOU, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due.


So, even though I Fell In Love With A Dead Boy was recommended to me at least a year ago, I am listening to it, as I write this, for the first time. Perhaps it is the mood I'm currently in, but listening to this brings tears to my eyes.

I wonder...does it have that affect of any of you?

What a haunting sound, and an absolutely beautiful song. I Fell In Love With A Dead Boy, by Antony and the Johnsons, was first released as an EP, in 2001.

I must admit that I know absolutely nothing about this group, so I'll quote from Wikipedia:

Antony and the Johnsons is a music group presenting the work of Antony Hegarty and his collaborators. Born in Chichester, West Sussex, UK, Antony moved with his family to Amsterdam in 1977 for a year, and then to the San Francisco Bay Area of California in 1981. As a teenager he was influenced by British synth pop – in particular emotive singers such as Marc Almond, Alison Moyet and Boy George. He also cites underground stars Diamanda Galas, Rozz Williams, Divine and Klaus Nomi and American singers including Nina Simone, Otis Redding, and Donny Hathaway as strong influences. In 1990 he moved to Manhattan to attend the Experimental Theatre Wing of New York University (NYU), and founded the performance collective Blacklips with creative partner Johanna Constantine and Flloyd. Antony spent the next several years singing in NYC's afterhours bars and clubs accompanying himself on pre-recorded cassettes as well as writing and directing late night theatrical productions.

Just what is this song about?

I always go to www.songmeanings.net for the answers.

From a commenter:

I saw a video on YouTube, taken by an audience member, of Antony performing this song live. Antony introduced the song, saying that in the early nineties he was in love with a singer. The singer was hiv positive, and back in those days that was like having a "death sentence". They eventually broke up, but this situation was what prompted Antony to write this song.

Another comment:

This song appears in "Wild Side". A movie based on a man who undergoes a sex change operation and then becomes a prostitute. I saw the movie on Netflix yesterday and I believe that the song was made for the movie. Hope that helps someone.

I found several videos of this song, but the best was this one, recorded live in Amsterdam.





The lyrics:

I find you with red tears in your eyes I ask you what is your name You offer no reply Should I call a doctor Before I fear you might be dead But I just lay down beside you And held your hand I fell in love with you Now you're my one, only one 'Cause all my life I've been so blue But in that moment you fulfilled me Now I'll tell all my friends I fell in love with a dead boy Now I'll tell my family I wish you could have met him Now I write letters to Australia Now I throw bottles out to sea I whisper the secret in the ground No one's gonna take you away from me I fell in love with a dead boy Oh, such a beautiful boy I fell in love with a dead boy Oh, such a beautiful boy Oh, such a beautiful boy I'm asking Are you a boy or a girl Are you a boy or are you a girl Are you a boy or are you a girl Are you a boy Are you a girl Are you a boy Are you a girl Are you a boy Are you a girl