Classic songs about boys. Recommended popular tracks.
This is a playlist of songs that either have the word “boy” in the title or center their lyrics around the theme of boyhood.
From full-on youthful anthems to reflective pieces looking back on childhood from adulthood, these songs explore the idea of boyhood from various angles.
If you’re a man, why not listen and reminisce about those formative boyhood days?
Classic songs about boys. Recommended popular tracks (1–10)
Run Through the MemoriesMy Hair is Bad
This heartwarming ballad was written as the theme song for the film Crayon Shin-chan: Our Dinosaur Diary.
As the closing track on the album ghosts, released in July 2024, it’s a masterpiece that makes you realize how the days and memories shared with loved ones shape who you are now.
The lyrics, which Shiiki says were written “for someone,” overflow with a gentleness that can transform even a painful past into the strength to move forward, and many listeners are sure to be deeply moved.
Though the rhythm is relaxed, the emotional swell in the chorus is breathtaking and powerfully shakes the listener’s heart.
Give it a listen when you want to reflect on time spent with family and friends, or when you need the courage to take a step forward.
A Boy’s PoemTHE BLUE HEARTS
It’s a song that puts a boy’s desire to change his uneventful everyday life to punk rock.
Brimming with speed, the simple, upbeat track pierces straight into your heart.
The unadorned vocals are captivating as well.
Blink of YouthShiina Ringo
This piece was provided to Chiaki Kuriyama in November 2011 and later included on the self-cover album “Gyakuyunyuu: Kouwankyoku.” It sings of the fleeting sparkle and wistfulness of a guileless season when beauty and righteousness were believed to be one and the same.
The tenderness for a time that can never return, and the bewilderment of growing up depicted in this song are feelings that, in some corner of the heart, everyone has experienced.
It’s a sophisticated number that gently keeps you company on slightly sentimental nights, when your thoughts drift to days gone by.
Mock youthMEGA SHINNOSUKE
This song is a perfect fit for the nostalgic mood at summer’s end.
Its refreshing guitar sound is soothing, yet carries a faint melancholy that really sinks into the heart.
What the piece portrays is the fleeting beauty and poignancy of youth—those radiant days passing by as if they were nothing more than a game of make-believe.
If you listen to it on a night when you’re reminiscing about the fun of summer and feeling a touch wistful, those shimmering days may feel all the more precious.
boyGEISHA GIRLS
Composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto, this nostalgic number was released under the name GEISHA GIRLS.
Issued in May 1995 as their second single, the track also appears on the album “THE GEISHA GIRLS SHOW – Honō no Ossan Hour,” released the same day.
Over a soothing, wistful melody, the duo Downtown sing about summer memories from a boyhood that will never return.
The poignant worldview—enhanced by the contrast with their usual comedic image—deeply moves listeners.
It’s a perfect song for those sentimental moments when you want to reflect on days gone by.
boykuroyume
This song portrays the feelings of a rebellious-leaning boy who wants to break free from being ordinary.
The balance between electric and acoustic guitars creates a perfectly sentimental sound that pairs well with the suave, affected vocal delivery.
Full-Power BoySukima Suichi
It’s a song that celebrates the mindset I had as a boy—charging forward with positivity and strength.
Its bright, poppy sound paired with uplifting lyrics gives you energy as you listen.
The interplay between the cheerful piano and the brass section has a jazzy flair that feels stylish.