Local Boy in the Photograph

"Local Boy in the Photograph"
Single by Stereophonics
from the album Word Gets Around
B-side	"Too Many Sandwiches" "Who'll Stop The Rain?" (1998)
Released	1997 1998 (Re-release)
Format	7" Vinyl CD single Digital download
Recorded	1994 and 1997
Genre	Rock
Length	3:22
Label	V2 Records
Writer(s)	Kelly Jones Richard Jones Stuart Cable
Producer(s)	Bird & Bush
Stereophonics singles chronology
"Looks Like Chaplin (1996) "Local Boy in the Photograph" (1997) "More Life in a Tramps Vest" (1997)
"Traffic" (1997) "Local Boy in the Photograph (reissue)" (1998) "The Bartender and the Thief" (1998)

"Local Boy in the Photograph" is the first single by rock band Stereophonics. The song is taken from their début album, Word Gets Around and was released in March 1997. The song reached number 51 in the UK Singles chart and upon its re-release in February 1998, it reached number 14.

Title and lyrics

During an interview with Sky Arts HD after his performance at the Hay Festival in June 2010, Kelly Jones explained the meaning of a few of his songs and said that "Local Boy in the Photograph" was based on the true story of local boy Paul David Boggis, who was killed by a train travelling between Cwmbach and Aberdare. All the songs on the album are about people and events in the Aberdare area.^[1]

Stuart Cable

Following the death of former Stereophonics drummer Stuart Cable, a campaign was launched on Facebook to get the song to number one in the UK charts. On 13 June 2010 it re-entered the UK charts at number 60.^[2]

Track listing

Initial release

CD 1 [3]
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Local Boy in the Photograph"
2.	"Looks Like Chaplin"
3.	"Too Many Sandwiches"
4.	"Buy Myself a Small Plane"

Re-release

CD 1 [4]
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Local Boy in the Photograph"
2.	"Who'll Stop the Rain?"
3.	"Check My Eyelids for Holes"
4.	"Local Boy in the Photograph" (video)

CD 2 [4]
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Local Boy in the Photograph"	3:25
2.	"Not Up to You" (Live at XFM)	4:41
3.	"The Last Resort" (Eagles cover)	6:21
4.	"Traffic" (video)

Charts

Chart (1997) Peak UK Singles Chart[2] 51 Chart (1998) Peak Irish Singles Chart[5] 28 UK Singles Chart[6] 14

Chart (2010) Peak UK Singles Chart[2] 60

Personnel

Stereophonics^[7]

• Stuart Cable – drums
• Kelly Jones – vocals, guitar
• Richard Jones – bass guitar

Other versions of the song

• A live version was included on the "Traffic" single, live from Belfort Festival.
• A semi-acoustic version recorded for Radio One was released on the "Just Looking" single.
• A live version was included on the "Moviestar" single, recorded at SECC, Glasgow.
• A live version was included on the band's first Live album, "Live from Dakota".

References

1. "'Songbook Kelly Jones'". Retrieved 2010-07-02.
2. "STEREOPHONICS". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
3. "Local Boy In The Photograph". The Stereophonics Ltd. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
4. "Local Boy In The Photograph (re-released)". The Stereophonics Ltd. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
5. "Search the charts". The Irish Charts. Retrieved 20 August 2013. Note: "Local Boy in the Photograph" needs to be searched manually.
6. "1998 Top 40 Official Singles Chart UK Archive". Official Charts Company. 21 February 1998. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
7. Word Gets Around (CD booklet). Stereophonics. V2 Records. 1997.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
• Local Boy in the Photograph at Stereophonics.com