Talk:The Boy with the Arab Strap

Reference ideas for The Boy with the Arab Strap

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"... and that ain't fucking cricket"[edit]

could someone find a cite on this charming quote? I googled my ass off looking for it, but I couldn't find its source. Would whoever put it there (or someone who knows where it comes from) consider putting up a link? wilhelm 00:27, 2 May 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Album Cover[edit]

The album cover needs some sort of explanation.--Macca7174 13:47, 18 November 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Album Title[edit]

I believe that "The Boy with the Arab Strap" is a quotation from Burroughs' novel "Naked Lunch", possibly a chapter title. This is likely to be how the phrase "Arab strap" became known to the Scottish music community.

If this is true, the album title is not just a reference to the name of another band, but rather a deeper reference to the source of that band's name. Bobeitch 13:42, 16 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Apart from being a nod to the band Arab Strap, isn't the album title also an obvious reference to the title of the The Smiths' song "The Boy with the Thorn in his Side"?
I immediately assumed this connection myself when I (a big Smiths fan) first heard mention of this B&S album, and I also recall this 'reference to band-favourite The Smiths in the album title' (or some line to that effect) being pointed out in an article in dutch music mag OOR once. So I'm hardly the only one who's made this connection.
B&S's Stuart Murdoch is nuts about The Smiths, several other band-members also enjoy their music, and The Smiths are constantly mentioned as one of the influences for B&S, not just musically/lyrically, but also for B&S cover-art. By critics -and- by the band themselves. It's also the The Smiths song they perform live most often, apparently 'cause Stevie Jackson knows that one on guitar, so they're obviously very familiar with it. (blame the Q&A-section on their site for that last bit of trivia...)
Hardly direct evidence, I know, but come on, the titles are so alike, and the influence(s) of and appreciation for The Smiths on/by the band are so clearly existent and documented. It would be extremely unlikely had they not (also) meant it as a nod to The Smiths. (I never heard about the above speculated book reference, so can't help there, sorry.)
87.212.48.121 20:34, 21 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

The title is about Aidan Moffat of the band

Q magazine in April 2011: "It's about Aidan Moffat from Arab Strap. I never really thought about it at the time, but I think he deserves to be a bit peeved that we hijacked the name of their band. But it was an honest thing - I was describing my experiences hanging around with him and the words tumbled out very easily." 122.149.9.89 (talk) 03:59, 1 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]