Bronski Beat's Gay Anthem 'Smalltown Boy' Strikes Chord 40 Years On

Over the song's insistent upbeat tempo, Jimmy Somerville weaves a mournful tale of a boy who has to escape the clutches of parenthood to assert his own identity (Credit: AFP)

Forty years on from its 1984 release, Bronski Beat's new wave hit "Smalltown Boy" has transcended generations to become an LGBTQ anthem for young and old alike.

Narrowly spared the censor's axe in a Britain where being gay was only partially decriminalised, its tale of coming out and fleeing home has found a new lease of life with a younger audience on social media platforms including TikTok.