Last Updated on: 10th March 2023, 11:52 am
I just read that Billy Joe Royal, who sang the song Down in the Boondocks, died last month. He was 73. He died in his sleep, seemingly catching everyone by surprise since he still appeared to be in good health and was still touring, having performed as recently as two weeks before his death.
I couldn’t name you another Billy Joe Royal song without looking at that article, but I’ve always liked Boondocks. I remember as a child listening to it on the radio, thinking that Boondocks was a neat sounding word, wondering if they were real, where they were and if I’d ever get to go there. Little did I know I’d already been, since I used to live out in the country and that’s basically what it means. I also remember being absolutely floored when I heard someone in real life use it in a conversation that had nothing to do with the song. I wish I could remember what that conversation was about, because it’s really not a word you hear every day unless you’re a DJ at an oldies station. But since I don’t, I’m just going to hit play again.