Boys To Men

Album: Heart Break (1988)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the closing track of Heart Break, New Edition's first album to feature Johnny Gill as a member of the group. Gill took lead vocals on the song, but hated it when he first heard it. Co-writer Jimmy Jam recalled on the 2017 BET mini-series The New Edition Story: "He felt like 'Why are you guys giving me this wack song?' and whatever. And of course now it's one of the staples of their shows."
  • The song became one of Heart Break's most renowned tunes, despite it never being officially released as a single. Four schoolboys from Philadelphia were huge fans of the track and it ended up becoming the name of their group - Boyz II Men.

Comments: 1

  • Javontae Williams Yes from Donaldsonville,laNew edition reunion
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie Combination

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie CombinationSong Writing

In 1986, a Stephen King novella was made into a movie, with a classic song serving as title, soundtrack and tone.

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real Group

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real GroupSong Writing

The leader of the Modern A Cappella movement talks about the genre.

Jeff Trott

Jeff TrottSongwriter Interviews

Sheryl Crow's longtime songwriting partner/guitarist Jeff Trott reveals the stories behind many of the singer's hits, and what its like to be a producer for Leighton Meester and Max Gomez.

Michael Schenker

Michael SchenkerSongwriter Interviews

The Scorpions and UFO guitarist is also a very prolific songwriter - he explains how he writes with his various groups, and why he was so keen to get out of Germany and into England.

Loudon Wainwright III

Loudon Wainwright IIISongwriter Interviews

"Dead Skunk" became a stinker for Loudon when he felt pressure to make another hit - his latest songs deal with mortality, his son Rufus, and picking up poop.

Little Big Town

Little Big TownSongwriter Interviews

"When seeds that you sow grow by the wicked moon/Be sure your sins will find you out/Your past will hunt you down and turn to tell on you."