My Boy (Billie Eilish song)

"My Boy" (stylized in all lowercase) is a song by American singer Billie Eilish. It was released by Darkroom and Interscope Records as the sixth single from Eilish's debut extended play (EP), Don't Smile at Me (2017). Eilish and her brother, Finneas O'Connell, co-wrote the song, with the latter solely handling the production. A pop track with jazz-influenced instrumentation, the song was heavily inspired by boys who broke Eilish's heart.

"My Boy"
Single by Billie Eilish
from the EP Don't Smile at Me
ReleasedJuly 28, 2017 (2017-07-28)
GenrePop
Length2:50
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Finneas O'Connell
Billie Eilish singles chronology
"Idontwannabeyouanymore"
(2017)		 "My Boy"
(2017)		 "&Burn"
(2017)
Audio video
"My Boy" on YouTube

"My Boy" has been awarded several certifications, including a platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and Music Canada (MC). It was performed live by Eilish during her 2018 1 by 1 tour. A Troyboi remix was released on March 9, 2018.

Background and composition

"My Boy" was released on July 28, 2017, as the sixth single on Eilish's debut EP Don't Smile at Me.[1] The track was written by the singer and Finneas O'Connell, her brother and the track's sole producer. Mastering and mixing was handled by the studio personnel, John Greenham and Rob Kinelski, respectively.[2] A remix of the song by TroyBoi titled "MyBoi" was released on March 9, 2018.[3] Claire Ruder writing for Earmilk praised Tryboi's remix, saying it "was able to successfully transform a tempo-changing short-and-sweet pop song into bass-laden and explosive EDM." And further mentions "'MyBoi,' turns chopped vocals from Billie into an instrument for the chorus of the track, paired with intricate layers of hi-hats, heavy kicks, and bass."[4]

According to sheet music published by Universal Music Publishing Group at Musicnotes.com, "My Boy" has a moderately slow tempo of 69-72 beats per minute (BPM) and is played in the key of B minor. Eilish's vocals span a range of F♯3 to B4.[5] Critical commentary described "My Boy" as a jazz-influenced pop track.[6][7] "My Boy" features a minimalist production consisting of a hi-hat and keyboard.[7] According to Baeble Music's Olivia Lewis, the track begins with a "chiller, jazz-like vibe, and a layer of darkness and mystery": "My boy's being sus', he was shady enough, but now he's just a shadow/My boy loves his friends like I love my split ends."[6] After the lyrics: "And by that, I mean, he cuts 'em off", a "funky" tempo change happens.[7] The song soon becomes more upbeat while maintaining the heaviness of the intro: My boy's being sus' and he don't know how to cuss/He just sounds like he's tryna be his father (Who are you?)/My boy's an ugly crier but he's such a pretty liar/And by that I mean he said he'd 'change'".[6][7]

Reception and promotion

"My Boy" was praised by Insider's Callie Ahlgrim, who called the track "slow" and "mysterious" and felt its chorus "is so springy and elastic that it's almost distractingly danceable."[7] "My Boy" experienced limited success on record charts, only reaching number 20 on the US Billboard Alternative Digital Song Sales chart.[8] It, however, has been awarded several certifications; being certified platinum in Australia, Canada, and the United States by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), Music Canada (MC), and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), respectively.[9][10][11] "My Boy" was performed live during Eilish's North American 1 by 1 tour in 2018.[12]

Covers

In 2019, American punk rock band, the SWMRS, covered "My Boy" at the Blondies in London for 50 of their biggest fans. The staff of Kerrang! called the SWMRS cover a "healthy dose of surfer punk rock".[13]

Track listing
Digital download[1]
No.TitleLength
1."My Boy"2:50
Digital download – TroyBoi Remix[3]
No.TitleLength
1."MyBoi" (TroyBoi Remix)3:31

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Don't Smile at Me.[2]

Charts

Weekly charts
Chart position for "My Boy"
Chart (2019) Peak
position
US Alternative Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[8] 20

Year-end charts
Chart (2019) Position
Portugal (AFP)[14] 549

Certifications
Certifications and sales for "My Boy"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[9] Platinum 70,000
Canada (Music Canada)[10] Platinum 80,000
Poland (ZPAV)[15] Gold 10,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[16] Silver 200,000
United States (RIAA)[11] Platinum 1,000,000

sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Release history
Release dates and formats for "My Boy"
Region Date Format(s) Version Label Ref.
Various July 28, 2017
Original
[1]
March 9, 2018 TroyBoi Remix [17]

References
  1. "dont smile at me". Tidal. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  2. Don't Smile at Me (booklet). Billie Eilish. Darkroom/Interscope Records. 2019. B0030752-02.CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. "MyBoi (TroyBoi Remix)". Spotify. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
  4. Ruder, Claire (March 9, 2018). "Troyboi turns Billie Eilish's song 'my boy' into 'MyBoi' with an official remix". Earmilk. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  5. "Billie Eilish 'My Boy' Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  6. Lewis, Olivia (July 31, 2017). "Billie Eilish Continues to Impress with New Track 'my boy'". Baeble Music. Archived from the original on October 14, 2019. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
  7. Ahlgrim, Callie (March 18, 2020). "Every Billie Eilish song, ranked". Insider. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  8. "Billie Eilish: Chart History - Alternative Digital Song Sales". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  9. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2019 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on April 18, 2019. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
  10. "Canadian single certifications – Billie Eilsih – My Boy". Music Canada. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
  11. "American single certifications – Billie Eilish – My Boy". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 5, 2020. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  12. "Billie Eilish Announces North American 1 By 1 Tour". Universal Music Group. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  13. "Here's A Punk Rock Cover Billie Eilish's My Boy". Kerrang!. March 29, 2019. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  14. "Top AFP - Audiogest - Top 3000 Singles + EPs Digitais" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  15. "Polish single certifications – Billie Eilish – My Boy" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  16. "British single certifications – Billie Eilish – My Boy". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  17. "MyBoi (TroyBoi Remix) - Single by Billie Eilish on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
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