This American Songwriter piece rounds up four songs that feature "boy" (singular, not "boys") in the title, arguing the pop canon has produced far fewer "boy" songs than "girl" songs. It's a light retrospective feature celebrating tracks from The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Andrew Gold and Warren Zevon, each explored for its musical craft and backstory rather than any news event.

The list opens with The Beatles' "This Boy," praised for its three-part vocal harmonies and John Lennon's emotional middle-eight. Simon & Garfunkel's "The Only Living Boy In New York" is described as a gentle nod to Art Garfunkel's film commitments during the making of Bridge Over Troubled Water. Andrew Gold's "Lonely Boy," produced by Peter Asher, tells of a boy displaced by a new sibling, while Warren Zevon's title track from Excitable Boy (1978) pairs a jaunty 1950s-style arrangement with darkly comic lyrics about an asylum stint.

– The Beatles' "This Boy" showcases early three-part vocal harmonies
– Simon & Garfunkel's "The Only Living Boy In New York" reflects on the duo's split
– Andrew Gold's "Lonely Boy" tells of sibling rivalry and growing up
– Warren Zevon's "Excitable Boy" mixes cheerful music with grisly lyrics