Flatbush boy cruising Sheepshead Bay
His boardwalk mama just a sniff away
Underground DMT, riding thunder train
The Coney Island white fish boy is on the run again
Ooh, running with the pack
Ooh, and never looking back
Ooh, know’s just where he’s been
That Coney Island white fish boy’s
Been there and back again
16 years with his boardwalk queen
And at steeplechase, she used to wet his dreams
She combs her hair, that flaming jewel
Streaked with Clorox bleach
Coney getting down and dirty
Snorting up the beach
And she’d be screaming (Coney)
And she’d be dreaming (Coney)
Go get them Coney
(Coney) bone to bone screaming
(Coney) she be screaming (Coney)
Yeah, yeah, yeah
In town
Get back in town
Get back, a get down
Get back in town
Coney!
She’d be screaming (Coney)
Best believe it (Coney)
Exploring Urban Grit and Nostalgia
“Bone To Bone (Coney Island White Fish Boy)” by Aerosmith is a vivid, gritty portrait of street life in Brooklyn. The song draws listeners into the world of a rebellious youth navigating the iconic landscapes of Flatbush, Sheepshead Bay, and Coney Island. With references to DMT and the “thunder train,” the lyrics paint a picture of escapism, wild nights, and the search for identity. The recurring motif of the “Coney Island white fish boy”—a local slang term—adds a sense of raw authenticity and urban legend to the narrative.
Raw Passion and Urban Love
The relationship between the protagonist and his “boardwalk queen” is depicted with both tenderness and edge. Their connection, set against the backdrop of carnival rides and the beach, is infused with youthful passion and the allure of rebellion. The imagery of “Clorox bleach” and “snorting up the beach” reinforces the song’s themes of excess and survival, as the characters navigate the highs and lows of city life.
Song Credits
Songwriters: Steven Tyler, Joe Perry
Release Year: 1977
Label: Columbia Records