"Local Boy in the Photograph" is the first single from the rock

Rock music

Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...

 band Stereophonics

Stereophonics

The Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band now living in turners x that formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman in Cynon Valley, Wales. The band currently comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Kelly Jones, bassist and backing vocalist Richard Jones, drummer Javier Weyler, guitarist and backing...

. The song is taken from their debut album, Word Gets Around

Word Gets Around

2-disc Deluxe EditionCD 1# Carrot Cake and Wine # Tie Me Up Tie Me Down # Poppy Day # Raymond's Shop # Chris Chambers...

and was initially released in March 1997. The song reached #51 on the UK Singles chart

UK Singles Chart

The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

 however upon its re-release February 1998, it reached #14.

Title and lyrics

During an interview with Sky Arts HD after his performance at the Hay festival in June 2010, Kelly Jones explained the meaning of a few of his songs and said that "Local Boy in the photograph" was based on the true story of local boy Paul Boggis, who was killed by a train travelling between Cwmbach

Cwmbach

Cwmbach is a village and community near Aberdare, in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, United Kingdom. Cwmbach has a population of 4,283. Cwmbach means 'Little Valley' in Welsh...

 and Aberdare

Aberdare

Aberdare is an industrial town in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Dare and Cynon. The population at the census was 31,705...

. All the songs on the album are about people and events in the Aberdare

Aberdare

Aberdare is an industrial town in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Dare and Cynon. The population at the census was 31,705...

 area.

Stuart Cable

Following the death of former Stereophonics drummer Stuart Cable

Stuart Cable

Stuart Cable was a Welsh rock drummer and broadcaster, best known as the original drummer for the band Stereophonics.- Early life :...

, a campaign was launched on Facebook

Facebook

Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...

 to get the song to Number 1 in the UK charts.
On June 13, 2010 it re-entered the UK charts at #60.

Initial release

1. "Local Boy in the Photograph"
2. "Too Many Sandwiches"
3. "Buy Myself a Small Plane"

CD1

1. "Local Boy in the Photograph"
2. "Who'll Stop the Rain?"
3. "Check My Eyelids for Holes"
4. "Local Boy in the Photograph"(video)

CD2

1. "Local Boy in the Photograph"
2. "Not Up to You (Live at XFM
   Xfm
   Xfm is a brand of two commercial radio stations focused on alternative music, primarily indie pop, and owned by Global Radio.-History:Xfm was created in London in 1992 by Sammy Jacob, who later co-founded NME Radio in 2008. Xfm subsequently expanded to a network of four stations; there are...
   
   )"
3. "The Last Resort"
4. "Traffic" (video)

Other versions of the song

• A live
  Recorded live track
  A recorded live track is a song or audio sequence recorded from live performances .Live song tracks typically have concert hall noise . Though often less precise than practiced, studio recordings, live recordings may offer a more exciting feel...
  
   version was included on the "Traffic" single, live from Belfort Festival.
• A semi-acoustic version recorded for Radio One
  BBC Radio 1
  BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
  
   was released on the "Just Looking
  Just Looking (song)
  "Just Looking" is a 1999 single by British rock band the Stereophonics. It is the second single from the their second album Performance and Cocktails. It was released in February 1999 and reached #4 in the UK Singles Chart. It was certified silver for sales of +200,000. The song is track five on...
  
  " single.
• A live
  Recorded live track
  A recorded live track is a song or audio sequence recorded from live performances .Live song tracks typically have concert hall noise . Though often less precise than practiced, studio recordings, live recordings may offer a more exciting feel...
  
   version was included on the "Moviestar
  Moviestar (Stereophonics song)
  "Moviestar" is a single by Stereophonics. A demo version of the song was released online in 2003 via the bands official website in a section called "The Place", where people would send a mobile phone text message to receive an access code to download the song in mp3 format...
  
  " single, recorded at SECC Glasgow.
• A live
  Recorded live track
  A recorded live track is a song or audio sequence recorded from live performances .Live song tracks typically have concert hall noise . Though often less precise than practiced, studio recordings, live recordings may offer a more exciting feel...
  
   version was included on the band's first Live album
  Live album
  A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
  
  , "Live from Dakota
  Live from Dakota
  Live From Dakota is the first live album by Stereophonics. It is a 2-disc compilation featuring 20 tracks spanning the first five of the band's albums and capturing the best of their 2005 world tour...
  
  ".