The Tom Tom Club was founded in 1981 by two married members of Talking Heads. This single is from their debut album, but it is a cover from 1964 by The Drifters. The lyrics are about a man and a woman in love, who try to meet at a hidden place under the boardwalk.
Wikipedia describes a boardwalk as a wooden elevated footpath laid over wet, muddy or marshy lands. You might think they’re a typical American thing (especially if you have seen the series Boardwalk Empire), but they’re not. They come in all shapes and sizes all around the world, and lately I have walked a lot of them in Asia. As such, they’ve been around since Neolithic times.
In America probably the most famous is the Atlantic City, New Jersey boardwalk. It is the one the aforementioned series is referring to. Also it is the oldest being built in 1870. Funnily this single was recorded at Atlantic Studios. But uhm… that name is now referring to a network of studios owned by Atlantic Records, most of them in New York City.