Charli XCX’s video for her summer single ‘Boys,’ which she directed, was perfectly timed for the year Women Struck Back.
The video flips the script, putting men in the eye candy role that women have filled in music videos for decades. Call it the female gaze. XCX recruited 60 men of various degrees of celebrity, mostly famous through music or YouTube, and asked them to do any number of cute/funny things.
You have Khalid cuddling puppies, Jack Antonoff lifting weights, Joe Jonas eating pancakes, Ezra koenig brushing his teeth, Riz Ahmed cradling a stuffed bear. You can see the full lineup of appearances here.
It’s cool to see such a diverse, talented group of young men in on the subversive fun.
I was busy thinkin’ ’bout boys, boys, boys
Always busy dreamin’ ’bout boys, boys, boys (XCX)
Head is spinnin’ thinkin’ ’bout boys
[Verse 1]
I need that bad boy to do me right on a Friday
And I need that good one to wake me up on a Sunday
That one from work can come over on Monday night
I want ’em all, I want ’em all
And when they finally leave me, I’m all alone but
I’m lookin’ down and my girls are blowin’ my phone up
Them twenty questions, they askin’ me where I’m at
Didn’t hit ’em back
[Pre-Chorus]
I’m sorry that I missed your party
I wish I had a better excuse like
I had to trash the hotel lobby
[Chorus]
But I was busy thinkin’ ’bout boys, boys, boys
Always busy dreamin’ ’bout boys, boys, boys
Head is spinnin’ thinkin’ ’bout boys
[Verse 2]
In every city I’ve got one with different ringtones
Flyin’ from L.A. all the way to Puerto Rico
My girls are callin’ me askin’ me where I’m at
Didn’t hit ’em back
[Pre-Chorus]
I’m sorry that I missed your party
I wish I had a better excuse
Like I can’t even lie you got me
[Chorus]
I was busy thinkin’ ’bout boys, boys, boys
Always busy dreamin’ ’bout boys, boys, boys
Head is spinnin’ thinkin’ ’bout boys
[Bridge]
Don’t be mad, don’t be mad at me (No, no, no, no)
Darling, I can’t stop it even if I wanted
Don’t be mad, don’t be mad at me (No, no, no, no)
Missed what you were sayin’, I was miles away, yeah
Don’t be mad, don’t be mad
Not like I had a choice
I was busy thinkin’ ’bout boys, boys, boys
I was busy dreamin’ ’bout boys, boys, boys
[Chorus]
I was busy thinkin’ ’bout boys, boys, boys
Always busy dreamin’ ’bout boys, boys, boys
Head is spinnin’ thinkin’ ’bout boys
Very clever.video.
It is a clever video even though I don’t know a single man except Riz Ahmed 😊
Love this video, I’ve revisited it quite a few times since it came out. 🙂 I find it tough to enjoy the song itself without the video, though.
I’m going backwards through these two weeks of videos, so it’s satisfying to come upon this one now, after today’s SOTD and its (at least initially conceived) typical depiction of women in music videos. I have seen clips from this video before, but I like learning the story behind it.
I like Portugal. The Man. getting the Chali tattoo 🙂
Charli