Boys Will Be Boys by Dua Lipa Lyrics Meaning – Unpacking the Gendered Expectations and Societal Commentary

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Dua Lipa's Boys Will Be Boys at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

It’s second nature to walk home before the sun goes down
And put your keys between your knuckles when there’s boys around
Isn’t it funny how we laugh it off to hide our fear
When there’s nothin’ funny here (ah)
Sick intuition that they taught us so we won’t freak out
We hide our figures, doin’ anythin’ to shut their mouths
We smile away to ease the tension so it don’t go south
But there’s nothin’ funny now (ah)

When will we stop sayin’ things
‘Cause they’re all listening?
No, the kids ain’t alright
Oh, and they do what they see
‘Cause it’s all on TV
Oh, the kids ain’t alright

Boys will be, boys will be
Boys will be, boys will be boys
But girls will be women
Boys will be, boys will be
Boys will be, boys will be boys
But girls will be women

I’m sure if there’s somethin’ that I can’t find the words to say
I know that there will be a man around to save the day
And that was sarcasm, in case you needed it mansplained
I should’ve stuck to ballet (ah)

When will we stop sayin’ things
‘Cause they’re all listening?
No, the kids ain’t alright
Oh, and they do what they see
‘Cause it’s all on TV
Oh, the kids ain’t alright

Boys will be, boys will be
Boys will be, boys will be boys
But girls will be women
Boys will be, boys will be
Boys will be, boys will be boys
But girls will be women

If you’re offended by this song
You’re clearly doin’ somethin’ wrong
If you’re offended by this song
Then you’re probably sayin’

Boys will be, boys will be
Boys will be, boys will be boys
But girls will be women

When will we stop sayin’ things
‘Cause they’re all listening?
No, the kids ain’t alright
Oh, and they do what they see
‘Cause it’s all on TV
No, the kids ain’t alright

Boys will be, boys will be
Boys will be, boys will be boys
But girls will be women
Boys will be, boys will be
Boys will be, boys will be boys
But girls will be women

Dua Lipa’s ‘Boys Will be Boys’ isn’t just another catchy tune; it’s a sharp-edged societal critique wrapped in velvety pop production. As a torchbearer of the new wave of pop feminists, Lipa wields music as a weapon to challenge ingrained norms and ignite conversations.

The song, tucked at the end of her acclaimed ‘Future Nostalgia’ album, may appear as a somber outpost in a city of neon-lit dance tracks, but its subdued nature masks an arresting commentary on the experiences of growing up female in a world where gender inequality is as persistent as the beat in Lipa’s anthemic offerings.

Under the Pop Surface: A Call to Enduring Strength in ‘Boys Will Be Boys’

Dua Lipa doesn’t mince words in ‘Boys Will Be Boys.’ The song serves as an anthem for womanhood — a nuanced account of the quiet battles fought daily. Each verse is a testament to the condition of being in a state of constant vigilance, of having to ‘put your keys between your knuckles,’ a tactic taught and tragically necessary for many women navigating public spaces.

Yet, in this modern ballad, Lipa isn’t simply sharing grievances; she’s also sowing seeds of empowerment. The repetitive contrast between ‘boys will be boys’ and ‘girls will be women’ emphasizes a journey from passive acceptance of the status quo to an active, defiant maturation that refuses to fit the mold.

The Treacherous Tightrope: Tension, Humor, and The Female Experience

The vexing reality of minimizing oneself to ‘hide our figures’ and ‘smile away to ease the tension’ casts a shadow over the song. The forced humor to ‘hide our fear’ is a coping mechanism, a survival tool in a landscape where women’s safety is often contingent upon their ability to placate and please.

Lipa expounds the irony and futility of such acts with biting sarcasm, calling into question why such absurd expectations and strategies should ever be necessary. The subtext here is biting, framing the cheerful façade as both an indictment of the perpetrators and a resilient, if rueful, defiance.

A Sarcastic Shout-Out: Mansplaining and Cultural Conditioning

In one of the song’s most sharply penned verses, Lipa satirizes the cultural conditioning that suggests women are in need of saving or can’t articulate their thoughts without a man’s ‘help.’ The mention of ‘mansplaining’ hits home, resonating a collective eye-roll felt by women familiar with being spoken over or having their own ideas rephrased by male voices.

Her sneer at the unwanted heroics and naïve beliefs propagated by some men elucidates the broader message on the inculcation of both boys and girls by stereotypical gender roles — roles that are underlined and reinforced in every layer of media consumption.

The Hidden Track Within the Track: A Study on Generational Cycles

Beyond individual experiences, ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ delves deeper into the cyclical nature of gendered behavior and the echoes it leaves on younger generations. The line ‘the kids ain’t alright’ isn’t merely a slogan; it’s a reflection on the legacy of normalized sexism, on the behavior that children witness and, without intervention, are destined to repeat.

By holding up a mirror to society through the innocence and malleability of the young (‘and they do what they see’), Lipa underscores the responsibility of adults to model better behavior and to break the toxic cycles of ‘boys will be boys’ — a refrain used too often to dismiss harmful actions.

The Power of Proclamation: Embracing Womanhood as an Act of Defiance

In what could be considered the song’s rallying cry, ‘But girls will be women’ is not just a memorable line, it’s a potent declaration. It signifies a shift away from the submissive and toward the self-possessed, an ascension to a womanhood defined by strength, autonomy, and self-determination.

Lipa’s message is clear: women are more than the sum of their parts or the roles traditionally ascribed to them. By continually juxtaposing ‘boys will be boys’ with ‘girls will be women,’ Lipa invites listeners to ponder a future where gendered expectations are deconstructed and where being a woman is synonymous with unyielding empowerment.