The Beatles - Boys-canta Ringo

Copyright - 1963 EMI Records Ltd.

Boys" is a song by Luther Dixon and Wes Farrell, originally performed by the Shirelles and released as the B-side of their "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" single in November 1960.

The Beatles version
The Beatles covered "Boys" on their first album released in the UK, Please Please Me. It was recorded at Abbey Road Studios on February 11, 1963 in a single take, and is Ringo Starr's first recorded lead vocal with the Beatles. February 11 was a marathon day for the Beatles; they recorded 10 of the 14 tracks they needed for Please Please Me. The Beatles included two songs by the Shirelles on their first album, "Boys" and "Baby It's You."

In the early 1960s, the Beatles didn't concern themselves about the possible homosexual connotations in singing a song about boys, although the Beatles altered the gender pronouns employed on the Shirelles' version (i.e. "My girl says when I kiss her lips..."). In an October 2005 Rolling Stone interview, Paul McCartney stated: "Any one of us could hold the audience. Ringo would do 'Boys', which was a fan favourite with the crowd. And it was great - though if you think about it, here's us doing a song and it was really a girls' song. 'I talk about boys now!' Or it was a gay song. But we never even listened. It's just a great song. I think that's one of the things about youth - you just don't give a shit. I love the innocence of those days."(The lyrics talk specifically about boys kissing girls, not "each other".)

"Boys" had always been the Beatles' 'drummer' song during their Cavern days, the drummer then being Pete Best. Coincidently, Starr also sang this for his solo spot with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes; Cilla Black would sometimes join him on stage, both sharing the same microphone.

Lyrics:
I've been told when a boy kiss a girl
Take a trip around the world
Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey
Yes they say you do

My girl says when I kiss her lips
Get the thrill thru fingertips
Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey
Yeah she said you do

Well I talk about boys
Don't you know I mean boys
Well I talk about boys now
Ah, boys
Well I talk about boys now
What a bundle of joy

My girl says when I kiss her lips
Get the thrill thru fingertips
Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey
Yeah she said you do

Well I talk about boys
Don't you know I mean boys
Well I talk about boys now
Ah, boys
Well I talk about boys now
What a bundle of joy