Like A Boy - Ciara
The song was written by Ciara, Candice Nelson, Balewa Muhammad, J. Que, Ezekiel Lewis, and Calvin Kenon The song itself is very catchy and sung by a popular singer, not to mention the music video featured a popular football star (Reggie Bush). It was a popular song the year it was released, 2007, and ended the year at number 68 on Billboards top 100 songs.
This is an interesting gender identity song because it is sung by a woman talking about the gender identity that she believes men have. Essentially, Ciara is saying that “boys” (men) are unfaithful, mess with women’s heads, deceitful, and play women like toys. In the song she is imagining that she were a boy, would her partner be able to handle her treating him the same way that he treats her.
While I don’t agree that this is necessarily a man’s gender identity, I think the bigger crux of what Ciara is getting at is the unfair double standards between men and women. She is saying that men can “get away” with things when society looks down on and reacts much more harshly towards women for doing the exact same things. I don’t think she is advocating that women start being unfaithful and lie to their partners, I think she is trying to say society should respond just as harshly towards men as they do women when it happens.
I imagine this song didn’t sit well with some men who may have felt defensive about the examples and wording in the song, or who may not recognize some of the double standards Ciara is expressing.
Lyrics:
C-I-A-R-A
Pull up your pants (just like 'em)
Take out the trash (just like 'em)
Gettin' your cash like 'em
Fast like 'em
Girl, you wanna act like he did (I'm talkin' 'bout)
Security codes on everything
On vibrate so your phone don't ever ring (never ring)
Joint account and another one he don't know about (hey)
Wish we could switch up the roles and I could be that
Tell you I love you, but when you call, I never get back (oh)
Would you ask them questions like me, like where you be at?
'Cause I'm out, four in the morning on the corner, rolling, doing my own thing
What if I, had a thing on the side
Made you cry?
Would the rules change up or would they still apply?
If I played you like a toy
Sometimes I wish I could act like a boy
Can't be getting mad what, you mad?
Can't handle that
Can't be getting mad what, you mad?
Can't handle that
Girl, go ahead and be (just like 'em)
Go run the streets (just like 'em)
Go home, missin' sleep like 'em, creep like 'em
Front wit' your friends
Act hard when you wit' 'em, like 'em
Keep a straight face when you tell a lie
Always keep an airtight alibi
Keep it hid in the dark
What he don't know won't break his heart (hey)
Wish we could switch up the roles and I could be that
Tell you I love you, but when you call, I never get back
Would you ask them questions like me, like where you be at?
'Cause I'm out, four in the morning on the corner, rolling, doing my own thing
What if I, had a thing on the side (what if I)
Made you cry? (made you cry)
Would the rules change up or would they still apply?
If I played you like a toy
Sometimes I wish I could act like a boy
Can't be getting mad what, you mad?
Can't handle that
Can't be getting mad what, you mad?
Can't handle that
Can't be getting mad what, you mad?
Can't handle that
Can't be getting mad what, you mad?
Can't handle that
If I was always gone
Let the sun beat me home (would you like that?)
Told you I was with my crew when I knew it wasn't true if I act like you (would you like that?)
Walked a mile up in your shoes (would you like that?)
Messing with your head again
Dose of your own medicine
What if I, had a thing on the side (what if I)
Made you cry? (made you cry)
Would the rules change up or would they still apply?
If I played you like a toy
Sometimes I wish I could act like a boy
Can't be getting mad what, you mad?
Can't handle that
Can't be getting mad what, you mad?
Can't handle that
Can't be getting mad what, you mad?
Can't handle that
Can't be getting mad what, you mad?
Can't handle that
R-A, go, here's the clutch
If I paged you (would you like that?)
Had friends (would you like that?)
Never call (would you like that?)
No, no, you wouldn't like that, no
What if I, made you cry? Would they still apply?
What if I, if I played you like a toy
Sometimes I wish I did act like a boy