The music video for the song predominantly shows geriatric people dressed and acting like young people. The various members of the band are shown interacting with the older characters (for example playing video games and giving massages). At the end of the video, Benji Madden wakes up to find an old woman wearing one of his shirts and offering him a bowl of cereal.
The video for "Girls & Boys" was shot in the suburb of Ellerslie in Auckland, New Zealand. The longer version includes dialogue of a senior woman and the band, a parodying reference to Avril Lavigne's video "Complicated".
Girls & Boys
Good Charlotte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With money
He's well-dressed
Not funny
And not much to say in most conversations
But he'll foot the bill in all situations
'Cause he pays for everything
Boys will laugh at girls when they're not funny
Paper
Or plastic
Don't matter
She'll have it
Vacations and shopping sprees
These are a few of her favorite things
She'll get what she wants if she's willing to please
His type of girl always comes with a fee
Hey now, there's nothing for free
Girls don't like boys, girls like cars and money
Boys will laugh at girls when they're not funny
And these girls like these boys, like these boys like these girls
The girls with the bodies like boys with Ferraris
Girls don't like boys, girls like cars and money
Let's go
Yeah, yeah
Girls don't like boys, girls like cars and money
Boys will laugh at girls when they're not funny
And these girls like these boys, like these boys like these girls
The girls with the bodies like boys with Ferraris
Girls don't like boys, girls like cars and money
All of these boys yeah and all of these girls
Losing their souls in a material world
All of these boys yeah and all of these girls
Losing their souls in a material world
All of these boys yeah and all of these girls
Losing their souls in a material world
All of these boys yeah and all of these girls
Losing their souls in a material world
The lyrics to Good Charlotte's "Girls & Boys" explore the materialistic nature of society and the attitudes that people attach to wealth and status. The song describes two archetypes: the well-educated man who is seen as a desirable partner because of his financial stability, and the woman who is willing to trade her beauty and charm for access to wealth and luxury. The lyrics argue that these kinds of relationships are empty and lacking in substance, as both partners are giving up their authenticity and sense of self in exchange for material gain.
The first verse introduces us to the character of the wealthy man, who is described as educated, well-dressed, and possessing little sense of humor. Despite his lack of charm, the man is able to attract women because he can pay for everything. The second verse describes the woman's perspective in this kind of relationship - she does not care about the type of payment, whether it is made with paper or plastic, as long as she is able to have her favorite things such as vacations and shopping sprees. She is willing to please the man in order to keep the flow of money coming.
The chorus of the song repeats the idea that "girls don't like boys, girls like cars and money" and that "boys will laugh at girls when they're not funny." This encapsulates the idea that the relationship between the two sexes can be reduced to a transactional one, where both parties are only concerned with what they can obtain from each other. Despite the repetition, the chorus still creates a palpable tension and frustration, highlighting the fact that the norm of the infatuation with material things can be quite depressing.
Overall, the lyrics to "Girls & Boys" illustrate the consequences of placing value solely on material possessions and losing oneself in the process. The song is a commentary on the superficial and transactional nature of many relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Educated
Having education
With money
Financially well-off
He's well-dressed
Dresses stylishly
Not funny
Lacking humor
And not much to say in most conversations
Not much of a conversationalist
But he'll foot the bill in all situations
Will pay for everything
'Cause he pays for everything
Covering all expenses
Paper
Money
Or plastic
Credit cards
Don't matter
Irrelevant
She'll have it
She'll acquire it
Vacations and shopping sprees
Enjoyment from traveling and buying things
These are a few of her favorite things
Things she likes
She'll get what she wants if she's willing to please
She'll do what it takes to get what she desires
His type of girl always comes with a fee
The kind of girl he likes requires money
Hey now, there's nothing for free
Everything comes at a cost
Girls don't like boys, girls like cars and money
Girls are attracted to wealth and material possessions
Boys will laugh at girls when they're not funny
Boys ridicule girls who lack humor
And these girls like these boys, like these boys like these girls
Girls are attracted to boys who can provide materialistic pleasures while boys are attracted to physically attractive girls
The girls with the bodies like boys with Ferraris
Girls who have good physical features are drawn to boys who have expensive cars
Let's go
Expression to get someone excited for something
All of these boys yeah and all of these girls
Referring to society in general
Losing their souls in a material world
People are becoming too focused on materialistic pleasures and losing the essence of life
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Benji Madden, Joel Madden
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Azeckwazion
I can't believe that I am over 30 now... listening to this makes me a teenager again
@Fany_Rivera
Im 29 years old.. i miss those times
@heathermontgomery569
0000000
@chaseholstein7083
Nah...it makes you over 30 still liking this song...nothing wrong with that either.
@gulhangoz2476
Me too 🤣🤣🤣
@TimaRoxx
Im 31. This is the music I grew up on ❤️
@conflickt3130
It's physically impossible to not sing along to this song if you are 28-34 years old.
@fujidenzo_kid4147
pls include me im just 37 yrs old 😉😭
@oxcafeoxbabe
I think you narrowly missed the age range there...by at least 4 years.
@beastybear4499
@fujidenzo_kid who let this old guy in here