Their first release, the Stay Up, Get Down extended play, was released in 2007, followed by the five-song EP, The Way We Talk, on December 11, 2007. The band's first full-length studio album, Can't Stop Won't Stop, was released July 8, 2008. Their second full-length album, Black & White, was released on July 13, 2010, which sold 22,634 copies in its first week. On December 6, 2011, their third studio album, Pioneer, was released and it peaked at No. 90 on the Billboard 200.[1] Their fourth full-length record, Forever Halloween, was released on June 4, 2013, which reached No. 39 on the Billboard 200, as followed by its deluxe edition on June 17, 2014. Their fifth studio album, American Candy, was released on March 31, 2015. Lovely Little Lonely, their sixth full-length record, was released on April 7, 2017. You Are OK, their seventh full-length record, was released March 29, 2019.
The Maine was created by bassist Garrett Nickelsen and drummer Patrick Kirch in November 2006. Singer John O'Callaghan joined soon after auditions for the band with no prior vocal experience, along with musicians Ryan Osterman and Alex Ross. Together, they collectively released the EP Stay Up, Get Down. Shortly thereafter Ryan and Alex departed the band for unknown reasons, but were replaced with Kennedy Brock and Jared Monaco. The Maine signed to Fearless Records and debuted with a five song EP entitled The Way We Talk in 2007.
Girls Do What They Want
The Maine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She makes the boys feel so weak (so weak)
It's all for her, not at all
She'll pick up just to watch you fall
It's her hands on my hips, I can't escape 'em
It's that mouth and those lips, try not to chase down
That's just the way things are
And way they'll always be
Girls do what they want
Whoa whoa
Boys do what they can
Girls do what they want
Whoa whoa
Boys do what they can
She's 18 and beauty queen
She's figured out all the boys like me
Head to toe, you know she's dressed to kill (dressed to kill)
And she could the way she's looking at me
It's her face and those eyes, I can't escape 'em
It's that mouth and those lies, try not to chase down
That's just the way things are
And way they'll always be
Girls do what they want
Whoa whoa
Boys do what they can
Girls do what they want
Whoa whoa
Boys do what they can
That's just the way, just the way, just the way things
Because the boys are feeling jealousy
And it just doesn't make any sense
Go on and tell them
All the girls are in the fellas
And it's all for them to decide in the end
And you know that all the,
The boys are falling in love
The girls who don't know what's up
We think we've all had enough of this now
These kids are talking about love
We think we've all had enough
We've had enough of this now
Girls do what they want
Whoa whoa
Boys do what they can
Girls do what they want
Whoa whoa
Boys do what they can
Girls do what they want
Whoa whoa
Boys do what they can
Girls do what they want
Whoa whoa
Boys do what they can
The Maine's song "Girls Do What They Want" depicts the story of an 18-year-old beauty queen who has the power to make boys weak in the knees, while girls do what they want and guys just do what they can to keep up. The lyrics showcase how the girl can pick a boy up just to watch him fall, leaving him powerless to her beauty and allure. The singer can't escape her hands on his hips and her mouth and lips, which are so tempting that he struggles not to chase after her. The chorus is a repetition of the phrase "Girls do what they want, whoa whoa, boys do what they can," emphasizing the power dynamics between genders.
The song can be interpreted as a reflection of society's gender norms, where men are thought to be strong and dominant while women are supposed to be passive and weak. The lyrics suggest that girls have the power to do what they want, and it’s up to the boys to keep up. However, this is not without consequences as others may feel jealousy and misinterpret the situation. The song's message is clear: women don't have to conform to societal norms and can dictate their own lives.
Line by Line Meaning
She's 18 and a beauty queen
Describing the physical attributes of a young woman who happens to be beautiful and has won a beauty pageant
She makes the boys feel so weak
The girl's beauty has a mesmerizing effect on boys and they feel powerless before her charm
It's all for her, not at all
Everything seems to revolve around the girl, but in reality, she doesn't care about anyone else
She'll pick up just to watch you fall
The girl enjoys teasing, flirting, and leading boys on, only to reject or humiliate them later
It's her hands on my hips, I can't escape 'em
The girl's touch is irresistible and makes it hard for the artist to resist her advances
It's that mouth and those lips, try not to chase down
The girl's words and kisses are tempting, and the singer is having a hard time resisting them
That's just the way things are
The singer acknowledges that the girl's behavior is typical and expected, given her irresistible traits
And way they'll always be
The artist implies that this dynamic between boys and girls is unlikely to change anytime soon
Girls do what they want
Girls have the power to do what they want, thanks to their beauty and charm
Boys do what they can
Boys have to try their best to attract and please girls, but ultimately, the girls have the upper hand
Because the boys are feeling jealousy
The boys are envious of the girl's attention and wish they had the same power over her
And it just doesn't make any sense
The artist thinks it's ridiculous for boys to feel jealous and powerless before a girl
All the girls are in the fellas
The girls are attracted to the boys, and it's up to them to decide who they want to be with
And you know that all the,
The singer implies that everyone knows how this game of attraction works
The boys are falling in love
The boys are developing feelings for the girls, even though they know it's not likely to lead anywhere
The girls who don't know what's up
Some girls are oblivious to the fact that they have this power over boys and don't realize how much influence they have
We think we've all had enough of this now
The singer is tired of the clichéd dynamics between boys and girls and wants to move on from this topic
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Harley Loftus
If anyone still jams this song, like this comment. The latest comment I saw was from 2yrs ago, I hope this sound is still relevant.
DOG
July of 2021, recently got into these guys and i’m enjoying their music!
Paul E
Its absolutely still relevant
vanillabee
2021 :)
Virginia Morelli
still here in 2020 <3
Paula Machado
And here I'm 2 years after you
oof
words cannot express the feelings i get every time i watch their old videos, they've come so far and they're still making the best music.
Faith
I miss this so much. These songs remind me of my first love, that innocent type of love where your 13 and you have no idea what you're doing but your heart is telling you to go with it. Ahh, young love, there's nothing else like it. Such a simpler time. These were my songs in 2011
Emily O'Brien
This was my favourite live. I cant believe I hadn't heard of you before warped!!
Alyssa Brown
they used to be so scene, aw. their new stuff is great