Expert: Bong Santos - 10/13/2006

Question
I heard this song once, in the mid-late 1980's.  It sounded like a girl band singing something along the line of:

I wanna go where the boys are,
You would like that too,.....

and there lyrics had a bunch of aha aha aha...

That's all I've got.  I think there was something in the lyrics about toyz also.  It's always bugged me that I couldn't ever find out what the song or group was.  It was kind of a snappy song.  Anybody got a clue, cause I sure don't.

Answer
Dear Ethan,

I'm not pretty sure if this is the right one. I listed here I WANNA BE WHERE THE BOYS ARE by THE RUNAWAYS as my answer but I got confused as you said you heard it in the late 80s when this song was from 1978. THE RUNAWAYS was an all-girl rock 'n' roll band that was much popular in Japan in the late 70s. It is where rock icons JOAN JETT (of JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS) & LITA FORD honed their skills. BANGLES' MICHAEL STEELE was also a member before their first album was released.

But there's another song I'd like to add, TRACEY ULLMAN's WHERE THE BOYS ARE from her 1984 album YOU CAUGHT ME OUT. It's a remake of a NEIL SEDAKA song. Unfortunately, I do not have the song lyrics. It could be the one you are looking.

Here's THE RUNAWAYS' song:

I WANNA BE WHERE THE BOYS ARE / THE RUNAWAYS

Wild in the streets, barely alive
Mamas always telling me stay inside
Dont you hang around with those young boys
Soon youll be lovin them
Theyre all night toys

I wanna be where the boys are
I wanna fight how the boys fight
I wanna love how the boys love
I wanna be where the boys are

Hot love hear, I got the drive
Neighbours been bugging me I gotta hide
I am the bitch with the hot guitar
I am the air, the sun and stars

I wanna be where the boys are
I wanna fight how the boys fight
I wanna love how the boys love
I wanna be where the boys are

Wild in the streets, barely alive
Mamas always telling me stay inside
Dont you hang around with those young boys
Soon theyll be loving you with all their joy

I wanna be where the boys are
I wanna fight how the boys fight
I wanna love how the boys love
I wanna be where the boys are

Maraming salamat po!

BONG M. SANTOS
Manila, Philippines