Forget New Music Friday, because Selena Gomez is dropping her Rare deluxe album tracks today. God bless her for it because my WFH playlist was seriously lacking in the pop department. After quite a bit of teasing, Sel finally released three new songs: “She,” “Souvenir,” and “Boyfriend.” But to tell the truth, “Boyfriend” has been the clear star since Selena admitted it was one of her favorite unreleased tracks.
“There’s a few other songs that I couldn’t help but want to exist [that didn’t make the album Rare] so I can’t really tell when, but one of my favorite tracks is called ‘Boyfriend,’ so I can’t wait for people to hear that one,” she said during a Jimmy Fallon interview back in January.
In Selena’s own words, “Boyfriend” is a “lighthearted song” that’s about “falling down and getting back up time and time again in love but also knowing that you don’t need anyone other than yourself to be happy.” The music video for it is like a darker, frog-filled parody of The Bachelor, which is a treat in and of itself.
Interestingly enough, “Boyfriend” came to be over a series of text messages, of all things. Julia Michaels, Selena’s bestie and songwriting partner, told WSJ magazine that when they were coming up with the song concept, Julia would “text her to say, ‘What kind of mood are you in?’ One time [Selena] responded, ‘I’m feeling strong and happy,’ and then she said at the end of the text: ‘I really just want a boyfriend.’ I thought we should do a song about it. She got to the studio, and it all started flowing together.”
Without further ado, listen to the pop masterpiece that is “Boyfriend” (and learn the lyrics for your next virtual karaoke party on Zoom), below:
[Chorus]
I want a boyfriend
But I just keep hitting dead ends
Try to take a shortcut, but I get cut again and again
I want a boyfriend
Tell me, are there any good ones left?
I keep finding wrong ones, but I want love again and again
I want a boyfriend
[Verse 1]
I been up all night
Pretty restlessly
Think I might know why (ah)
I’ve been doing just fine
But baby, that don’t mean
That I’m feeling anti you and me
[Pre-Chorus]
There’s a difference between a want and a need
Some nights, I just want more than me
I know that there’s a fine line between
It’s not what I need, but (yeah)
[Chorus]
I want a boyfriend
But I just keep hitting dead ends
Try to take a shortcut, but I get cut again and again (yeah)
I want a boyfriend (uh-huh)
Tell me, are there any good ones left?
I keep finding wrong ones, but I want love again and again (yeah)
[Post-Chorus]
I want a boyfriend
I want a boyfriend
[Verse 2]
I could phone a friend, use a hotline or something
But that won’t get the job done (uh-uh)
’Cause every time I try (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Every time they lie (uh, ooh-hoo)
I get a little anti you and me
[Pre-Chorus]
There’s a difference between a want and a need
Some nights, I just want more than me
I know that there’s a fine line between
It’s not what I need, but (ooh-hoo)
[Chorus]
I want a boyfriend
But I just keep hitting dead ends
Try to take a shortcut, but I get cut again and again (yeah, ooh)
I want a boyfriend (uh-huh)
Tell me, are there any good ones left?
I keep finding wrong ones, but I want love again and again
[Outro]
I want a boyfriend (ah, ayy, yeah)
I want a boyfriend (ah, I try to)
I want a (ah, yeah)
I want a boyfriend (ah, yeah)
I want a
