Boys (Britney Spears song)

Infobox Single
Name = Boys


Cover size =
Border =
Caption =
Artist = Britney Spears featuring Pharrell
Album = Britney
A-side =
B-side =
Released = July 29, 2002
(see release history)
Format = CD single
Recorded =
Genre = Dance pop, R&B, alternative hip-hop
Length = 3:25 (album version)
3:45 (The Co-Ed Remix)
Label = Jive
Writer = Chad Hugo, Pharrell Williams
Producer = The Neptunes
Audio sample? =
Certification =
Chronology = Britney Spears singles
Last single = "Anticipating"
(2002)
This single = "Boys" (The Co-Ed Remix)
(2002)
Next single = "That's Where You Take Me"
(2003)
Misc =

"Boys" is a song on pop singer Britney Spears's 2001 album, "Britney", and was the sixth single released in countries such as the U.S, UK and Australia. The song was written and produced by The Neptunes. It was released during the third quarter of 2002 (see 2002 in music).

For its release as a single, the song was remixed to become The Co-Ed Remix, and features Pharrell Williams on vocals. The track was featured on the soundtrack for the film "Austin Powers in Goldmember". Spears said of the song, "This is my favourite from the album. It's really cool. It's got that kinda Prince feel to it, it's very hard in your face and it's very sexual, talking about you guys out there, haha." [Citation
last=Dingwall
first=John
author-link=
title=OTR..Off the Record: Your Time Is Up, Jacko; Britney Wants Album Top Slot
newspaper=Daily Record
publication-place=Scotland
volume=
issue=
date=November 5, 2001
year=2001
month=November
page=19
url= ]

Music video

The music video for "Boys" was directed by Dave Meyers, who had directed the video for Spears's "Lucky". It starts with Spears, adorned in a dress and readying herself for a party, inside a castle where a group of women are dancing around her. The next scene takes place in one of the courtyards where Spears and a man are sitting at opposite ends of a long table. Following this, Spears walks around a pool, where she spots a man (played by Justin Bruening) swimming around. They begin to interact with each other; at the same time, Pharrell is at the bar with a woman. Spears walks over to him and they begin to talk. Following this, Spears dances with a group of people, including Mike Myers as Austin Powers (the video was used for promotion of the film "Austin Powers in Goldmember"). Actors DJ Qualls, Jason Priestley and Taye Diggs make cameo appearances in the video.

The video was retired from the video countdown on MTV's "Total Request Live" and was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award in 2003 for Best Video from a Film.

Track listing

;"Boys" (The Co-Ed Remix)
# "Boys" (The Co-Ed Remix) featuring Pharrell Williams – 3:47
# "Boys" (The Co-Ed Remix) (instrumental) featuring Pharrell Williams – 3:44
# "Boys" (album version) – 3:27
# "Boys" (album version instrumental) – 3:27

;"Boys" [SINGLE] [IMPORT]
# "Boys" (The Co-Ed Remix)
#"Boys" (The Co-Ed Remix) (instrumental)
#"Boys" (album version)

Chart performance

In the United States, "Boys" was Spears's weakest performing single at the time. The song failed to chart on the "Billboard" Hot 100, and peaked at number twenty-two on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart. On top 40 radio, the single charted in the lower half of one of the Mainstream Top 40.

It was more successul in Europe, reaching the top twenty in most countries. The single debuted at number six in the United Kingdom.

¹ Album version

² Co-Ed Remix

Release history

References