What Are Words For? (7/8)

[Railyn]

My taste in music is ecclectic, to say the least. We all have our favorite
genres. Mine happens to be 80's New Wave. British, American, it really
doesn't make a difference. I know that's not everyone's favorite here, but
we're all different, and that's what makes us interesting.

Most New Wave groups had limited success, then faded into oblivion. Anyone
who could work a synthesizer and had great style for the camera could be a
success. I was watching VH1's One Hit Wonder countdown, and came across
this group, a favorite of mine. I never really considered them One Hit
people, but I guess VH1 doesn't count holiday music or tv themes (although
the show was short lived). I guess this song, and their holiday song are
the only ones to really go mainstream.

Anyway, I was really bummed to hear the lead singer passed away in 1996 from
lung cancer. I never heard about it, but I guess no one outside of the
Akron area did. So I wanted to do this song to give her a deserved tribute.
She wasn't the prettiest, or the best singer, but she had presence, and
she was very believeable, sounding if she was singing of personal experience
(which she later said she wasn't). I doubt my regular posters here will
know this song, but maybe you can count it as one of the best songs you've
never heard. It's sound is vaguely reminicent of "Brass In Pocket" but
peppier, and with some killer sax parts:

I KNOW WHAT BOYS LIKE
By: The Waitresses
Album: Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful?
Author: C. Butler

I know what boys like
I know what guys want
I know what boys like
I've got what boys like

I know what boys like
I know what guys want
I see them looking

I make them want me
I like to tease them
They want to touch me
I never let them

I know what boys like
I know what guys want
I know what boys like, boys
like, boys like me

But you, you're special
I might let you
You're so much different
I might let you
Mmmmm would you like that
I might let you

I know what boys like
I know what guys want
I know what boys like
I know what's on their minds

I what what boys like
I know what guys want
They talk about me

I got my cat moves
That so upset them
Zippers and buttons
Fun to frustrate them
They get so angry
Like pouty children
Denied their candy
I laugh right at them

I know what boys like
I know what guys want
I know what boys like,
boys like, boys like me

Na, na, nya, nya, nya
Na, na, nya, nya, nya

I feel sad now
I will let you
Sorry I teased you
I will let you
This time I mean it
I wil1 let you
Anything you want
You can trust me
I really want to
You can trust me
How would you like it
You can trust me

Sucker. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.

I know what boys like
I know what guys want
I know what boys like, boys
like, boys like me

Na, na, nya, nya, nya
Na, na, nya, nya, nya...
(repeat and fade)


My Opinion In A Nutshell: I like the tease as much as I like the
golddigger, but this is a fun song, and fun karaoke material. People may be
more familiar with their popular Christmas song "Christmas Wrapping" or the
theme to the tv show "Square Pegs". The original title was "Wait
here...I'll be right back".

Favorite Line: "I know what boys like, I got what boys like"


Remembering Patty Donohue.......

[athompsen]

I remember that song. I remember it well. I didn't know she died in 96, how sad. I also remember they did the theme song for that great 80's show, "Square Pegs".

[Boogieman]

One of my favorites from 1982! I also didn't know that the lead singer had died. She couldn't have been much older than 40, if that. Yet another reminder that I need to kick this nicotine habit

This song is from the point of view of the proverbial tease. The girl whom everyone in high school thought was a little "easy" but actually wouldn't let you get past second base. It's a simple but enjoyable track....humorous and very tongue-in-cheek.

Saw the video for this song for the first time in at least 15 years the other day on VH1. That saxophone player is quite a clown. Very diverse looking band. The lead singer couldn't sing her way out of a wet paper bag but they had some good instrumentation to overcome this deficit. Nice pick for the day. First one I've felt compelled to comment on

[Pete70s]

I always thought it would be funny if a male artist covered this as "I Know What Girls Like". People would think the guy was an egotistical a-hole. But hey, why should girls be the only "teases"? LOL.. That aside, I like the tune, and the group.

[Railyn]

athompsen said:

I remember that song. I remember it well. I didn't know she died in 96, how sad. I also remember they did the theme song for that great 80's show, "Square Pegs".

And I thought I was gonna be the only one. Christmas Wrapping is a great song too - may have to dig that one out during the holidays.

[Railyn]

Boogieman said:

One of my favorites from 1982! I also didn't know that the lead singer had died. She couldn't have been much older than 40, if that. Yet another reminder that I need to kick this nicotine habit

This song is from the point of view of the proverbial tease. The girl whom everyone in high school thought was a little "easy" but actually wouldn't let you get past second base. It's a simple but enjoyable track....humorous and very tongue-in-cheek.

Saw the video for this song for the first time in at least 15 years the other day on VH1. That saxophone player is quite a clown. Very diverse looking band. The lead singer couldn't sing her way out of a wet paper bag but they had some good instrumentation to overcome this deficit. Nice pick for the day. First one I've felt compelled to comment on

Well thanks for comin' over, Boogieman! I try to pick a wide variety of stuff, but I encourage requests. There is a lot of stuff out there that I'm not familiar with that I'm sure is great.

I'm not sure how old Patty Donahue was. There's only one website out there totally devoted to this group, and the guy's in England and admits he knows very little about them. I have their greatest hits CD. I bought it 10+ years ago, bummed that I had to shell out that kind of money for 2 songs, but I've really grown to love the whole cd. I foolishly sold it because I had gotten my favorites on other cd's, and I really regretted it. Then, 2 years later, I walk back into the place, and it was still there, and I bought it back! The guy told me he didn't think he'd ever sell it. He got a kick out of my story.

Anyway, the liner notes are written by a band member and are strange, but I could get out of it that he invented the band before he even had members, and had written this song. He found Patty in a restaurant, and she quit school, but if I read it correctly, that was 1977 or so, so you'd be about right. They demo'd it with an old 8-track in his house (he says if you listen closely you can hear a toilet flush). She moved away, he got a record company to release the song a few years later, and he all of a sudden needed to form a real band, so he wired her his last $50 to come back.

The diversity comes from the fact that they were literally just grabbed up from other places. The female bass player was literally grabbed off the street. She's not a great singer, mostly talking her way through all the songs, but she has that quality in her voice that I just can't put my finger on......

[Railyn]

Pete70s said:

I always thought it would be funny if a male artist covered this as "I Know What Girls Like". People would think the guy was an egotistical a-hole. But hey, why should girls be the only "teases"? LOL.. That aside, I like the tune, and the group.

I think you're right, Pete. That would be cool. Kind of like an answer to the song....

[kathyb]

I always liked this song. I love the little laugh at the end, where she says "Sucker".

BTW--the female bass player from this group was in the band on Rosie O'Donnell's talk show. I believe her name is Tracy Wormworth.

[Dawn]

This is a fun, catchy song. It's true that Patty's voice wasn't the best, but somehow her vocal limitations give the song even more charm. She sings it in kind of a sly way that gives a lot of punch to the lyrics.

Patty Donohue passed away in December 1996, at the age of 40, according to a message board entry I found.

[smittykins--70s pop RULES!]

I saw that "One Hit Wonder" countdown too...I had no idea the lead singer passed away... Although I hadn't heard this one until then, I LOVE "Christmas Wrapping"!

[70sChild]

Oh my God! I have this song on a 45. I play it every once in a while and sing along. I remember when it was out. I thought it was pretty cool. I'm sorry to learn that the lead singer died. I didn't hear that anywhere in the news. Very cool song!

[Railyn]

kathyb said:

I always liked this song. I love the little laugh at the end, where she says "Sucker".

BTW--the female bass player from this group was in the band on Rosie O'Donnell's talk show. I believe her name is Tracy Wormworth.

You are correct - I found her name in the liner notes in the cd booklet - she was the one they literally pulled in off the street.

[Railyn]

Dawn said:

This is a fun, catchy song. It's true that Patty's voice wasn't the best, but somehow her vocal limitations give the song even more charm. She sings it in kind of a sly way that gives a lot of punch to the lyrics.

Patty Donohue passed away in December 1996, at the age of 40, according to a message board entry I found.

There's a song on the CD called "No Regret" about a girl who's left a relationship where she's been "taken care of". She sounds genuinely proud that she's able to handle mundane tasks and that "I've learned a lot since you've been gone". It's that un-nameable quality in her voice.

[Railyn]

smittykins said:

I saw that "One Hit Wonder" countdown too...I had no idea the lead singer passed away... Although I hadn't heard this one until then, I LOVE "Christmas Wrapping"!

I will definately be doing that one around the holidays. It's one of the few holiday songs I like.

[Railyn]

70sChild said:

Oh my God! I have this song on a 45. I play it every once in a while and sing along. I remember when it was out. I thought it was pretty cool. I'm sorry to learn that the lead singer died. I didn't hear that anywhere in the news. Very cool song!

I don't think anyone outside the Akron Ohio area heard about it.

This song is very fun to Karaoke!

(lovin the new smileys!)