"Boys" is the fourth single released in the U.S. although the fifth single in countries such as Australia and the UK from Britney Spears's 2001 album Britney. The song was released during the third quarter of 2002.

The song was written and produced by The Neptunes. For its release, the single was re-vamped as "The Co-Ed Remix", and featured help from Neptune Pharrell Williams on vocals. The track was also featured on the soundtrack for the film Austin Powers in Goldmember. The song shows Spears explaining that even though there are benefits to being single, "boys" are sometimes what a girl needs.

Although there is absolutely no physical single market on Brazil, where only albums and EP's are released, and single charts are based only on radio airplay, "Boys (The Co-Ed Remix)" did saw a physical release on the country, as a part of a late 2002 recording industry project, when Justin Timberlake and Nick Carter singles were also released. The project was discontinued in early 2003.

Britney Spears Boys Lyrics:

For whatever reason,
I feel like I’ve been wanting you all my life
You don’t understand
I’m so glad we’re at the same place
At the same time, it’s over now
I spotted you dancin’
You made all the girls stare
Those lips and your brown eyes (oooh)
And the sexy hair
I should shake my thang
Make the world want you (giggle)
Tell your boys you’ll be back
I wanna see what you can do (uh)

What would it take for you to just leave with me?
Not tryin to sound conceited but
me and you were meant to be (yeah)
You’re a sexy guy, I’m a nice Girl
Let’s turn this dance floor into our own little nasty world!

Boys!
Sometimes a girl just needs one (you know I need you)
Boys!
To love her and to hold (I just want you to touch me)
Boys!
And when a girl is with one (mmm, mmm)
Boys!
Then she’s in control!

Took the boy off the dance floor
Screaming in his ear
Musta’ said somethin bout me (what you say)
Cuz he’s lookin over here
You lookin at me (giggle)
With a sexy attitude
But the way your boys movin it (uh)
It puts me in the mood
OUW!

What would it take for you to just leave with me?
Not tryin to sound conceited
but me and you were meant to be
You’re a sexy guy, I’m a nice Girl
Let’s turn this dance floor into our own little nasty world

Boys!
Sometimes a girl just needs one (I get nasty)
Boys!
To love her and to hold (I get nasty)
Boys!
And when a girl is with one (I get nasty)
Boys!
Then she’s in control! (You like that? Here we go..)

Tonite Let’s Fly
Boy have no Fear (have no fear)
There’s no time to lose
And next week,
You may not see me here (uh-huh)
So boy just make your move (let me see what you can do)

Boys!
Sometimes a girl just needs one (I like that
Boys! (I like that)
To love her and to hold
Boys!
And when a girl is with one (it’s gonna turn me on)
Boys!
Then she’s in control!

Come with me
Let’s fly Into the Night
Oh boy, tonite is ours (it’s just you and me baby)
When huggin me, make sure you hold me tight
Let’s head for the stars

GET NASTY!
Moan Moan Moan, OUW !

Boys!
Sometimes a girl just needs one
Boys!
To love her and to hold
Boys!
And when a girl is with one
Boys!
Then she’s in control!

Can’t live with em’
Cant live without em’!

Music video

The music video for "Boys" saw Britney reunite with director Dave Meyers ("Lucky"). It starts out with Britney, 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 is found sitting at the end of a long table, and a man sitting at the other end. Following this, Britney is found walking around a pool, where she spots a guy (played by Justin Bruening) that she is apparently attracted to swimming around. They begin to toy with each other while Pharrell is seen at the bar flirting with a woman. Britney walks over to him and they begin to talk instead. Following this, Spears dances suggestively 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 also made cameo appearances in the video.

The video retired on MTV's TRL and was later nominated for a Video Music Award in 2003 for Best Video from a Film.

Remixes and official versions

Album version 3:26
Album version instrumental 3:26
The Co-Ed Remix featuring Pharrel Williams 3:45
The Co-Ed Remix featuring Pharrel Williams instrumental 3:45
The Co-Ed Remix - Solo version 3:22
Riprock N Alex G Remix

Track listing

Boys (The Co-Ed Remix featuring Pharrell Williams)

"Boys" (The Co-Ed Remix featuring Pharrell Williams)
"Boys" (The Co-Ed Remix featuring Pharrell Williams instrumental)
"Boys" (Album version)
"Boys" (Album version instrumental)

Chart performance

Although "Boys" was meant to be Spears' comeback single in the U.S. after the failure of the rest of the releases from the Britney album (aside from the modest hit "I'm a Slave 4 U"), it ended up flopping harder than any of her previous singles. The song failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, and peaked only at number nine on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart (equivalent to number 109 if the Hot 100 ran past one-hundred ranks). Regarding Top 40 radio, the single charted only on the lower-half of one of the component charts: the Mainstream Top 40.

"Boys" is also arguably her biggest international flop to-date, as it failed to ascend to the top ten in almost every country, and also missed even the top twenty in several regions.

The single was a success in the UK debuting at seven and selling a total of 74,000 copies, and worldwide has sold over 810,000 copies.

Chart (2002)	Peak position
ARC Weekly Top 40	31
U.S. Billboard Bubbling-Under Hot 100	9
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Top 40	32
Australian ARIA Singles Chart	14
Austrian Top 75	18
Belgium Top 20	7
Brazilian Top 100	45
Canadian Billboard Top 100	21
Dutch Top 40	14
Eurochart Hot 100 Singles	37
French Top 100	55
German Top 100	19
Indonesia Chart	8
Italian Top 50	30
Japanese Top 200	63
Mexican Top 100 (Album Version)	25
Mexican Top 100 (Co-Ed Remix)	8
N.P. Top 100	16
New Zealand Top 50	39
Philippine Top Hits	1
Swedish Top 60	11
Swiss Top 100	20
'Tokio Hot 100'	38
UK Official Singles Chart	7
World Airplay Top 100	36
World Singles Top 100	16