This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
What the hell is wrong with you tonight?
I can't seem to say or do the right thing
Wanted to be sure you're feeling right
Wanted to be sure we want the same thing
She said, I can't believe it
You can't possibly mean it
Don't we all want the same thing?
Don't we?
Well who said anything about love?
No, not love, she said
Don't you know that it's different for girls?
Don't give me love
No, not love, she said
Don't you know that it's different for girls?
You're all the same
Mama always told me, save yourself
Take a little time and find the right girl
Then again, don't end up on the shelf
Logical advice gets you in a whirl
I know a lot of things that you don't
You wanna hear some?
She said, just give me something
Anything
Well, give me all you got, but not love
No, not love, she said
Don't you know that it's different for girls?
Don't give me love
No, not love, she said
Don't you know that it's different for girls?
You're all the same
You're all the same
You're all the same
You're all the same
You're all the same
You're all the same
You're all the same
You're all the same
Who said anything about love?
No, not love, she said
Don't you know that it's different for girls?
Don't give me love
No, not love, she said
Don't you know that it's different for girls?
Don't give me love
No, no, no, no, not love, she said
Don't you know that it's different for girls?
Don't give me love
No, no, no, no, no, not love, she said
Don't you know that it's different for girls?
You're all the same
You're all the same
You're all the same
You're all the same
I can't seem to say or do the right thing
Wanted to be sure you're feeling right
Wanted to be sure we want the same thing
She said, I can't believe it
You can't possibly mean it
Don't we all want the same thing?
Don't we?
Well who said anything about love?
No, not love, she said
Don't you know that it's different for girls?
Don't give me love
No, not love, she said
Don't you know that it's different for girls?
You're all the same
Mama always told me, save yourself
Take a little time and find the right girl
Then again, don't end up on the shelf
Logical advice gets you in a whirl
I know a lot of things that you don't
You wanna hear some?
She said, just give me something
Anything
Well, give me all you got, but not love
No, not love, she said
Don't you know that it's different for girls?
Don't give me love
No, not love, she said
Don't you know that it's different for girls?
You're all the same
You're all the same
You're all the same
You're all the same
You're all the same
You're all the same
You're all the same
You're all the same
Who said anything about love?
No, not love, she said
Don't you know that it's different for girls?
Don't give me love
No, not love, she said
Don't you know that it's different for girls?
Don't give me love
No, no, no, no, not love, she said
Don't you know that it's different for girls?
Don't give me love
No, no, no, no, no, not love, she said
Don't you know that it's different for girls?
You're all the same
You're all the same
You're all the same
You're all the same
Lyrics submitted by agnamaracs
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Yeah, I always took it as a bit of cleverness--reversing the stereotype--a scenario where the girl wants to get laid but nothing more than that, while the guy remembers how Mom always said to save himself for marriage. As if only partly overheard, which is an interesting storytelling technique. (It also throws in a bit of ambiguity, and I'm never certain whether I'm interpreting the song as Joe Jackson intended when he wrote it.)
Adding to the irony: if you see the cover of the 7-inch single, there's a photo of Joe, sitting at his piano (writing a song presumably)...but all of this comes through only if you look carefully. Give it a quick glance & you'd think the person in the shot is a teenage girl, not a grown man. Maybe just a weird pic; the shutter falls at a precise instant, and once in awhile you get a shot where the subject looks like somebody else. The style of the sleeve is very similar to the cover of the Look Sharp! LP (I'm guessing "It's Different For Girls" was written after that one but before I'm The Man).
i wasnt't familiar with the 7'' picture, thanks for pointing it out - now that you put it into perspective, it illustrates the song so beautifully.<br /> to whoever is interested in the picture: discogs.com/viewimages
Nope, it's about him falling for Gold-diggers!
I recently discovered this song and its so beautiful, yet kind of sad. I think it's about a girl who only want's sex and to have a good time. I think she's tried love and got hurt and she no longer wants anything to do with it. However, the guy in the song is actually a caring individual who does want love, not just sex. She finally met the right guy, but she can't see it and she's been burned too many times, hence the line "you're all the same". The irony though is that not all men or women are the same and this guy is not like the others.
@harlanlovestone no! non! nein! niet! negatory! It:s about Joe falling for gold-diggers
What a great song. I think it's reversing the normal roles in sex - in this song the bloke is the one that wants to take it slow and get to know each other and the girl just wants to do it. I'm not sure who is saying the line 'Don't you know that it's different for girls?' though. It could be the bloke, being shocked that this girl sees things that way, and telling her what his mum told him, which is that it's different for girls.
It's definitely the girl saying to the guy 'its different for girls'. I think its about a girl who just wants sex, and a guy who wants more. lol. talk about role reversal. You;ve gotta love Joe, though
100% agree with rikku. And honestly, in my experience, in real life, there are just as many girls who are looking for short-term hookups as guys, even though the stereotype says that girls are needy and looking to bag husbands. Let's remember, this is New Wave music -- Joe was turning stereotypes on their heads. (And the other lyrics on this album bear out the songs' personae as a sensitive, new age man.)
@snarkycharming yes, as you said, the stereotype is that guys want “freedom” and girls want “security”, and it makes me wonder if all the supposed passing on of “knowlEdge” to the new generations isn’t ALL bullshit, in this joke of Patriarchy. The “truth” and seeing sexual politics through the lens of your own gender, are very, very different things.
the meaning is revealed here:
"I know a lot of things that you don't You wanna hear some? She said, just give me something Anything Well, give me all you got, but not love"
he cares about her and want to be in a loving relationship. she, in contrast, wants him to give her something - anything. that's not about sex, it's about gifts and/or money and/or vacations and/or higher social status... these are the things that make it different for girls in what they find attractive in a man (things he can give to her). he doesn't want these types things from her, he just wants to love her and be loved for who he is, not for the things he can physically give her.
jackson probably wrote the song after much frustration in similar situations, discovering that 'you're all the same.', meaning: all women are like that (with few exceptions).
@pentta "Give me all you got" == "give me sex"... "but not love" - she's after casual sex.. but this was before guys cottoned on.<br />
@pentta You're another pathetic Male incapable of fostering a meaningful relationship because of the paranoid bullshit in your head...or the type women you choose to fall for. Either way, you're emotionally and intellectually stunted.
@pentta .....'nail on the head' buddy, 'nail on the head' everyone else is 'wide of the mark' ...we... You, Me and JJ have had our share of Gold-diggers....... Young, cute, sexy and hhhhungry! We fall in love with them, they spy our watch, cloths, car, biz class travel and where we live. Fun and games but still single.
It's not about sex, or love. It's about money! Girls want to be taken care of, to be provided for. "Give me all you got, but not love."
This is a great great track! I'd really love to know why it's different for girls though? I'm a girl, and I don't know! Someone fill me in!!
I've always heard it as the "Let's just be friends" syndrome. He basically wants to be with here romantically and she only wants him as a platonic friend. Kind of sad and bittersweet. One of my fave songs of all time.
@hnybny "give me all you got without love" - she's after casual sex. At the time, boys were more often than not socialised into the old Marriage 1.0 model.<br />
i think he's questioning the boy-girl or man-woman divide. 'you're all the same.' well, obviously women are not all the same, and neither are men. i think he reverses the gender orthodoxy in order to illustrate this point. but then again...i could be wrong. song is great though!
@inni .......all the Gold-diggers are pretty much the same, and JJ has had his share...I reckon!
Oh my... first time I've heard it - I think - and now I can't imagine a life without it!!! I've fallen in love with this song & can't stop listening to it. Anything else written here is an understatement, so I'll just leave it at that, then. Perfect..