Boys'll Be Boys Lyrics - Original Broadway Cast

MAN #1 

(spoken) 

Donal, you were born to marry a queen! Too bad she's a ... Pirate! 

DONAL 

Clan O'Flaherty men, 

It's touching to see you 

Friends should share 

A great occasion like this 

With the dawn I wed my O'Malley beauty 

I'll need help to face 

The challenge 

Of wedded 

Bliss 

I can see you're laughing at me already 

My bride's been a captain running a crew 

But there is a war, and war brings a duty 

This calls for a man to do 

What a man 

Must 

Do 

Boys'll be boys, 

Lads'll be lads, 

Living the way God planned 

Showing women how the world ought to be 

MATES 

Boys'll be boys, 

Lads'll be lads, 

How to get her in hand? 

DONAL 

Honest, friends, the answer's right there 

Have you never broken a mare? 

DONAL AND MATES 

Boys are boys, and boys, that's how it should be 

BARMAIDS 

Boys'll be boys 

That is no girl 

How will a lad survive 

She's a sort of lady shark, as it were 

After the drums 

Wedding night comes 

Who will come out alive? 

She's been a captain running a crew 

She's killed people, ran 'em right through 

Sorry, Donal, lad, I'm betting on her 

(DONAL trumps the laughter at his expense.) 

DONAL 

(holds up a gold coin; spoken) 

A gold sovereign says that I, Donal O'Flaherty, will have her eating oats out of my hand within a week! 

(sung) 

I'll be rough when she needs it, 

Rough as seas ever were 

Up to know she's been steering 

Now it's time to steer her 

She's confused about gender 

She been too long "at sea" 

I may well have to beach her 

Take her inland and teach her 

What a woman should be 

DONAL AND MEN 

Boys'll be boys 

BARMAIDS 

Girls'll be girls 

ALL 

Gotta have one last fling 

Gotta cram a lifetime in before dawn 

DONAL 

Tragic it's not 

Want to know what? 

Marriage won't change a thing: 

Listen, friends, a conjugal vow 

Doesn't change a bull to a cow 

DONAL AND ALL 

Married man or not the party goes on