Jim Adams is the host for Song Lyric Sunday. This week’s theme is Paisley Underground.

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Paisley underground – You what? Had to Google this one and discovered I’d heard of one practitioner of this genre – The Bangles.

I was never a major fan. Yes, I danced like an Egyptian at school discos and had an unbelievably naff perm, but I found these California Girls to be too fluffy for my taste. Apart from this one track.

When I first listened to If She Knew What She Wants, it left me (according to my 1986 diary) with an aching void inside. Teens and poetry should not be allowed to mix.

But the song floored me: how could this idiot of a woman not see that the guy was besotted with her? If only she would give him a chance!

Nowadays, we would applaud her for fending off a stalker and not allowing herself to be gaslighted. I am so glad I’m no longer part of the modern dating scene — talk about minefields.

Over to you, ladies!

Oooooh
If she knew what she wants (he’d be giving it to her)
If she knew what she needs (he could give her that too)
If she knew what she wants (but he can’t see through her)
If she knew what she wants, he’d be giving it to her, giving it to her

But she wants everything (he can pretend to give her everything)
Or there’s nothing she wants (she don’t want to sort it out)
He’s crazy for this girl (but she don’t know what she’s looking for)
If she knew what she wants, he’d be giving it to her, giving it to her
I’d say her values are corrupted
But she’s open to change
Then one day she’s satisfied
And the next I’ll find her crying
And it’s nothing she can explain

If she knew what she wants (he’d be giving it to her)
If she knew what she needs (he could give her that too)
If she knew what she wants (but he can’t see through her)
If she knew what she wants, he’d be giving it to her, giving it to her (giving it to her)
Some have a style
That they work hard to refine
So they walk a crooked line
But she won’t understand
Why anyone would have to try
To walk a line when they could fly

No sense thinking I could rehabilitate her
When she’s fine, fine, fine
She’s got so many ideas travelling around in her head
She doesn’t need nothing from mine

If she knew what she wants (he’d be giving it to her)
If she knew what she needs (he could give her that too)
If she knew what she wants (but he can’t see through her)
If she knew what she wants, he’d be giving it to her, giving it to her
But she wants everything (he can pretend to give her everything)
Or there’s nothing she wants (she don’t want to sort it out)
He’s crazy for this girl (but she don’t know what she’s looking for)
If she knew what she wants, He’d be giving it to her, giving it to her (he’d be giving it to her)
(He could give her that too)
(But he can’t see through her)
Oooooo
Giving it to her
Giving it to her now

Songwriter: Jules Shear
© Juters Music, Funzalo Music, Music Corp. Of America, Inc.