Released: November 18, 1988

Songwriter: Greg Kihn Kenny Laguna Joan Jett

Producer: Ritchie Cordell Kenny Laguna Glen Kolotkin

[Verse 1]
I don't believe you should live by the rules
I don't wanna listen when life's so cruel
We're not sorry for things we do and my advice to you
Ow

[Verse 2]
I never listen to things they say
'Cause what you hear, it gets in your way
I'm not gonna be on your side if I find out you lied
Ow

[Chorus]
When you talk to me (Be straight)
When I take you home (Be straight)
Anyone can do what they wanna do if you wanna be (Be straight)
(Be straight)

[Verse 3]
Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on
And I am one that you can rely on
If you wanna know my opinion, It don't matter 'bout what you've been in, yeah
Ow

[Chorus]
When you talk to me (Be straight)
When I take you home (Be straight)
Anyone can do what they wanna do if you wanna be (Be straight)
(Be straight)

[Chorus]
When you talk to me (Be straight)
When I take you home (Be straight)
Anyone can do what they wanna do if you wanna be (Be straight)
When you talk to me (Be straight)
When I take you home (Be straight)
Anyone can do what they wanna do if you wanna be (Be straight)
When you talk to me (Be straight)
When I take you home (Be straight)
Anyone can do what they wanna do if you wanna be (Be straight)
If you wanna be (Be straight)
If you wanna be (Be straight)
(Be straight)

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

After splitting with The Runaways, and releasing her first solo album, Joan Jett placed an ad in LA Weekly looking for bandmates. Gary Ryan, Eric Ambel, and Danny “Furious” O'Brien joined her, creating the orginial Blackhearts lineup.

After their initial tour though, O'Brien was replaced with Lee Crystal.

Early on, keeping the band afloat was not easy. Joan and producer Kenny Laguna struggled, sometimes selling copies of albums from the trunk of his car. Eventually unable to keep up with the demand for Joan Jett’s album, they signed with Boardwalk Records.