Elvis Costello - Shabby Doll Lyrics






Giving you more of what for
Always worked for me before
Now I'm a shabby doll
What's going on behind the green elevator door
With just a shabby doll

[Chorus:]
There's a hit man facing
A compromising situation
With just a shabby doll
And a very neat line in character assassination
She's just a shabby doll

She's just a shabby doll
She's putting him off and putting you on
She's just the shabby doll
You're swearing upon you know in your heart
She's gone you know in your heart
She's just a shabby doll

There's a girl in this dress
There's always a girl in distress
She's just a shabby doll
She's so sure she's self-possessed
Then again she's half undressed
She's just a shabby doll

The boy that I used to be
Showed no sign of sympathy
For just a shabby doll
I have betrayed you and me
And paid for my own bribery
With just a shabby doll

[Chorus]

He's the tired toy that everyone enjoyed
He wants to be a fancy man but he's nothing but a nancy boy
He's all pride and no joy

And being what you might call a whore
Always worked for me before
Now I'm a shabby doll
Untie the gag the cat's out of the bag
But won't show his claws
He's just a shabby doll

She said you must be joking
Some things are left unspoken
You're just a shabby doll
He's lying limp and soaking
He was openly broken
By just a shabby doll

[Chorus]





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Elvis Costello Shabby Doll Comments
  1. C.... ....

    He's all pride and no joy.

  2. W.... G....

    A national treasure. He may not want to be but he is none the less. I'm as Irish as you are but England nurtured me and it is my home.

  3. R.... M....

    Those double-stops . . . WOW!

  4. F.... o....

    There's a girl in this dress
    There's always a girl in distress

    Might be one of the best lines ever.

    F.... o....

    Love this :-)

  5. R.... G....

    that bass at 58

  6. B.... ....

    Poetry, lyrically and musically.

  7. l.... ....

    I was introduced to Shabby Doll in the summer of '83... And the bass groove changed my life!
    And knowing that there's "ALWAYS A GIRL IN DISTRESS"!

  8. D.... C....

    That one makes me cry and smile. Nothing compares to you sirs.

  9. R.... H....

    " There's a hit man facing a compromising situation with just a shabby doll. And a very neat line in character assassination.
    She's just a shabby doll. "

  10. P.... C....

    Bruce Thomas for the win!

  11. C.... ....

    how could Someone thumbs down this song

    C.... ....

    There's always one isn't there...If you don't like this you are one soulless piece of shit!

    C.... ....

    because they are total pricks

  12. C.... G....

    A Noir Love Triangle so Sinisiter!

  13. L.... B....

    This song is so perfectly produced. The orchestration displays the genius of Elvis. Live the piano and bass.

    L.... B....

    iif u know anything about the album/CD you will know that Elvis credits keyboardist Steve Nieve with ORCHESTRATION ARRANGEMENTS...have a good night

  14. C.... V....

    He's all pride and no joy

  15. P.... B....

    Great tune. I haven't listened to this album in quite a while. I'll have to fire up the old turntable.

  16. J.... S....

    There's a girl in distress

    J.... S....

    There's always a girl in distress.

    J.... S....

    "There's a girl in this dress, there's always a girl in distress"

    J.... S....

    'I saw yuh baby dancin' in your x-ray gingham dress. I knew you were under duress. I knew you were under yer dress.' - Cap'n Beefheart

  17. b.... ....

    Costello likes to make music about dolls

    b.... ....

    +Dexter Johnson Haha. It's a doll revolution!

    b.... ....

    Are you sure? This is the real ELVIS!

  18. v.... ....

    the man knows how to construct a song, best lyricist ever..."There's a girl in distress, there's always a girl in this dress
    "....

    v.... ....

    The lines of lyrics are the other way around. This dress-Distress.

  19. r.... ....

    This is one of his many classics..... my other favorites are: Waiting for the end of the world, Blame it on Cain, The Beat, You belong to me, Beyond Belief, Man out of Time, Human Hands, Good year for the roses, You'll never be a man, Brilliant mistake, Riot Act, Red Shoes, Senior Service, Green Shirt, Clean Money, Charm school and the Greatest Thing and Alison.

    r.... ....

    many good ones there:)

    r.... ....

    Why have you copied and pasted this in half of all the EC videos on this site?

  20. J.... S....

    Abosutley love this song

  21. F.... T....

    Or the vinyl