Bobby Bare
"Painting Her Fingernails" lyrics

Painting Her Fingernails

Did you ever stopped to think
That for every one of you
Lovely ladies
Out here having a great time
There's probably five or six others
Just sitting home
Waiting?

She's painting her fingernails
Waiting for something to happen
Listening to love songs
And watching the clock on the wall

She could fix a cheese sandwich
But someone might ask her to dinner
So she's painting her fingernails
Waiting for someone to call

There's a torn, yellowed photograph
Stuck in the edge of the mirror
By the Raggedy Ann doll
She played with when she was a child

There's a top dresser drawer
Filled with jewelry
And pills, and old letters
And she's painting her fingernails
Dreaming of Paul Newman's smile

On her desk is the macrame
She started back last December
And the bright gilded Christmas card
He sent her three years ago

So she stretches her legs
In an exercise she's been neglecting
Painting her fingernails
Hoping the grey doesn't show

In the fridge there's what's left
Of last Wednesday night's
Candle light dinner
On her neck is the love mark
He left her
To prove he was there

And she should call the dentist
And take her red coat to the cleaners
But she's painting her fingernails
Wondering if anyone cares

Then it dawns on her
The telephone
Just might be out of order
So she picks it up
Hears the tone
And sets it down again
Hell, there's lots of other men
And if she has to
She can always call a friend

She undresses seductively
In front of Johnny Carson
And smiles goodnight
To the bullfighter there on the wall

And she crawls into bed
Knowing that this time tomorrow
She'll be painting her fingernails
Waiting for someone to call

She'll be painting her fingernails
Waiting for someone to call

Authors: Shel Silverstein