Guys And Dolls
Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

What's playin' at The Roxy?
I'll tell ya what's playin' at The Roxy.
A picture about a Minnesota man
So in love with a Mississippi girl
That he sacrifices everything
And moves all the way to Biloxi.
That's what's playin' at The Roxy.
What's in The Daily News?
I'll tell ya what's in The Daily News.
A story about a guy
Who bought his wife a small ruby
With what otherwise woulda been his union dues.
That's what's in the Daily News.

What's happenin' all over?
I'll tell ya what's happenin' all over.
Guy sittin' home by a television set
Who once used to be something of a rover.
That's what's happenin' all over.

Love is the thing that has licked 'em.
And it looks like Nathan's another victim.

When you see a guy
Reach for stars in the sky
You can bet that he's doin' it for some doll

When you spot a John
Waitin' out in the rain
Chances are he's insane
As only a John
Can be for a Jane

When you meet a gent
Payin' all kinds of rent
For a flat that could flatten the Taj Mahal

Call it sad
Call it funny
But it's better than even money
That the guy's only doin' it for some doll

When you see a Joe
Savin' half of his dough
You can bet there'll be mink in it for some doll

When a bum buys wine
Like a bum can't afford
It's a cinch that the bum
Is under the thumb
Of some little broad

When you meet a mug
Lately out of the jug
And he's still liftin' platinum falderal

Call it Hell
Call it Heaven
It's a probable twelve to seven
That the guy's only doin' it for some doll

When you see a sport
And his cash has run short
You can bet that he's bankin' it with some doll

When a guy wears tails
With the front gleaming white
Who do you think
He's tickling pink
On Saturday night?

When a lazy slob
Gets a good steady job
And he smells of Vitalis and Barbasol

Call it dumb
Call it clever
But you can get odds forever
That the guy's only doin' it for some doll

Some doll




Some doll
The guy's only doin' it for some doll!

Overall Meaning

The song "Guys and Dolls" is a musical number where two men discuss what’s going on in their area. They talk about movies playing at the Roxy, stories in the Daily News, and what’s happening all over the city. The song then transitions to discussing the lengths men will go to impress or win over a woman. They sing about men spending money on women, waiting for them in the rain, and even sacrificing everything for the women they love. They also talk about the irony of men who were once “roving” settling down and doing it all for their women.


The lyrics of the song highlight the theme of the musical, which is the relationship between men and women. They show how men are willing to do just about anything for the women they love, even if it’s not in their best interest. The song also touches on the different ways men express their love and the lengths they’re willing to go to get the woman they want.


Line by Line Meaning

What's playin' at The Roxy?
Asking about the current movie playing at the Roxy Theatre.


I'll tell ya what's playin' at The Roxy.
Answering the question about the current movie playing at the Roxy Theatre.


A picture about a Minnesota man So in love with a Mississippi girl That he sacrifices everything And moves all the way to Biloxi.
Describing the plot of the movie playing at the Roxy Theatre, where a man moves to Biloxi for the love of a woman.


What's in The Daily News?
Asking about the current news in the Daily News newspaper.


I'll tell ya what's in The Daily News.
Answering the question about the current news in the Daily News newspaper.


A story about a guy Who bought his wife a small ruby With what otherwise woulda been his union dues.
Describing the news story in the Daily News about a man who bought his wife a ruby with his union dues.


What's happenin' all over?
Asking about current events happening all over the place.


I'll tell ya what's happenin' all over.
Answering the question about current events happening all over the place.


Guy sittin' home by a television set Who once used to be something of a rover.
Describing someone who used to roam around but is now sitting at home watching TV.


Love is the thing that has licked 'em. And it looks like Nathan's another victim.
Explaining that love has affected people and Nathan has also fallen victim to it.


When you see a guy Reach for stars in the sky You can bet that he's doin' it for some doll
Saying that when a man is reaching for his dreams, it's usually because of a woman he loves.


When you spot a John Waitin' out in the rain Chances are he's insane As only a John Can be for a Jane
Describing a man waiting in the rain for a woman, and how a man can only be insane like this for a woman he loves.


When you meet a gent Payin' all kinds of rent For a flat that could flatten the Taj Mahal
Describing a man who pays a lot of rent for a flat that is very luxurious.


Call it sad Call it funny But it's better than even money That the guy's only doin' it for some doll
Saying that it's common for a man to do all these things for the woman he loves.


When you see a Joe Savin' half of his dough You can bet there'll be mink in it for some doll
Saying that when a man saves half of his money, it's usually to buy a mink coat for the woman he loves.


When a bum buys wine Like a bum can't afford It's a cinch that the bum Is under the thumb Of some little broad
Saying that when a poor man buys expensive wine, it's because he is under the control of a woman he loves.


When you meet a mug Lately out of the jug And he's still liftin' platinum falderal
Describing a man who has just gotten out of jail and is still spending money on expensive things for the woman he loves.


Call it Hell Call it Heaven It's a probable twelve to seven That the guy's only doin' it for some doll
Saying that it doesn't matter whether it's good or bad, men often do everything for the woman they love.


When you see a sport And his cash has run short You can bet that he's bankin' it with some doll
Saying that when a man is broke, he is usually still spending money on the woman he loves.


When a guy wears tails With the front gleaming white Who do you think He's tickling pink On Saturday night?
Asking who a man wearing a tuxedo with a white front is trying to impress on a Saturday night.


When a lazy slob Gets a good steady job And he smells of Vitalis and Barbasol
Describing a lazy man who has gotten a job and now smells good and is taking care of himself for the woman he loves.


Call it dumb Call it clever But you can get odds forever That the guy's only doin' it for some doll
Saying that whether it is smart or not, men will always do everything for the woman they love.


Some doll Some doll The guy's only doin' it for some doll!
Repeating the idea that men do everything for the woman they love.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@DariysChannel

Dean: What's playin' at the Roxy?
I'll tell you what's playin' at the Roxy
A picture bout a Minnesota man so in love with a Mississippi girl
that he sacrifices everything and moves all the way to Biloxi
That's what's playin' at the Roxy

Frank: What's in the daily news?
I'll tell you what's in the daily news
Story about a guy who bought his wife a small ruby
with what otherwise would've been his union dues
That's what's in the daily news

Dean: What's happenin' all over?
I'll tell you what's happenin' all over
Guy sittin' home by a television set
who once used to be somethin' of a rover

Both: That's what's happenin' all over
Love is a thing that has licked 'em
And it looks like Nathan's another victim

Dean: When you see a guy
Reach for stars in the sky
You can bet, that he's doin' it fo' some doll

Frank: When you spot a John
Waitin' out in the rain
Chances are he's insane
As only a John can be for his Jane

Dean: When you meet a gent
Payin' all kinds of rent
For a flat that could flatten the Taj Mahal

Both: Call it sad, call it funny
But it's better than even money
That the guy's only doin' it for some doll

Dean: When you see a Joe
Savin' half of his dough
You can bet, there'll be mink in it for some doll

Frank: When a bum buys wine
Like a bum can't afford
It's a cinc' that the bum
is under the thumb
of some little broad

Dean: When you see a mug
Lately out of the jug
And he's still liftin' platinum folderol

Both: Call it hell, call it heaven
It's a probable twelve to seven
That the guy's only doin' it for some doll
Some doll
Some doll
The guy's only doin' it for some doll

-

Both: Call it hell, call it heaven
It's a probable twelve to seven
That the guy's only doin' it for some doll
Some doll
Some doll
The guy's only doin' it for some doll



@crocostimpy

LO234DFH831 fol·de·rol
ˈfäldəˌräl,ˈfôldəˌrôl/
noun
noun: folderol; noun: falderal
trivial or nonsensical fuss.
"all the folderol of the athletic contests and the cheerleaders"

dated
a showy but useless item.
plural noun: folderols; plural noun: falderals



All comments from YouTube:

@connorbrackin722

im glad people are able to still preserve and enjoy good music

@michelleharper9974

Ok Quindarious Gooch

@riejurv50

Style and class at its best!

@surrealhernandez4901

call it hell call it heaven, its a probable 12 to 7, that the guy's only doin it for some dooollll

@robertszvetics210

what gavones

@nodarikurtauli3722

Dggggggdffdfdgfggjfffgff

@nodarikurtauli3722

Jdgggfggddddddgffddgfddgddsdgfdddggdddggfdfdfdfghggddddghggddddddddggddgdfgddgfdgffddgddsdgddfddddsgddgddsgsddddgddfddgdfgdsddddddddgddsddadddaghgshfddjsfhfgfdgshhdafgfgfgdgggggfggggdgedddhddghdgffdgghdggffgfffgfgdggggdggdggddgfggggggddgdgddgggdddgggddddddghdddggffffdddfddfgffggggdggahdgfggdfgggdgddddgffgfgdgsggdddddggdfafdlgdddddddddddgddddddggdddgffdgaddsddfadadadddsafddddsddddddssdddddgfsddsddddddsaggddddgdddlddddgddshdsgddddddddgdddddaddddgddddddgdddgdffdgjdfgggfgdd

@iac4357

Came here from Cleveland radio station FM 91.5 WKHR, nostalgia, swing, etc. Deano, Frank, Jimmy Durante, Blossom Dearie, Nat King Cole !!!

@nickconrad435

I think I'm going to use this for my Frank and Dean show.. thank you for posting this! :)

@PhilipJackson03

Thank you Family Guy for forming my musical taste.

More Comments

More Versions