Showgirl
Luke Haines Lyrics

The lyrics to Luke Haines’s song “Showgirl” talk about a man who marries a showgirl and then proceeds to lead a life of leisure while she remains unemployed in the winter. The song conjures up imagery of the bright lights of show business and how they can ultimately fade away, leaving performers with no other skills or opportunities. The singer of the song seems to be content with his easygoing lifestyle, but there is a sense of underlying melancholy to the lyrics.

The beginning of the song sets up a narrative of the singer’s expectations and desires for his life. He believed his life would be complete if he had a bride. He then married a showgirl, someone who the singer possibly felt was exotic or out of his league, and felt like he had accomplished something. Later in the song, the singer describes how he doesn't work anymore, while his wife is out of a job during the wintertime. The lyrics paint a picture of the couple living in a state of suspended animation, forever searching for something more.

“Showgirl” is a song that seems to be about living in the past, and not being able to let go of the things that once made us happy. While the singer of the song may not have been a showbiz performer himself, he is still drawn to the glamour of the world of show business, and the idea of living life under the bright lights of the big city.