Flowers on the Wall
Nancy Sinatra Lyrics


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I been hearin' your concern about my happiness
But all that thought you've given me, is conscience I guess
If I were walkin' in your shoes, I wouldn't worry none
While you and your friends are worryin' 'bout me,
I'm havin' lots of fun

[Chorus]
Countin' flowers on the wall, that don't bother me at all
Playin' solitaire 'til dawn, with a deck of fifty-one
Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo
Now don't tell me
I've nothin' to do

Last night I dressed in tails, pretended I was on the town
As long as I can dream it's hard to slow this swinger down
So, please don't give a thought to me, I'm really doin' fine
You can always find me here and havin' quite a time

Countin' flowers on the wall, that don't bother me at all
Playin' solitaire 'til dawn, with a deck of fifty-one
Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo
Now don't tell me
I've nothin' to do

It's good to see you, I must go, I know I look a fright
Anyway, my eyes are not accustomed to this light
And my shoes are not accustomed to this hard concrete
So, I must go back to my room and make my day complete

Countin' flowers on the wall, that don't bother me at all
Playin' solitaire 'til dawn, with a deck of fifty-one
Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo
Now don't tell me
I've nothin' to do




Don't tell me
I've nothin' to do

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Nancy Sinatra's "Flowers on the Wall" present a speaker who, despite others' concerns about her happiness or well-being, insists that she is doing just fine. She acknowledges that it may look like she's wasting her time -- "countin' flowers on the wall" and "playin' solitaire 'til dawn" -- but assures her audience that she's content. The song's chorus, which repeats throughout the piece, emphasizes the singer's apparent lack of worry or stress over her situation: "Countin' flowers on the wall, that don't bother me at all / Playin' solitaire 'til dawn, with a deck of fifty-one / Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo / Now don't tell me I've nothin' to do."


As the song progresses, the singer offers a glimpse into her fantastical inner world. She describes dressing up in tails and pretending to be out on the town, indicating that her imagination allows her to escape the mundanity of her current surroundings. Throughout, she maintains that she's "really doin' fine" and invites others to join her if they'd like to see for themselves.


Taken as a whole, "Flowers on the Wall" can be interpreted as a commentary on the pitfalls of judging others based on external appearances or perceived levels of productivity. By embracing her own brand of leisure, the singer asserts that those who advocate for more "practical" pursuits may not always have the upper hand.


Line by Line Meaning

I been hearin' your concern about my happiness
I have been aware of your worry about my well-being


But all that thought you've given me, is conscience I guess
However, your thoughts have only left me feeling guilty


If I were walkin' in your shoes, I wouldn't worry none
If our roles were reversed, I wouldn't be bothered either


While you and your friends are worryin' 'bout me, I'm havin' lots of fun
While you worry about me, I am enjoying myself


Countin' flowers on the wall, that don't bother me at all
I am content with being alone and find joy in simple things like counting flowers on the wallpaper


Playin' solitaire 'til dawn, with a deck of fifty-one
I enjoy playing solitaire until it is light out with a deck of cards that has an extra card


Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo
Smoking cigarettes and watching TV is how I spend my time


Now don't tell me I’ve nothin' to do
Please don't suggest that I am bored or have nothing to do


Last night I dressed in tails, pretended I was on the town
Last night, I dressed up and pretended to be out on the town


As long as I can dream it's hard to slow this swinger down
As long as I can continue imagining and dreaming, it is difficult to stop having fun


So, please don't give a thought to me, I'm really doin' fine
Please do not worry about me, I am truly doing well


It's good to see you, I must go, I know I look a fright
It is nice to see you, but I must leave now even though I may look unkempt


Anyway, my eyes are not accustomed to this light
Regardless, my eyes cannot handle this bright light


And my shoes are not accustomed to this hard concrete
Furthermore, my shoes are not used to walking or standing on this hard pavement


So, I must go back to my room and make my day complete
Therefore, I must return to my room and continue my enjoyable routine to complete my day




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lewis Dewitt

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

kevinfan726

For some reason, my parents had this record...and this is the first place I heard ANY of these songs. Had no idea most were covers. I became a Statlers fan in the mid 70s and that's when I heard their version. Such a great song.

Travis Tarrant

I never knew a version of this other than the Statler Bros. version was ever recorded. Pretty good.

Kaleb King

Travis Tarrant there's also one by Eric heatherly

Durchblicker2010

Elvis Presley recorded this song, too. It's on the album TODAY.

Michael Otten

@Durchblicker2010  find something ep wrote..lol

Ewan O'Doherty

Nancy Sinatra's was the first version that I'd heard of this song, on an old mono copy of the 'Boots' LP which I found in the attic. It's brilliant, have since bought that album on CD

Dain Stokes

You know this is my favorite to sing with you Nancy 🤩

Rabada's Inswinger

As good as I hoped it would be. Love the Statler Bros and this is a great homage.

Matt James

If you stare at her album cover, it all makes sense. Nancy invented Luscious Rock.

Alexander P

I could listen to this song forever

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