Paper Doll
Perry Como Lyrics


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I'm gonna buy a paper doll that I can call my own
A doll that other fellows cannot steal
And then the flirty, flirty guys with their flirty, flirty eyes
Will have to flirt with dollies that are real

When I come home at night she will be waiting
She'll be the truest doll in all this world
I'd rather have a paper doll to call my own
Than have a fickle-minded real live girl

I guess I had a million dolls or more
I guess I've played the doll game o'er and o'er
I just quarreled with Sue and that's why I'm blue
She's gone the way and left me just like all dolls do

I'll tell you boys it's tough to be alone
And it's tough to love a doll that's not your own
I'm through with all of them
I'll never fall again

Say boy, whatcha gonna do?
I'm going to buy a paper doll that I can call my own
A doll that other fellows cannot steal
And then the flirty, flirty guys with their flirty, flirty eyes
Will have to flirt with dollies that are real

When I come home at night she will be waiting
She'll be the truest doll in all this world




I'd rather have a paper doll to call my own
Than have a fickle-minded real live girl

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Perry Como’s song Paper Doll, tell a story of a man who is tired of being heartbroken by real women and decides to turn to a paper doll for comfort. He longs for someone who is not fickle-minded and will always be there for him. This makes him decide to buy a paper doll that he can call his own, one that other men cannot steal away from him. He imagines the flirty guys with their flirty, flirty eyes would have to flirt with real women because he has found the perfect companion in his paper doll.


The man goes on to talk about his experience with other dolls and the doll game that he has played over and over again. He had just quarrelled with Sue, and so he plans to get himself a paper doll to call his own. The paper doll will be waiting for him when he comes home, and he can always count on her to be the truest companion, unlike real women who are always fickle-minded. He concludes that he’d rather have a paper doll to call his own than go through the heartbreak of a real live girl.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm gonna buy a paper doll that I can call my own
I want a paper doll that's only mine


A doll that other fellows cannot steal
No one else can have her


And then the flirty, flirty guys with their flirty, flirty eyes
All the guys who flirt a lot


Will have to flirt with dollies that are real
They can only flirt with real girls


When I come home at night she will be waiting
She'll be waiting for me when I get home


She'll be the truest doll in all this world
She'll be the most loyal doll ever


I'd rather have a paper doll to call my own
I prefer having a paper doll only for me


Than have a fickle-minded real live girl
Than be with a girl who can change her mind easily


I guess I had a million dolls or more
I've had lots of dolls in the past


I guess I've played the doll game o'er and o'er
I've played with dolls over and over again


I just quarreled with Sue and that's why I'm blue
I had a fight with Sue and now I'm sad


She's gone the way and left me just like all dolls do
Just like all the other dolls, she left me too


I'll tell you boys it's tough to be alone
It's difficult to be alone, you know


And it's tough to love a doll that's not your own
It's difficult to love a doll that belongs to someone else


I'm through with all of them
I'm done with all the other dolls


I'll never fall again
I won't fall in love again


Say boy, whatcha gonna do?
Hey man, what are you going to do?


I'm going to buy a paper doll that I can call my own
I'm going to get a paper doll that only belongs to me


And then the flirty, flirty guys with their flirty, flirty eyes
Those guys who flirt too much


Will have to flirt with dollies that are real
They'll have to flirt with real girls only


When I come home at night she will be waiting
She'll be waiting for me when I get home


She'll be the truest doll in all this world
She'll be the most loyal doll ever


I'd rather have a paper doll to call my own
I prefer having a paper doll only for me


Than have a fickle-minded real live girl
Than be with a girl who can change her mind easily




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: JOHNNY S BLACK

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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