Dress Up
Robert Counts Lyrics

Pretty, pretty princess dancin' 'round
A young girl's imagination is ignited as she twirls around the room, feeling like royalty.

You spun the spinner and you won the crown
The girl played a game and became the winner, earning a feeling of accomplishment and pride.

Five years old in a gown with your hair braided
The girl is dressed in a fancy dress and her hair is styled, making her feel grown-up and special.

Oh, your mama wished that you hadn't used
The mother regrets the use of the makeup and perfume, as it may harm the daughter's delicate skin.

Her red lipstick and her best perfume
The daughter uses her mother's prized beauty products to add to her glamorous appearance.

From the middle drawer of the bathroom that you raided
The daughter takes the beauty products from a drawer in the bathroom without asking for permission.

You did it way back when and you still do
The girl has continued her love of dress-up and fancy clothing from childhood into adulthood.

I understand, but baby, truth is
The singer acknowledges and empathizes with the girl's love of dressing up, but feels that there is no need for her to do it for him.

It's okay if it's for showin' up your friends
The singer sees dressing up as a way to impress and show off to friends, which he accepts as acceptable.

Or lightin' boys hearts like bottle rockets
He sees dressing up as a way to attract attention from boys, which he views as valid.

Provin' to yourself that you still got it
The singer understands that dressing up can be a way for the girl to feel confident and prove to herself that she is still attractive and desirable.

It's all right if you wanna see if my eyes
The singer is okay with the girl using dressing up as a way to test his attraction to her.

Are gonna take off that dress you just put on
The singer implies that he is willing to see her in her dress, but is not necessarily expecting anything more from her.

And give you that look that says let's stay home
The singer is suggesting that he would like to spend time alone with her, rather than just complimenting her dress.

Revlon, Avon, maybe it's Maybelline
The singer mentions different makeup brands, implying that no matter what cosmetics she uses, he still likes her for her.

You know, I fell for the girl who's there underneath
The singer fell in love with the girl for her inner qualities, rather than her outer appearance.

You ain't gotta play dress up for me, oh no no
The singer reassures the girl that she does not need to dress up to impress him, as he already likes her for who she is.

Well, your high school dance, runnin' late
The singer references a specific event in the girl's past, a high school dance that she may have dressed up for.

And your daddy finally said okay
The girl's father eventually agreed to let her go to the dance, possibly after being persuaded by her mother.

But you knew it was because your mama made him
The girl suspects that her mother influenced her father's decision, rather than him actually wanting her to go to the dance.

Oh, and she just laughed when she caught
The mother found amusement in the daughter's excitement and anticipation leading up to the dance.

You fumblin' through her jewelry box
The daughter searches through her mother's prized possessions to find something to wear, as if looking for treasure.

While your first kiss was on the front porch waitin'
The girl may have been preoccupied with dressing up, while also being nervous and excited about her first kiss.