Paper Doll
The Mills Brothers 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, that's why I'm blue
She's gone away 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 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

Overall Meaning

The Mills Brothers’s song Paper Doll is about a man who is disillusioned with real-life women and seeks a paper doll to call his own. He is tired of dealing with fickle women who break his heart, and he longs for a doll who will never leave him. He knows that other men will try to steal his paper doll, but he doesn't worry because she will not leave him for anyone else.

The singer goes on to describe how he will come home at night to find his paper doll waiting for him. She will be the truest and most loyal doll in the world. Falling in love with a paper doll may seem like a strange concept, but the singer compares it to falling in love with real-life women who can be just as fickle and disappointing.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm gonna buy a paper doll that I can call my own
I want to buy a paper doll so that I can have someone to call mine

A doll that other fellows cannot steal
I don't want anyone else to take my paper doll away from me

And then the flirty, flirty guys with their flirty, flirty eyes
Men who are looking to flirt with women are a dime a dozen

Will have to flirt with dollies that are real
These men will have to flirt with real women instead of my paper doll

When I come home at night she will be waiting
My paper doll will always be there for me when I come home

She'll be the truest doll in all this world
My paper doll is loyal to me and won't ever leave

I'd rather have a paper doll to call my own
I prefer having a paper doll over a real woman

Than have a fickle minded real live girl
I don't want a real woman who changes her mind easily

I guess I had a million dolls or more
I've had many paper dolls before, perhaps too many to count

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

I just quarreled with sue, that's why I'm blue
I'm feeling sad because I just had a fight with someone named Sue

She's gone away and left me just like all dolls do
Sue left me like all paper dolls eventually do

I'll tell you boys, it's tough to be alone
Being by myself is difficult

And it's tough to love a doll that's not your own
It's hard to love a paper doll that somebody else could take away

I'm through with all of them
I'm done with real women and paper dolls alike

I'll never fall again
I won't allow myself to develop feelings for someone again

Say boy, whatcha gonna do
Hey, what are you going to do about your situation?

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHNNY S BLACK

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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