Shabby Doll

Lyrics

Giving you more of what for

Always worked for me before

Now I'm a shabby doll

What's going on behind the green elevator door

With just a shabby doll

There's a hit man facing

A compromising situation

With just a shabby doll

And a very neat line in character assassination

She's just a shabby doll

Chorus:

She's just a shabby doll

She's putting him off and putting you on

She's just a shabby doll

She's just the shabby doll

You're swearing upon, you know in your heart

She's gone, you know in your heart

She's just a shabby doll

There's a girl in this dress

There's always a girl in distress

She's just a shabby doll

She's so sure she's self-possessed

Then again she's half undressed

She's just a shabby doll

The boy that I used to be

Showed no sign of sympathy

For just a shabby doll

I have betrayed you and me

And paid for my own bribery

With just a shabby doll

(Chorus)

He's the tired toy that everyone's enjoyed

He wants to be a fancy man but he's nothing but a nancy boy

He's all pride and no joy

And being what you might call a whore

Always worked for me before

Now I'm a shabby doll

Untie the gag, the cat's out of the bag

But won't show his claws

He's just a shabby doll

She said you must be joking

Some things are left unspoken

You're just a shabby doll

He's lying limp and soaking

He was openly broken

By just a shabby doll

(Chorus)

Credits

• Written by: Elvis Costello
• Produced by: Geoff Emerick
• Musicians:

Elvis Costello - vocals and guitar

Steve Nieve - keyboards

Bruce Thomas - bass

Pete Thomas - drums

Discography

Albums:

• Imperial Bedroom, 1982
• Imperial Bedroom (reissue), Rykodisc/Demon, 1994
• Imperial Bedroom (Deluxe Edition), Rhino, 2002
• This section may be incomplete.

Singles:

• This section may be incomplete.

Collections:

• Album Name, Year
• This section may be incomplete.

Soundtracks:

• none

Various Artists collections:

• none

Covers

Recorded by:

• none
• This section may be incomplete.

Performed by:

• Fiona Apple -- Decades Rock Live May 2006
• This section may be incomplete.

Bootlegs

• This section is incomplete.