None too smart by books, none too pretty
Kind of a chore to look at
Doris has had some things go wrong in her little life
And they show on her face
There are things she doesn't talk about
There are things she only tells her mom
There are things she never tells anyone
There are things in Doris's life
but then there are in everyone's
Then she opens her little mouth
She sings her little song, and like a flag
it folds out across the city
And it goes:
The fat man becomes an ice-skater
Maniac becomes a stepfather
I watch a policeman's mouth
and out comes an honest word
Miracles happen when Doris sings
Couples in love stop dead in their tracks
Dishes clatter to the ground unbroken
Politicians die
She watches as her son becomes an imbecile
She watches as her son becomes a vegetable
She watches as her son becomes a senator
Watches as her only son becomes an imbecile
(and it makes her cry)
She waves her little song like a flag
It goes across the city
Miracles can happen, but I'm in love with her, so...
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As far as the meaning of the song goes, I think it's just about a woman who's had a rough life and is otherwise plain in every way, but has a beautiful voice or some other specific talent.
Here's a more accurate version of the lyrics:
None too smart by books, none too pretty Kind of a chore to look at Doris has had some things go wrong in her little life And they show on her face There are things she doesn't talk about There are things she only tells her mom There are things she never tells anyone
There are things in Doris's life but then there are in everyone's Then she opens her little mouth She sings her little song, and like a flag it folds out across the city And it goes:
The fat man becomes an ice-skater Maniac becomes a stepfather I watch a policeman's mouth and out comes an honest word
Miracles happen when Doris sings Couples in love stop dead in their tracks Dishes clatter to the ground unbroken Politicians die
She watches as her son becomes an imbecile She watches as her son becomes a vegetable She watches as her son becomes a senator Watches as her only son becomes an imbecile (and it makes her cry)
She waves her little song like a flag It goes across the city Miracles can happen, but I'm in love with her, so...
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As far as the meaning of the song goes, I think it's just about a woman who's had a rough life and is otherwise plain in every way, but has a beautiful voice or some other specific talent.