Song lyrics to “Buttons and Bows” as sung by Bob Hope
(Buttons and Bowswas written by Jay Livingston with lyrics by Ray Evans, published in 1947, and appeared in the Bob Hope and Jane Russell comedy film, The Paleface, and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.)
A Western ranch is just a branch
Of Nowhere Junction to me …
Give me the city, where living’s pretty
And the gals wear finery.
East is east and west is west
And the wrong one I have chose
Let’s go where you’ll keep on wearin’
Those frills and flowers and buttons and bows
Rings and things and buttons and bows
Don’t bury me in this prairie
Take me where the cement grows
Let’s move down to some big town
Where they love a gal by the cut of her clothes
And you’ll stand out in buttons and bows
I’ll love you in buckskin
Or skirts that you’ve homespun
But I’ll love you longer, stronger where
Your friends don’t tote a gun
My bones denounce the buckboard bounce
And the cactus hurts my toes
Let’s vamoose where gals keep usin’
Those silks and satins and linen that shows
And you’re all mine in buttons and bows
Gimme Eastern trimmin’ where women are women
In high silk hose and peek-a-boo clothes
And French perfume that rocks the room
And you’re all mine in buttons and bows
Buttons and bows, buttons and bows