I took my girl to go bowling downtown at the red door

after an argument I started

cause I thought she didn't like me anymore

I can't help it sometimes I feel pitiful

and of course she's so young and beautiful



I bought us two glasses of coke

that's her favorite and I wanted to make up for earlier

but I dropped her glass and it broke

so I just gave my glass to her



she laughed and so did I in our lane

and then she went to a vending machine

to buy a candy cane

but right next to that was a boy I knew

with a spring in his hand

playing a country pinball machine

called 'stand by your man'

I saw him talk to her

but I stayed in my lane

and played my game steady

and was thinking of a day

when I'd be too old to throw a ball this heavy



but I guess I'm young now

so it's easier to knock 'em all down

then I looked and saw her say to him

'you're really hittin' that ball around'

and he's lookin' at her the way I did

when I first met her

I could see in his face

white flowers

and cups of coffee

and love letters



I was sorry to interrupt their game

but I went and did it anyway

I dropped my red bowling ball

through the glass of his machine

I said 'are you quick enough to hit this ball, mr. clean?'

I was scared to lose her

so I couldn't help being mean



and that ended both of our games

I said I was sorry

but my girl left with him just the same

I thought how much I hate when love makes me act this way

I was bent over a broken pinball machine

in a bowling alley and I threw it all away



well isn't it all just a big game?The White Stripes Lyrics Index