Debbie

Gerald Brennan—composer, lyricist, pianist, singer

I had a Debbie in my life, but she was no china doll, she took care of nothing for me, did not make my life easy, etc etc etc. Oh — and she was no angel.
But songwriters have to find words that are euphonious. (Okay, nobody knows what that word means; it means “pleasing to the ear.”) So I had the song, but not the name.
“Debbie” fit perfectly. I tried to find another name. Desperately. Couldn’t do it. Substitute any other girl’s name and try the lyrics. I dare you. See? The life of a songwriter is filled with this sort of thing.
But the guy in this song he just loves him some Debbie. Every guy’s perfect fantasy woman. The fly in the ointment is, he has a cruel streak in him that he feels will be his undoing and drive her away.

Debbie’s my girl, she’s nice and she’s beautiful,
but delicate as a China doll.
I worry she’ll break when I hug her and squeeze her.
I’ve had other girls but Debbie she’s the best of all.

She takes care of all the bothersome little things.
She tells me she does this ‘just because.’
She makes life sweet and she makes my life easy.
These are the things that Debbie does, that Debbie does.

She comes to me like an angel from above,
this woman I’m unworthy of,
a woman’s so easy to love.

When I’m far away in body or mind, or
whenever I’m mad or tell her lies,
she won’t make a scene, she won’t criticize me, but
these are the tears in Debbie’s eyes, when Debbie cries.

She comes to me like an angel from above,
this woman I’m unworthy of,
a woman’s so easy to love.

Someday she’ll know
my cruel heart.
When she goes,
I’ll watch this world
tear me apart.

She comes to me like an angel from above,
this woman I’m unworthy of,
a woman’s so easy to love.

Then comes the night, when she blesses me as
the goddess of Love that she becomes,
the smell of her skin, the roses that bloom in her
sweet blushing face when Debbie comes,
when Debbie comes.