I took my girl to go bowling downtown at the Red Door
After an argument I started because 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
Then she went to the 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 the day when I'd be too old to throw a ball this heavy.

But I guess I'm young now, so it's easy to knock 'em all down,
Then I looked and saw her say to him "You're really hittin' that ball around".
And he's looking 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 that game
But I went and did it anyway
I dropped my red bowling ball through the glass of the machine
And 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, it was all just a big game....