“She’s a Beauty” is a 1983 hit by the American rock band The Tubes, released as the lead single from their album Outside Inside. Co-written by lead singer Fee Waybill, producer David Foster, and Toto guitarist Steve Lukather, the track became the band’s biggest commercial success, reaching number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
The song’s inspiration came from Waybill’s real-life experience in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district, where he encountered a kiosk advertising “Pay a Dollar, Talk to a Naked Girl.” Waybill inserted a dollar into the booth and had a frustrating conversation with the woman inside, which he transformed into the song’s narrative of a carnival barker selling access to an alluring but unattainable attraction. The title itself was derived from a colloquial phrase frequently used by the Canadian-born Foster.
Production involved significant creative compromises to ensure radio play; Foster insisted on changing the original lyric “talk to a naked girl” to “talk to a pretty girl.” The accompanying music video, directed by Kenny Ortega, featured Waybill as a barker and a young Alexis Arquette on a carnival ride, depicting a surreal midway where the boy ages rapidly while unable to reach his desires. This visual component was crucial in driving the song’s popularity during the early days of MTV.
[Verse 1]
Step right up and don’t be shy
Because you will not believe your eyes
She’s right here behind the glass
You’re gonna like her ’cause she’s got class
[Pre-Chorus]
You can look inside another world
You get to talk to a pretty girl
She’s everything you dream about
[Chorus]
But don’t fall in love
She’s a beauty
She’s a one-in-a-million girl
She’s a beauty
Why would I lie?
Why would I lie?
[Verse 2]
You can say anything you like
But you can’t touch the merchandise
She’ll give you every penny’s worth
But, it will cost you a dollar first
[Pre-Chorus]
You can step outside your little world
Step outside your world
You can talk to a pretty girl
She’s everything you dream about
JENNIE
[Chorus]
But don’t fall in love
She’s a beauty
She’s a one-in-a-million girl
One-in-a-million girl
Why would I lie?
Why would I lie?
[Chorus]
But don’t fall in love
‘Cause if you do, you’ll find out she don’t love you
She’s a one-in-a-million girl
One-in-a-million girl
Why would I lie?
Now, why would I lie? Oh!
[Guitar solo]
[Bridge]
Step outside your world
[Chorus]
But don’t fall in love
She’s a beauty
She’s a one-in-a-million girl
One-in-a-million girl
Why would I lie?
Why would I lie?
[Chorus]
But don’t fall in love
‘Cause if you do, you’ll find out she won’t love you
She’s a one-in-a-million girl
One-in-a-million girl
Why would I lie?
Why would I lie?
[Outro]
But don’t fall in love
She’s a one-in-a-million girl
Why would I lie?
