Who thanked the Lord for the clothes that she wore and mended, Nellie with the big old fashioned eyes Who won the heart of a crowd tore apart, took a bow, Nellie there's a different world backstage [Chorus:] I see the flood lights burning I hear the band play on Now Nellie takes her bow She said she really could not stay She had a brand new play to play And so she paints her face and smiles And she'll be someone else in a while [Chorus] Just a lonely girl who could not face a broken world, And so she acts out all her dreams and wishes that's how it had been But when the audience is near, it seems as though she doesn't even care. [Chorus] Nellie just sent me a line to tell me she was doing fine She got the lead and on Broadway, and now they're digging her today And as she turns the final page, living someone's life upon the stage [Chorus]