Album: Greatest Hits (1962)

Charted: 19

License This Song 

• When I take my baby home at night
  I can't wait to kiss and hold her tight
  But by then the time begins to drag
  When she starts searching through her bag
  "She says just a moment please
  I can't find my keys
  And here's what happens while he's waiting for her squeeze"
  She pulls out
  Lipstick, powder, bubble gum and bobby pins
  But she can't find her keys "her keys"
  Curlers, tweezers, cold creme and candy bars
  But she can't find her keys "her keys"
  Nail file, school books, an autograph of Fabian
  She can find with ease
  But I'm standing here waiting for a goodnight kiss
  Cause she can't find her keys
  "Sha da sha da sha da she can't find her keys"
  I give up go home and go to sleep
  But next night my date with her I keep
  Walk her home we start to kiss and then
  It all starts happening again
  "She says just a moment please
  I can't find my keys
  And here's what happens while he's waiting for her squeeze"
  She pulls out
  Gumdrops, glasses, magazines and tangerines
  But she can't find her keys "her keys"
  Presley records, hair spray and jelly beans
  But she can't find her keys "her keys"
  Eyebrow pencils, perfume and potato chips and portable batteries
  But I'm standing here waiting for a goodnight kiss
  Cause she can't find her keys
  "But he's standing here waiting for a goodnight kiss
  Cause she can't find her keys"
  She pulls out
  (Frozen custard, piano bench, pretzels and a monkey wrench
  Tennis racket, army cots, pumpkin seeds and coffee pots
  Watermelons, goal post, a rabbit's foot and French toast
  Fire hydrant, ash can, TV set, electric fan
  BUT SHE CAN'T FIND HER KEYS!!) Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 5

• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn February 15, 1962, Paul Petersen performed "She Can't Find Her Keys" on the Dick Clark ABC-TV weekday-afternoon program, 'American Bandstand'...
  And on the same day he was appearing on 'Bandstand', that evening he was playing Jeff Stone in the 'The New Office' episode on 'The Donna Reed Show'
  He appeared in 275 episodes of the ABC-TV family sitcom 'The Donna Reed Show' between the years of 1958 and 1966...
  William Paul Petersen will celebrate his 73rd birthday come next September 23rd {2018}.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn October 25th 1962, Paul Petersen performed "My Dad" on the ABC-TV family sitcom 'The Donna Reed Show'...
  Seventeen days later on November 11th, 1962 the song entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #93; and ten weeks later on January 20th, 1983 it peaked at #6 {for 1 week} and spent 16 weeks on the Top 100...
  The record's B-side was a covered version of Johnny Burnette's 1961 hit "Little Boy Sad"; Mr. Burnette's version reached #17 on the Top 100.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn February 25th 1962, "She Can't Find Her Keys" by Paul Petersen entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #90; and on April 22nd it peaked at #19 (for 1 week) and spent 12 weeks on the Top 100...
  Between 1962 and 1964 he had six records make the Top 100; with "My Dad" being his biggest hit, it reached #6...
  Mr. Petersen, born William Paul Petersen, will celebrate his 69th birthday this coming September 23rd (2014).
• Linda from Hillsboro, OrBoy, does this bring back memories for me. My friends and I used to listen to this record over and over, trying to memorize all the things she had in her purse!
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScWow. She'd have to have an awfully big purse for it to contain all those things. I've never heardthis song, but the description makes it seem funny

More Songfacts:

Don't SpeakNo Doubt

No Doubt's hit "Don't Speak" is about Gwen Stefani's breakup with the band's bass player, Tony Kanal, after seven years together.

Mmm Mmm Mmm MmmCrash Test Dummies

The third verse of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" by Crash Test Dummies ("they shook and lurched all over the church floor...") was inspired by girl whose parents would speak in tongues at their Pentecostal service.

Beverly HillsWeezer

Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo wrote "Beverly Hills" after seeing a photo of the group Wilson Phillips and imagining what it would be like to marry someone famous.

Cake By The OceanDNCE

The song title "Cake By The Ocean" originated from DNCE's Swedish producers using the wrong name for the drink "Sex on the Beach."

Nothin' On YouB.o.B

When "Nothin' On You" reached #1 on the Hot 100, B.o.B became the first American act whose name is a palindrome to top the chart. The other two who did so prior to the Atlanta rapper were both Scandinavian groups - ABBA and A-Ha.

Bust A MoveYoung MC

Young MC shows up in the George Clooney movie Up In The Air performing his hit "Bust A Move."

Editor's Picks

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Jonathan Edwards - "Sunshine"They're Playing My Song

"How much does it cost? I'll buy it?" Another songwriter told Jonathan to change these lyrics. Good thing he ignored this advice.

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat WorldSongwriter Interviews

Jim talks about the impact of "The Middle" and uses a tree metaphor to describe his songwriting philosophy.

Randy NewmanSongwriting Legends

Newman makes it look easy these days, but in this 1974 interview, he reveals the paranoia and pressures that made him yearn for his old 9-5 job.

Richie Wise (Kiss producer, Dust)Songwriter Interviews

Richie talks about producing the first two Kiss albums, recording "Brother Louie," and the newfound appreciation of his rock band, Dust.

Grunge Bands QuizMusic Quiz

If the name Citizen Dick means anything to you, there's a chance you'll get some of these right.