Flowers on the Wall

"Flowers on the Wall", also known by some listeners as "Counting Flowers on the Wall", is a country song originally performed by the Statler Brothers. It gained widespread fame when it was used in the movie Pulp Fiction.

There are countless interpretations of the lyrics, though the one I have found to be most fitting has to do with the narrator passing time in a psychiatric ward.

"Counting flowers on the wall, that don't bother me at all. Playing solitaire 'til dawn, with a deck of 51. Smokin' cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo...now, don't tell me I've got nothing to do."

Back when this song was written, it was not uncommon for patients kept in psychiatric hospitals to have absolutely nothing or very little to do. They were also allowed to smoke in their rooms and sometimes watch television, both activities that were desired by patients at the time.

"It's good to see you; I must go, I know I look a-fright. Anyway, my eyes are not accustom to this light..."

In the context of the meaning I outlined previously, the narrator is struggling with anxiety and reluctance for leaving the privacy of his hospital room, probably having to do with agoraphobia or some form of psychosis or social anxiety. The speaker is content being bored in his room because he wants nothing to do with the outside world.

This song has been covered by several artists, though the most recent and most popular was performed by Eric Heatherly.

In Pulp Fiction, Bruce Willis listened to this song while riding in his car.

Many people enjoy 'Flowers on the Wall' because they can all relate to the situation of being bored but are fine with it from time to time.

by Dr. Dick Delaware July 1, 2011

flower on the wall

When someone just faces in the background. Kinda like old wallpaper that has flowers. It is there but you do not notice it.

He is a flower on the wall, I did not notice he was there.

by wooo!123 September 21, 2016

99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall

An Annoying Little Kids Song

99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall,
99 Bottle of Beer,
You Take One Down Pass it Around....ETC.

by Seagulls Of Santa!!! October 11, 2008

fly on the wall

to be present to listen/see what goes on behind closed doors, that is, in a room closed to the media or other non-participants

1. I'd like to be a fly on the wall when that (distrusted) union steward is making deals with management all on his own

2. I'd like to be a fly on the wall when my ex and her lawyer are talking about our separation agreement

3. I'd like to be a fly on the wall of suite 401 of the Best Western when my ex is visiting her boyfriend who's up here on business

by Jake March 1, 2004

fly on the wall

an inconspicuous observer, a secret witness

I think there was a fly on the wall when I told mom about the Nigerian email that I had to delete.

by The Return of Light Joker January 23, 2008

frame it and hang it on the wall

A sarcastic term for someone's making too big a deal out of something, either by verbosely crowing about it or by asking others to show excessive attention/respect to said trivial matter/object.

So you got an acceptance-letter from the local community-college --- like, wow! --- those enrollment-desperate academic honchos will take just about anyone, so it's really no significant praise or great honor directed your way. Whatcha gonna do with the letter --- frame it and hang it on the wall?!??

by QuacksO December 29, 2019

Fly on the wall

When a male does a headstand, naked, against a wall and his penis and balls resembles the facial configurations of a fly or mosquito. You can also flail your legs to make it look like your fly has arms. Like a wacky, waving, inflatable, arm-flailing tube man.

My son keeps doing the fly on the wall whenever he gets out of the shower.

by Swaggasaurus April 20, 2016