"88 Lines About 44 Women" is the name of a hit single by the new wave band The Nails. Originally recorded for their EP Hotel for Women, the song was re-recorded and released on the band's 1984 album Mood Swing. Along with the track "Let It All Hang Out", "88 Lines About 44 Women" peaked at number forty-six on the US dance chart in March 1985.

Marc Campbell and David Kaufman of The Nails wrote "88 Lines About 44 Women" in a Manhattan loft. The rhythm track on the song was a preprogrammed track on Kaufman's Casio keyboard.

The lyrics, written by Campbell, describe 44 different girls, their habits, and their personalities. Campbell wrote the lyrics to the song and has explained that "[s]ome of the women [referenced in the song] are real, some are made up." Much of the song was inspired by women the group had encountered while moving from Boulder, Colorado to New York City. He wrote the full lyrics in two hours on a manual typewriter, and the band recorded it the next day. The Nails never produced a music video for "88 Lines About 44 Women."

The song was initially released in 1981 as a single; it was later re-recorded for the group's 1984 debut album "Mood Swing". The earlier version contained minimal production, a drum machine, and a single droning synthesizer; the later version contained more instrumentation and processing. Some copies of the 7" of original version included an "X-rated" version in addition to the radio edit. Both "88 Lines" and its B-side were digitally remastered and appear on the extended Hotel for Women CD, released in November 2009.

The song has received positive critical reaction. Heather Phares, writing for AllMusic, praised the song's "deadpan" delivery, and calling the song "a portrait of the counterculture in the late '70s and early '80s." The song was included in the book 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die, on the list of 10,001 Songs You Must Download Before You Die.

The song has been included on many compilations, including "Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the 80's", "Richard Blade's Flashback Favorites", and "Living in Oblivion: The '80's Greatest Hits".

The Nails filed several lawsuits over use of "88 Lines About 44 Women", including a successful lawsuit over use of the song to promote the television show Dexter, as well as use by the state of Massachusetts in an anti-drinking advertising campaign.

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Wikipedia