Oh, Carmelita, why you been gone so long?   I've been sittin' here, starin' out the window   Huggin' on the telephone   I've been searchin' my mind, tryin' hard to find   Somethin' that I did wrong   Oh, Carmelita, why you been gone so long?      I called your mama and your sister   I even called your daddy, too   He said, "Listen here, mister, yeah, this one's up to you"   He said, "You know I love my baby   But she's hard headed like her mom   I've already fought that battle; now yours has just begun"      Oh, Carmelita, why you been gone so long?   I've been sittin' here, starin' out the window   Huggin' on the telephone   I've been searchin' my mind, tryin' hard to find   Somethin' that I did wrong   Oh, Carmelita, why you been gone so long?      You know you really got me shook up   Yeah you really cut me down to size   But I'm never gonna give up til I look you in the eyes   And I hear your explanation   And you seal it with a kiss   It's gonna take a ton of your lovin' to get me over this      Oh, Carmelita, why you been gone so long?   I've been sittin' here, starin' out the window   Huggin' on the telephone   I've been searchin' my mind, tryin' hard to find   Somethin' that I did wrong   Oh, Carmelita, why you been gone so long?