Elvis Costello
English musician, singer, and songwriter, primarily known by his stage-name Elvis Costello.
Now Im dead, now Im dead, and you're all
Going on to meet your reward.
Now I just don't know who to tell to go to hell
Who put the old devil in the distorted angel?
The first song that most people picked up on, particularly in America, of mine, was a ballad, not a rock'n'roll song. It was 'Alison', and that's an R&B ballad. I don't think there's any other way to describe it.
These are the sort of things that push you on in music — the curiosity, a passion for new ideas. It's important to keep restoring that, and at the same time, hold on to the core things about music that whenever you pick the simplest form of instrument; guitar or piano, you can find a song that's worthwhile.
WARNING: This album contains country & western music and may cause offence to narrow minded listeners.
What shall we do, what shall we do with all this useless beauty?
Oh I used to be disgusted
and now I try to be amused.
But since their wings have got rusted,
you know, the angels wanna wear my red shoes.
When the media attention switches away from this story onto the next thing that happens in the world, the circumstances will still be there.
Turn up the TV. No one listening will suspect,
even your mother won't detect it,
no your father won't know.
they think that I've got no respect
but everything means less than zero.
Accidents will happen
We only hit and run
He used to be your victim
Now you're not the only one.
Writing about music is like dancing about architecture — it's a really stupid thing to want to do.
The boy said 'Dad they're going to take me to task
But I'll be back by Christmas'
It's just a rumour that was spread around town
Somebody said that someone got filled in
For saying that people get killed in
The result of this shipbuilding
With all the will in the world
Diving for dear life
When we could be diving for pearls.
While you lie in the dark, afraid to breathe and
you beg and you promise
And you bargain and you plead
Sometimes you confuse me with Santa Claus
It's the big white beard I suppose.
Im going up to the pole, where you folks die of cold
I might be gone for a while if you need me.
So beautiful and fortunate
You're the one who hates to love
But he's the one who loves to hate.
Clowntime is over
Time to take cover
While others just talk and talk
Somebody's watching where the others don't walk.
I don't feel any form of music is beyond me in the sense of that I don't understand it or I don't have some love for some part of it. And if there's something in it that I can respond to, then there's something that I might be able to use as a composer. There are records of mine that have had smaller audiences and have provoked really drastic responses from people — particularly from critics — who maybe don't have quite enough time to live with the record or accept that a piece has its own integrity.
And it's the damage that we do
And never know
It's the words that we don't say
That scare me so.
They say you better listen to the voice of reason
But they don't give you any choice
'cause they think that it's treason.
So you had better do as you are told.
You better listen to the radio.
The people with the most resources are the federal government. If you can invade a country halfway across the world in a matter of days, you can surely come to the aid of your own citizens in a shorter order of time.
I wanna bite the hand that feeds me.
I wanna bite that hand so badly.
I want to make them wish they'd never seen me.