Elvis Costello

fox69 · 29.11.2015

"The Delivery Man"

"The Delivery Man"

"Abel was able," so Vivian said
Her shoulders flung forward
Her lips in a purse
She talks like the beauty that she never was
Of the fabulous wild nights that she never has

In a certain light he looked like Elvis
In a certain way he feels like Jesus
Everyone dreams of him just as they can
But he's only the humble Delivery Man

Geraldine blushes and brushes away
The cigarette ashes that Vivian scatters
Stares out of the window at the things that she says
While gossip within her competes with the widow

Ever since he's gone, she feels like crying all the time
She knows for sure Vivian is lying
Now she has a daughter to raise as she can
She just wouldn't trust that Delivery Man

Ivy puts down the ghost story she's reading
Looks up at that face on the wall

Thinking about how her father lay bleeding
Shot in the back 'cos orders were misleading
And how a flag and a medal don't have any meaning

On the 5th of July as they tore down the fair
And he'd seen all the local girls who were worth kissing
With the smell of the gunpowder still in the air
They noticed that Abel and Ivy were missing

In a certain light he looked like Elvis
In a certain way he seemed like Jesus
He said "Why can't we be kind to me like you were meant to be?
When they let me out, I had a brand new identity.
Now everyone dreams of me just as they can.
I want to be your Delivery Man."

fox69 · 29.11.2015

"The Deportees Club"

"The Deportees Club"

In the Arrivederci Roma nightclub, bar and grill
Standing in the fibreglass ruins watching time stand still
All your troubles you confess
to another faceless backless dress
Schnapps chianti porter and ouzo
Pernod vodka sambuca I love you so
Deportee
Tatty beauty talking in riddles
Rome burns down everybody's on the fiddle
Two thousand dollars for wife and some class
A thousand years drowned in a chaser glass
How I wish that she was mine
I could have been a King in Six Eight Time
Schnapps chianti porter and ouzo
Pernod vodka sambuca I love you so
Deportee

It's a brittle charm but she's had enough
Still she wrote her number on his paper cuff
You don't know where to start or where to stop
All this pillow talk is nothing more than talking shop

When I came here tonight my pockets were overflowing
They took my return ticket without me even knowing
I pray to the saints and all the martyrs
For the secret life of Frank Sinatra
But none of these things have come to pass
In America the law is a piece of ass
I'm a deportee

fox69 · 29.11.2015

"The Element Within Her"

"The Element Within Her"

It's the element within her
Something under her skin
That is shining out through the face of the girl
Two sapphires and couple of rows of pearls
It's just a part of it
Like your fine tresses
You know what my guess is
La la la la la la la la la la la
He was a PLAYBOY
Could charm the birds right out of the trees
Now he says 'What do I do with these?'
La la la la la la la la la la la

This love in my heart
Let no-one set asunder
Sometimes I wonder
La la la la la la la la la la la

But back in the bedroom
With her electric heater
I SAY 'ARE YOU COLD?'
SHE SAYS 'NO, BUT YOU ARE LA'

fox69 · 29.11.2015

"The Fall Of The World's Own Optimist"

"The Fall Of The World's Own Optimist"

There's no charity in you
And that surprises me
I guess I thought you were a golden idol
'Cause I called you majesty
On the balustrade
You watched me hunt for tips I was obliged to pick up
From the passing trade

[Chorus:]
Hey, kids - look at this
It's the fall of the world's own optimist
I could get back up if you insist
But you'll have to ask politely
'Cause the eggshells I've been treading
Couldn't spare me a beheading
And I'll know I had it coming
From a Caesar who was only slumming
Hey, kids - look at this
It's the fall of the world's own optimist

Well, I could have objections
Which you could override
But what's the point - we're only flogging the horse
When the horseman has up and died
Once I testified
And swore I'd never leave a stone unturned -
I bet you're really glad that I lied

[Chorus]

Hey, kids - look at this
It's the fall of the world's own optimist
I could get back up if you insist
But you'll have to ask politely
Yes, you'll have to ask politely
Yes, you'll have to ask

fox69 · 30.11.2015

"The First To Leave"

"The First To Leave"

I should open with a kiss
For if you're reading this
You must have opened up your case
And found this letter where I placed it
In between the silk and lace
There were other clues, like your walking shoes
But I still refused to believe
That you were meant to be the first to leave
Everybody here sends you their love
How can I forget you still walk above
Or
below
Perhaps you'll never know this purgatory
We never could agree
There's a thought, there's a pause
No time to repent
Eternally yours
In a permanent lent

But if I should give you up
If you're right and life just stops
And I never see your face again
Then from unearthly pleasures, proud and plain
I shall abstain

Until you realise, my loss is your surprise
Unless you know otherwise
Then don't grieve
You see I had to be the first to leave

fox69 · 30.11.2015

"The Flirting Kind"

"The Flirting Kind"

She used to be the flirting kind
But the boy loved her anyway
He made up his mind
She said, What's a girl to do to be content?
Use your imagination
Time to experiment
Make love like a punishment
So they call her the flirting kind
The flirting kind
You better stop
Stop your running round
I got everything I wanted
I could make up for lost ground

With the flirting kind
The flirting kind
Your love is best
But I'll leave like the rest
The flirting kind
The flirting kind

They say that her fate is sealed
But she's much too beautiful to ever yield
She says, What's a girl to do to be content?
Use your imagination
Time to experiment
Make love like a punishment
So they call her the flirting kind
The flirting kind

She's crying in her sleep
For a man tone deaf
So is a man all over
He's all over, all over town

With the flirting kind
The flirting kind
Your love is best
But I'll leave like the rest
The flirting kind
The flirting kind

fox69 · 30.11.2015

"The Great Unknown"

"The Great Unknown"

They took old Danny Boy for a ride
From the arms of his bride to be
Threw him into the murky waters
By the dog biscuit factory
Quick dry the tears and stifle cheers
As he sinks just like a stone
Footprints set in sentimental cement
Now burden down his bones
Lest we forget
Here lies the Great unknown

[Chorus:]
My my my Delilah
Who's the butcher that you harbour
Take the rich man to the cleaners
And the strong man to the barber
From her face down to her torso
Sort of gruesome only more so
Hooks and eyes, fingers and thumbs
Ladies and gentlemen here she comes
The Great unknown

Where shall we sing
At a wedding or a wake
Whose name shall we cherish
And for whose sake

Now this year's cannon fodder
Tell the future general's jokes
They were keeping the home fires burning
As we slipped out for a smoke
Though the VIP's sang "Wooden Heart"
The band played "Hearts of Oak"

[Chorus]

And here comes the day I shall perish all alone
Say here lies the Great unknown

fox69 · 30.11.2015

"The Greatest Love"

"The Greatest Love"

The greatest love I ever loved
Was the love I had for you
The greatest wish I ever wished
Was when I wished that you love me too

But I found out that you were lying
When you said that you'd be mine
All that talk about break up, never, leave me never
It was the greatest love
It was the greatest love
But I still love you
I still love you

The greatest hurt I ever hurt
Was the hurt you put on me
It took so long to find out
That this love could never be

But I found out that you were lying
When you told me you'd be mine
All that talk about break up, never, leave me never
It was the greatest love
We had the greatest love
But I still love you
I still love you

Well I found out that you were lying
When you said that you'd be mine
All that talk about break up, never, leave me never
It was the greatest love
We had the greatest love
But I still love you
I still love you

(Greatest love)
I still love you
(Greatest love)
We had the greatest love
(Greatest love)
I still love you

fox69 · 30.11.2015

"The Greatest Thing"

"The Greatest Thing"

EVERYONE STOPPED WHEN SHE WALKED INTO THE ROOM
Isn't this the greatest thing
Everyone own up but nobody could touch her
Isn't this the greatest thing
PUNCH THE CLOCK keep boxing clever
You'll be young enough for ever
Isn't this the greatest thing
Isn't this THE GREATEST THING
I heard some new confection
Said we can't afford to feel affection
And it's the lastest thing
In and out of matrimony
Never once removed the Sony
'Cos it's a status thing
So girls like that above described
Are not to be so easily bribed
With a white frock and a ring
PUNCH THE CLOCK and in time you'll get pulled apart
IF YOU'RE MARRIED ON PAPER AND NOT IN YOUR HEART
But I won't be told that life with the one you love is sordid
Just because some authority says you can't afford it
Since nights were long and days were olden
Woman to man has been beholden
But since then times have been changing
She sends back HIS TRIBUTE OF A ROSE
And says this ring is better suited for the nose
He's always fingering
I PUNCH THE CLOCK and it's OK
I KNOW A GIRL WHO TAKES MY BREATH AWAY
And it's the greatest
And it's the greatest thing

fox69 · 30.11.2015

"The Imposter"

"The Imposter"

Trying to be too bad
Trying to talk too tough
Trying to jack the lad
You'd think he'd had enough
But he's not the man you'd think that he can be
I just don't know why you can't see
That he is only the imposter
That he is only the imposter

You've never been this far
You've always been too smart
And you know all our boys
Are really girls at heart

But he's not...

When I said that I was lying I might have been lying
Never let me hear you say you're not trying

This is your big decision
Hope you're not disappointed
He's got double vision
When you want him double jointed

And he's not...

He'll only bring you souvenirs
It's only gonna end in tears
And he is only the imposter