Elvis Costello Album

Payday's coming and we wash it away
Clean money, clean money
Payday's coming and we wash it away
Clean money, clean money
That's what I want to do
I want to spend it on you
Checking on a checkmate
Grassing on a classmate
So beautiful and fortunate
He hates to love, you love to hate
He can fix you for good
'Cause he is the neighborhood
You can't get money for blood
Blood money for doin' no good
But they won't take my love for tender

Payday's coming and we wash it away
Clean money, clean money
Payday's coming and we wash it away
Clean money, clean money
That's what I want to do
I want to spend it on you

Have you made your selection?
Are you ready for correction?
'Cause the wages of sin
Are an expensive infection
And it's under the counter
Under the Geiger counter
Who stole your thunder?
But they won't take my love for tender

There are some things you can't cover up with lipstick and powder
I thought I heard you mention my name, can't you talk any louder ?
Don't come any closer, don't come any nearer
My vision of you can't get any clearer
Oh, i just want to hear girls talk
I got a loaded imagination being fired by girls talk
But I can't say the words you want to hear
I suppose you're going to have to play it by ear
Right here and now
Girls talk and they want to know how
Girls talk and they say it's not allowed
Girls talk, if they say that it's so
Don't you think that I know by now

That the word up on everyone's lips
Stick that you're dedicated
Though you may not be an old fashioned girl
You're still going to get dated
Was it really murder ?
Were you just pretending ?
Lately I have heard you are the living end

Girls talk and they wanna know about her
Girls talk, they wanna know if I care
Girls talk and they wanna know where
Girls talk girls talk

I tried in vain to drive myself insane
I talk to myself but I don't listen
I found out what I was missing
I miss talking in the dark
Without you, I'm not conversational
Without the sense of the occasional
Without you, I miss talking in the dark
When the barking and the biting is through
We can talk like we're in love or talk like we're above it
We can talk and talk until we talk ourselves out of it

I look for the news, somebody to abuse
I look at myself but it's so chancy
I see things that I don't fancy

I miss talking in the dark
Without you, I'm not conversational
Without the sense of the occasional
Without you, I miss talking in the dark
Without you, I miss talking in the dark

My head is spinning and my legs are weak
Goose step dancing, can't hear myself speak
Hope in the eyes of the ugly girls
That settle for the lies of the last chancers
When slow motion drunks pick wallflower dancers
You come here looking for the ride to glory
Go back home with a hard luck story
I can hardly wait around until the weekend comes to town

Play one more for my radio sweetheart
Hide your love, hide your love
Though we are so far apart
You've got to hide your love
'Cause that's the way the whole thing started
I wish we had never parted

When it's late and the night gets colder
Don't lay your head on any other shoulder
Some hire themselves out for a good time
But you and I, we have been sold
So I keep on saying...

Play one more for my radio sweetheart
Hide your love, hide your love
Though we are so far apart
You've got to hide your love
'Cause that's the way the whole thing started
I wish we had never parted

Play one more for my radio sweetheart

I was looking at the black and white world
It seemed so exciting
If you'd only put me back to back with that girl
When the night's inviting
With just a little lighting
There'll never be days like that again
When I was just a boy and men were men
You never go from moment to moment
You're the living double of a single fiction
You're very colourful with your compliments
As you feel the finger's friction
It's a freeze-frame
Still it's real life
You don't want to look
Cause you've seen the film and you've read the book
I was looking at the black and white world
Trying to name some pin-up
Those days she was just a beautiful girl
Now she's framed and hung up
I thought she was young
Up until I saw her last night in close detail
Though they all fade away when you're so pale
It's more than just a physical attraction
It starts with a face and ends up a fixation
But you're never gonna feel a fraction
Of the way it used to work on your imagination
When you were looking at the black and white world...

Everyone is busy with the regular routine
The sniper just takes his aim
Everyone is window shopping, no one is amazed
Even if he hit you, you'd still think it's just a graze
You go to a movie, you go to a show
You think that you're living, you don't really know
Big tears mean nothing
You can count them as they fall
Big tears mean nothing
When you're lying in your coffin
Tell me who's been taken in

Oh, you talk about the new boss automatic clause
But of course they make it all up for you
Always fascinated by the weird edge of town
Come home disappointed every time they put you down
Laughing with the old boys, saying that it's all noise

I suppose big tears mean nothing
You can count them as they fall
Big tears mean nothing
When you're lying in your coffin
Tell me who's been taken in

All the buttons of my overcoat
They have fallen off one by one
You wouldn't even like me if you'd never had a drink
You wouldn't even like me if you never stopped to think
Standing in the shadow, turning wives to widows

Don't you know big tears mean nothing
You can count them as they fall
Big tears mean nothing
When you're lying in your coffin
Tell me who's been taken in
Tell me, me or yous been taken in
Tell me, tell me, tell me

Layin' about, lyin' in bed
Maybe it was something that I thought I'd said
With the tempo of today and the temptation of tomorrow
I don't know if I could give you anything but sorrow
They stay alive this late on Radio Five
But the pen that I write with won't tell the truth
'Cause the moments that I can't recall
Are the moments that you treasure
Better take another measure for measure
Losing you is just a memory
Memories don't mean that much to me
Losing you is just a memory
Memories don't mean that much to me

Now you're here, I'm here too
Could be this easy for me and you

Losing you is just a memory
Memories don't mean that much to me
Losing you is just a memory
Memories don't mean that much to me

Lyin' about layin' in bed
Maybe it was something that I thought I'd said

I would send out for assistance but there's someone on the signal wire
And the corporation logo is flashing on and off in the sky
They're putting all your names in the forbidden book
I know what they're doing but I don't want to look
You think they're so dumb, you think they're so funny
Wait until they've got you running to the
Night rally, night rally, night rally

Everybody's singing with their hand on their heart
About deeds done in the darkest hours
That's just the sort of catchy little melody
To get you singing in the showers

Oh, I know that I'm ungrateful
I've got it lying on a plate
And I'm not buying my share of souvenirs
You can stand to attention
You can pray to your uncle
Only get that chicken out of here
Everyone gets armbands and 3-D glasses
Some are in the back room
And they're taking those night classes

You think they're so dumb, you think they're so funny
Wait until they've got you running to the
Night rally, night rally, night rally

This never was one of the great romances
But I thought you'd always have those young girl's eyes
But now they look in tired and bitter glances
At the ghost of a man who walks 'round in my disguise
I get the feeling that I don't belong here
But there's no welcome in the window anyway
And I look down for a number on my keychain
'Cause it feels more like a hotel everyday

There's a stranger in the house; nobody's seen his face
But everybody says he's taken my place
There's a stranger in the house no one will ever see
But everybody says he looks like me

And now you say you've got no expectations
But I know you also miss those carefree days
And for all the angry words that passed between us
You still don't understand me when I say

There's a stranger in the house; nobody's seen his face
But everybody says he's taken my place
There's a stranger in the house no one will ever see
But everybody says he looks like me

Tears on your blackmail
Written to ransom
A point of the fingernail
Says that he's handsome
Clowntime is over
Time to take cover
While others just talk and talk
Somebody's watching where the others don't walk
Clowntime is over

A voice in the shadows
Says that his men know
He don't step back as expected
He's otherwise and unprotected

Chorus

Almost too good to be true
Who do you? why do you? what do you do?
While everybody's hiding under covers
Who's making lover's lane safe again for lovers?

Chorus

I'm packing up my memories
And I'm gonna move all out of your heart
I'm turning in my keys
And I'm gonna move all out of your heart
'Cause there ain't room enough for two
In dreams that were made for me and you
I'm telling you, it's getting mighty crowded
Too crowded for me
It's getting mighty crowded

I'm gonna take these things of mine
And I'm gonna move all out of your life
Stop wasting my time
And I'm gonna move all out of your life

'Cause there ain't room enough for three
In dreams that were made for you and me
So you see, it's getting mighty crowded
Too crowded for me
It's getting mighty crowded

I'm saving you the trouble of putting me down
Starting on the double, yeah yeah
I'm gonna shop around

I'm gonna find another heart
Where I can live all by myself
Gonna find another heart
I don't have to share with anybody else
'Cause you don't treat me like you should
And hanging around this neighborhood is no good

It's getting mighty crowded
Too crowded for me, getting mighty crowded
I'm packing up my memories, getting mighty crowded
Too crowded for me, getting mighty crowded
Too crowded for me, getting mighty crowded

Five miles out of London on the Western Avenue
Must have been a wonder when it was brand new
Talkin' 'bout the splendour of the Hoover factory
I know that you'd agree if you had seen it too
It's not a matter of life or death
But what is, what is?
It doesn't matter if I take another breath
Who cares? Who cares?
Green for go, green for action
From Park Royal to North Acton
Past scrolls and inscriptions like those of the Egyptian age
And one of these days the Hoover factory
Is gonna be all the rage in those fashionable pages

Five miles out of London on the Western Avenue
Must have been a wonder when it was brand new
Talkin' 'bout the splendour of the Hoover factory
I know that you'd agree if you had seen it too
It's not a matter of life or death
But what is, what is?
It doesn't matter if I take another breath
Who cares? Who cares?

Muscle baby won't let go
Weekend baby won't say no
Is she an active beauty ?
I should say so
Wooden bones and pretty lashes
Iodine for your baby's gashes
Little tombs for your baby's ashes
If something goes wrong

Tiny steps almost real
Tiny fingers you almost feel
Make her walk or make her kneel
Oh, she's almost human beneath that Cuban heel

Who's that down at the bottom of the garden ?
Who's that hiding underneath the sofa ?
Who gets blamed whenever you're in trouble ?
She's your friend and she's your double

Tiny steps almost real
Tiny fingers you almost feel
Make her walk or make her kneel
Oh, she's almost human beneath that Cuban heel

Pretty little fashion face
Pick anyone up off the shelf
Though you say it's a disgrace
You know you owe it to yourself
You can even shop around
Though you won't find any cheaper
She's your baby now
You can keep her

Tiny steps almost real
Tiny fingers you almost feel
Make her walk or make her kneel
Oh, she's almost human beneath that Cuban heel

Photographs of fancy tricks
Go get your kicks at sixty-six
he thinks of all the lips that he licks
and all the girls he is going to fix

She gave a little flirt, gave herself a little cuddle
But there's no place here for the miniskirt waddle
Captial punishment she's last year's model
They call her natasha when she looks like Elsie
I don't want to go to Chelsea
oh no, it does not move me
even though I seen the movie
I don't want to check your pulse
I don't want nobody else
I don't want to go to Chelsea

Everybody's got new orders
be a nice girl and kiss the warders
now the teacher is away
all the kids begin to play

men come screaming dressed in white coats
shake you very gently by the throat
One's named Gus, one's named Alfie
I don't want to go to Chelsea
oh no, it does not move me
even though I seen the movie
I don't want to check your pulse
I don't want nobody else
I don't want to go to Chelsea

Photographs of fancy tricks
To get your kicks at sixty-six
he thinks of all the lips that he licks
and all the girls he's going to fix

She gave a little flirt gave herself a little cuddle
But there's no place here for the miniskirt waddle
Captial punishment she's last year's model
They call her Natasha when she looks like Elsie
I don't want to go to Chelsea
oh no, it does not move me
even though I seen the movie
I don't want to check your pulse
I don't want nobody else
I don't want to go to Chelsea

Everything seems so tranquil
Home movies with no subtitles
Don't you wish you knew what they were sayin'
When the film keeps playin', playin' ?
Oh, he's Doctor Luther's assistant
He'll close in when he seems so distant
Doctor Luther's assistant
He'll get on top of you when you lower your resistance

Some say he is just a lackey
Changing words while the ink is still tacky
He's absolutely indispensable
He keeps the other boys in suspense

Oh, he's Doctor Luther's assistant
He'll close in when he seems so distant
Doctor Luther's assistant
He'll get on top of you when you lower your resistance

Luther is locked in a broken-down cinema
Watches his wife with his video camera
Sees his best boy makin' her grin
Out of the kitchen, she's gone with the wind

Oh, Doctor Luther's assistant
He'll close in, when he seems so distant
Doctor Luther's assistant
He'll get on top of you when you lower your resistance

Times are tough for English babies
Send the army and the navy
Beat up strangers who talk funny
Take their greasy foreign money
Skin shop, red leather, hot line
Be prepared for the engaged sign
Bridal books, engagement rings
And other wicked little things
Chorus:
Standing in your socks and vest
Better get it off your chest
Every day is just like the rest
But Sunday's best

Stylish slacks to suit your pocket
Back supports and picture lockets
Sleepy towns and sleeper trains
To the dogs and down the drains
Major roads and ladies smalls
Hearts of oak and long trunk calls
Continental interference
At death's door with life insurance

Chorus

Sunday's best, Sunday's finest
When your money's in the minus
And you suffer from your shyness
You can listen to us whiners

Don't look now under the bed
An arm, a leg and a severed head
Read about the private lives
The songs of praise, the readers' wives
Listen to the decent people
Though you treat them just like sheep
Put them all in boots and khaki
Blame it all upon the darkies

Chorus

Sunday's best

I thought I would go to the sea and shrink down very tiny
And slide inside the telephone wire that runs under the briny
Till I found there is a way of crawling to the U.S.A.
You had better not go too far
There's one way out, there's only one way
Leave your mother and your father
Crawling to the U.S.A.

Saw it late one night on a secret channel
It's farther on along the tunnel
It's way beyond the final station
That's the one they never mention

You had better not go too far
There's one way out, there's only one way
Leave your mother and your father
Crawling to the U.S.A.

You don't have to pay them that much
You had better bring your lunch
It's undercover, around the houses
Up your skirt and down your trousers

You had better not go too far
There's one way out, there's only one way
Leave your mother and your father
Crawling to the U.S.A.

She said, "I catch you taking liberties and they do not impress me
Attach me to your credit card and then you can undress me
Everybody is on their knees except the Russians and the Chinese

You had better not go too far
There's one way out, there's only one way
Leave your mother and your father
Crawling to the U.S.A.

The movies save on conversation
And the TV saves on sight
We met in a head-on collision
So I would say our chances would be slight
You can lead and I will follow
See us dancing cheek to cheek
You'll remember me tomorrow
But you won't give a damn by Wednesday Week
Say you love me until you do so
Joso singing just like Caruso
Three little words roll off your tongue
Somehow your face just doesn't look so young
You say you want to strike a bargain
Now there is no need to speak
You say you want to learn the jargon
But you won't give a damn by Wednesday Week
You start acting like a zombie
Someone wants your piece of cake
You think you want to jump up on me
But you won't give a damn by Wednesday Week

Oh what a letdown when the battle was finally won
One little breakdown and then it was over and done
I wish I had your confidence
It's love and not coincidence
Do you say these words to everyone ?
You're fantastic, you're terrific
Your excellence is almost scientific
You took the words out of my mouth
You put the tongue into my cheek
But I'd better lose my memory by Wednesday Week

My funny valentine, sweet comic valentine
You make me smile with my heart
Your looks are laughable, unphotographable
But you're my favourite work of art
Is your figure less than Greek?
Is your mouth a little weak?
When you open it to speak
Are you smart?
Don't change a hair for me
Not if you care for me
Stay little valentine, stay
Each day is Valentine's day

Maureen and Stan were looking for a job
They got songs for every occasion
And a little limelight robbery
No one will employ them
There's nothing to decide
So he autographs his overdraft
While she goes out of her mind
Stuck on the wall with a thousand faces
Unwanted posters of the haunted places
Roll up for the ghost train
Non-stop through the city
Step right up and show your face
We only want the pretty ones
Roll up for the ghost train
Non-stop through the city
Step right up and show your face
We only want the pretty ones

Maureen and Stan at the skating rink
Looking for the drummer who threw up in the sink
Laughing and singing, dressed up like dice
Maybe they could freeze to death out there on the ice
Look at the graceful way she dances
One foot speaks, the other answers

Roll up for the ghost train
Non-stop through the city
Step right up and show your face
We only want the pretty ones
Roll up for the ghost train
Non-stop through the city
Step right up and show your face
We only want the pretty ones

She plays the queen of the fleapit
He plays a Spanish guitar
He got a black eye from a waitress
She's not seeing any stars
You can be refused, you can be replaced
You can change your name but you can't change your face
While they make believe it's just another holiday
They turn on each other when they hear that joker say

Roll up for the ghost train
Non-stop through the city
Step right up and show your face
We only want the pretty ones
Roll up for the ghost train
We only want the pretty ones