19 October 2010

ELVIS COSTELLO - "PILLS AND SOAP"



They talked to the sister, the father and the mother
With a microphone in one hand and a chequebook in the other
AND THE CAMERA NOSES IN TO THE TEARS ON HER FACE
The tears on her face
The tears on her face
You can put them back together with your paper and paste
But you can't put them back together
You can't put them back together

What would you say?
What would you do?
Children and animals two by two
Give me the needle
Give me the rope
We're going to melt them down for PILLS AND SOAP
Give me the needle
Give me the rope
We're going to melt them down for pills and soap

Four and twenty crowbars, jemmy your desire
Out of the frying pan into the fire
The king is in the counting house
Some folk have all the luck
And all we get are pictures of LORD AND LADY MUCK
They come from lovely people with a hard line in hypocrisy
THERE ARE ASHTRAYS OF EMOTION FOR THE FAG ENDS OF THE ARISTOCRACY

The sugar coated pill is getting bitterer still
YOU THINK YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU BUT YOU KNOW IT NEVER WILL
So pack up your troubles in a stolen handbag
DON'T DILLY DALLY BOYS RALLY ROUND THE FLAG
Give us your daily bread in individual slices
And something in the daily rag to cancel any crisis


(2010)

1 comment:

  1. ou a bela (e inevitável) shipbuilding (versão Wyatt ou Costello - caramba, que saudades do velho Costello!):
    "Is it worth it
    A new winter coat and shoes for the wife
    And a bicycle on the boy's birthday
    It's just a rumour that was spread around town
    By the women and children
    Soon we'll be shipbuilding
    Well I ask you
    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
    It's just a rumour that was spread around town
    A telegram or a picture postcard
    Within weeks they'll be re-opening the shipyards
    And notifying the next of kin
    Once again
    It's all we're skilled in
    We will be shipbuilding
    with all the will in the world
    Diving for dear life
    when we could be diving for pearls."
    Jorge

    ReplyDelete