20% Amnesia

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"What is your destiny?" the policewoman said
20% amnesia
The word that she wanted was "destination," I'm afraid
20% amnesia
This is your future boy, this is your fate
20% amnesia
And you're obsolete and they can't afford to educate you
20% amnesia

In his bed-time boot-boy jersey
Ringing up some fantasy tart
Give me strength or give me mercy
Life intimidates art

Give me strength or give me mercy
Don't let me lose heart
From rage to anaesthesia
20% amnesia

Were you passed out on the sofa?
20% amnesia
While justice was bartered by a drunken oaf?
20% amnesia
This is all your glorious country thinks of your life
20% amnesia
Strip-jack-naked with a Stanley knife
20% amnesia

So the German Queen went home again
But she couldn't find forgiveness
They made a fist of the hand of friendship
But it's only business

Give me strength or give me mercy
Don't let me lose heart
From rage to anaesthesia
20% amnesia

The wine you drink has never seen a grape
And now your sci-fi suit has lost its shape
But its a dangerous game that comedy plays
Sometimes it tells you the truth
Sometimes it delays it

Think back, think back if you still can
When the trumpet sounded and the world began
Somebody said "We must have won"
So they started burying the bogeyman

Mister Gorbachev came cap in hand
20% amnesia
From a bankrupt land to a bankrupt land
20% amnesia
Mister Gorbachev and some other fella
20% amnesia
Were taken to a show called "Cinderella"
20% amnesia
It wasn't an accident, it wasn't a mystery
20% amnesia
It was calculated and the rest is history
20% amnesia

You don't have to listen to me
That's the triumph of free will
When there are promises to break
And dreams to kill

Give me strength or give me mercy
Don't let me lose heart
From rage to anaesthesia
20% amnesia

20% Amnesia
Written byDeclan MacManus
Performed byElvis Costello
Produced byMitchell Froom & Elvis Costello
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, guitar, bass
Pete Thomas - drums
Steve Nieve - keyboards
RecordedDecember 1992, Pathway Studios & Church Studios, London
ReleasedMarch 8, 1994
AlbumsBrutal Youth, 1994
PromosWords And Music, 1994
Length3:24

First known performance:
May 8, 1994, Concord, CA
Last known performance:
September 30, 1994, Osaka, Japan
     (8 known performances)


Eye.jpg
“"a reference to the amount of the proposed tax bribe that had apparently swung the most recent U.K. election to keep the Tories in power."” Brutal Youth (2002) liner notes

Eye.jpg
“"EC recounted driving through Dublin (in September 1992) not realising it was All Ireland day and a sports fan accidentally damaged a window on his car.Then he drove down a street he couldn’t get through. At this point a Ban Garda (female police officer) stopped him, got him to roll down his window and asked him “what is your destiny?” to which Elvis replied “I think you mean ‘destination’”. "” — DR J, Twitter, 2020

Brutal YouthBY album cover large.jpg

Covers

no known covers

Internal links

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