Almost Ideal Eyes

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Here she comes with her almost ideal eyes
And her flawless skin and her petulant pout
The memory of such a long blonde alibi
Still makes me want to shout out loud and clear
When you clear your head my dear
You can't come round here in those stolen clothes
Telling me all about some mystery
I hope she isn't one, I hope she isn't one of those

Almost ideal eyes
Viewed through a rosy hue
So beautiful, trusting
You'll find liberal is an insult now and care is what you pay for
Be sure of what you wish upon, be careful what you pray for
When you look into those almost ideal

Love is smiles, he will hypnotize you while
He tries to analyze your dream
Fill you up with all his big ideas while he really wants to make you
Scream out loud at the phony innocence
And the pained pretence and the dismal rage
The vacant lot that thankfully time forgot
Where you never have to act, you never have to act your age

Almost ideal eyes
Viewed through a rosy hue
So beautiful, trusting
You'll find stupid is a compliment and thrill is what you play for
Be sure of what you wish upon, be careful what you pray for
When you look into those almost ideal

In despair all your friends get uglier
And you find you're wearing an evening gown
Weeping over some tiny broken bird
While the sky is decorated
Shocking pink and a dirty shade of brown
And you think you need to be tranquil
Lies the fear that befits your new career
Whatever you invent you'll never be content in

Almost ideal eyes
Viewed through a rosy hue
So beautiful, trusting
Rebellion is just currency, the moon is what you bay for
Be sure of what you wish upon, be careful what you pray for
When you look into those almost ideal
When you look into those almost ideal
When you look into those almost ideal

Here she comes, here she comes now
Here she comes, here she comes now

Almost Ideal Eyes
Written byElvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
Produced byGeoff Emerick & Elvis Costello
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedAugust-September 1995, Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin
February 1996, Westside Studios, London
ReleasedJuly 8, 1996
AlbumsAll This Useless Beauty (Rhino reissue), 2001
SinglesLittle Atoms, 1996
The Other End Of The Telescope, 1996
Distorted Angel, 1996
All This Useless Beauty, 1996
You Bowed Down, 1996
Various Artists collectionsDiana Krall: Artist's Choice, 2004
Length4:19

First known performance:
August 4, 1995, New York, NY
Last known performance:
September 7, 2006, Amsterdam, Netherlands
     (8 known performances)


Alternate versions

Almost Ideal Eyes (Live 2004)
Performed byElvis Costello with The Metropole Orkest
Produced byGert-Jan van den Dolder
Arranged bySy Johnson
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal
Steve Nieve - piano
The Metropole Orkest
Vince Mendoza - conductor
Ruud Breuls - trumpet solo
RecordedJuly 9, 2004, The Hague, Netherlands
ReleasedJanuary 13, 2006
AlbumsMy Flame Burns Blue, 2006
Length4:16
All This Useless BeautyATUB album cover large.jpg

Little Atoms singleLittle Atoms UK CD single front cover.jpg

The Other End Of The Telescope singleThe Other End Of The Telescope UK CD single front cover.jpg

Distorted Angel singleDistorted Angel UK CD single front cover.jpg

All This Useless Beauty singleAll This Useless Beauty UK CD single front cover.jpg

You Bowed Down singleYou Bowed Down US CD single front cover.jpg

My Flame Burns BlueMy Flame Burns Blue album cover.jpg

Covers

Erich Sellheim home studio production, sung in German YouTube

Internal links

External links