Chewing Gum

Lyrics

With their cardboard hands by their sides, here's a naked man and lady

And they're yours to cut out and keep and you can dress them up maybe

They don't know just who they are, or who they're supposed to be

You can make them happy or sad or assume their identity

So here they are in the departure lounge, it's the "Gateway to the East"

She is just another mail-order bride, she doesn't know he's a kinky beast

Now he gives her a picture of Maradona and child

She wants to "roll and rock"

As he spills his beer over her

Bumps and he grinds as he repeats "Bang-Cock"

(Chorus:)

There must be something that is better than this

It starts with a slap and ends with a kiss

Begins with you bawling and it ends up in tears

Oh my little one, take that chewing gum out of your ears

She might as well be in the jungle, she might as well be on the moon

He's away on a business trip in Dusseldorf, but she's becoming immune

To the lack of glamour and danger in the West-German city today

The nearest she comes to the "Dynasty" life he promised her

Is a Chinese takeaway

(Repeat Chorus)

Though he only taught her three little words

It doesn't matter if they're dirty or clean

He can only control what they look like

He can never possess what they mean

So he wants to whisper in her ear

All the shrinking nothingness

But something always comes between them

I wonder if you can guess

(Repeat Chorus)

Credits

• Written by: D.P.A. MacManus
• Produced by: Elvis Costello, Kevin Killen and T Bone Burnett
• Musicians:

Elvis Costello - vocals and guitar

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band

Gregory Davis - trumpet

Efrem Towns - trumpet

Kevin Harris - tenor saxophone

Roger Lewis - soprano & baritone saxophones

Kirk Joseph - Sousaphone

Marc Ribot - guitar

Benmont Tench - Hohner Clavinet

Willie Green - drums

Michael Blair - metal pipe

Cait O'Riordan - vocal

Discography

Albums:

• Spike, 1989
• Spike (Deluxe Edition), Rhino, 2001
• This section may be incomplete.

Singles:

• This section may be incomplete.

Collections:

• Album Name, Year
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Alternate Versions:

• This section may be incomplete.

Soundtracks:

• none

Various Artists collections:

• none

Covers

Recorded by:

• none
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Performed by:

• none
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Bootlegs

• This section is incomplete.