Everyday I Write The Book

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Don't tell me you don't know what love is
When you're old enough to know better
When you find strange hands in your sweater
When your dreamboat turns out to be a footnote
I'm a man with a mission in two or three editions

And I'm giving you a longing look
Everyday, everyday, everyday
Everyday I write the book

Chapter One - we didn't really get along
Chapter Two - I think I fell in love with you
You said you'd stand by me in the middle of Chapter Three
But you were up to your old tricks in Chapters Four, Five and Six

And I'm giving you a longing look
Everyday, everyday, everyday
Everyday I write the book

The way you walk
The way you talk, and try to kiss me, and laugh
In four or five paragraphs
All your compliments and your cutting remarks
Are captured here in my quotation marks

And I'm giving you a longing look
Everyday, everyday, everyday
Everyday I write the book
Everyday I write the book

Don't tell me you don't know the difference
Between a lover and a fighter
With my pen and my electric typewriter
Even in a perfect world where everyone was equal
I'd still own the film rights and be working on the sequel

And I'm giving you a longing look
Everyday, everyday, everyday
Everyday I write the book


Alternate lyrics

Alternate verse referring to the Writers Guild of America strike, 2023:

Don't tell me you don't know the difference
Between me and your fobidden lover
If I put down my poison pen
I'll never pick it up again
I should have been on the line all day
For the W.G.A.
Even in a perfect world where
Everyone was equal
I'd still own the film rights
And be working on the sequel


Everyday I Write The Book
Written byElvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions (with Afrodiziak)
Produced byClive Langer & Alan Winstanley
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
Caron Wheeler - backing vocals
Claudia Fontaine - backing vocals
RecordedJanuary-April 1983, AIR Studios, London
ReleasedJune 1983
AlbumsPunch The Clock, 1983
SinglesEveryday I Write The Book, 1983
CollectionsThe Best Of Elvis Costello & The Attractions, 1985
The Man (The Best Of Elvis Costello), 1985
The Very Best Of Elvis Costello & The Attractions, 1994
The Very Best Of Elvis Costello, 1999
Singles, Volume 3, 2003
The Best Of Elvis Costello The First 10 Years, 2007
SoundtracksThe Wedding Singer, 1998
The Wedding Singer Vol. 1, 1998
Various Artists collectionsStudio Brussel: Torhout - Werchter: 20 ~ 1977-1996, 1996
Before X, 1997
Video Hits: Past Hits, Volume 1, 1997
Tempted - A Collection Of Mellow 80s Classics, 2000
The Very Best Of The Tube, 2002
Alternative Eighties, 2002
Singers And Songwriters: 1980-1986, 2002
Now Yearbook '83 Extra, 2021
PromosWhy Study?, 1983
Timothy White's Rock Stars, 1989
Punch The World, 1995
UK Elvis Costello, 2002
Either Side Of The Same Town Sampler, 2010
VideosMTV 20: Pop, 2001
The Right Spectacle: The Very Best Of Elvis Costello - The Videos, 2005
Length3:52

First known performance:
September 24, 1982, Leicester, England
Last known performance:
2024
     (955 known performances, 24 as a snippet)


Alternate versions

Everyday I Write The Book (Live 1982)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedDecember 24, 1982, London, England
AlbumsPunch The Clock (Rykodisc/Demon reissue), 1995
PromosPunch The Clock, Trust & Get Happy!! Sampler, 2003
Length2:21

Everyday I Write The Book (Alternate Version)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
Produced byClive Langer & Alan Winstanley
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedJanuary-April 1983, AIR Studios, London
ReleasedJuly 28, 2003
AlbumsPunch The Clock (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2003
Length2:20

Everyday I Write The Book (Extended Mix)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions (with Afrodiziak)
Produced byClive Langer & Alan Winstanley
ReleasedJuly 1983
SinglesEveryday I Write The Book, 1983
CollectionsSingles, Volume 3, 2003
Length4:55

Everyday I Write The Book (Special Version)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions (with Afrodiziak)
Produced byClive Langer & Alan Winstanley
ReleasedAugust 1983
SinglesEveryday I Write The Book, 1983
CollectionsSingles, Volume 3, 2003
Length5:05

Everyday I Write The Book (Instrumental)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions (with Afrodiziak)
Produced byClive Langer & Alan Winstanley
ReleasedAugust 1983
SinglesEveryday I Write The Book, 1983
CollectionsSingles, Volume 3, 2003
Length3:41
Everyday I Write The Book (Memphis Magnetic Recording version)
Performed byElvis Costello and The Imposters with Charlie Sexton
Produced bySebastian Krys & Elvis Costello
ReleasedNovember 2022
AlbumsThe Boy Named If (Alive At Memphis Magnetic), 2022
Length4:48

Punch The ClockPunch The Clock Rhino album cover.jpg

Single: Everyday I Write The BookEveryday I Write The Book UK 7" single front sleeve.jpg

Single: Everyday I Write The BookEveryday I Write The Book US 7" single front sleeve.jpg

Single: Everyday I Write The BookEveryday I Write The Book US 12" single front sleeve.jpg

The Best Of Elvis Costello & The AttractionsBOEC album cover 200.jpg

The Man (The Best Of Elvis Costello)TMBOEC album cover 170.jpg

The Very Best Of Elvis Costello & The Attractions, 1994The Very Best Of Elvis Costello And The Attractions album cover.jpg

The Very Best Of Elvis Costello, 1999The Very Best Of Elvis Costello (2CD) album cover.jpg

Singles, Volume 3Singles Volume 3 album cover.jpg

The Right Spectacle: The Very Best Of Elvis Costello - The VideosTRS dvd cover.jpg

Spectacle: Elvis Costello with... (Season 2)Spectacle Elvis Costello With Season 2 DVD cover.jpg

The Best Of Elvis Costello The First 10 YearsThe Best Of Elvis Costello The First 10 Years album cover.jpg

The Boy Named If (Alive At Memphis Magnetic) album cover.jpg


Covers

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Elastic No-No Band Every Elvis Has His Army: ENB Does EC 2005 website
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Golden Boy performed live, 2003-03-27, EC tribute, Knitting Factory, Los Angeles 2003 archive.org
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Harvard Opportunes Candy For The Children 1997 harvardopportunes.com
Joel Henderson performed live, 2003-11-21, Tonic Ball 2, Indianapolis 2003 info needed
Alison Cecile Johns CoversEP 2010 websiteBandcamp
Jason Lewis The Loser's Lounge Tribute to Elvis Costello 2002 LosersLounge
Jenna Mammina & Andre Bush Art Of The Duo 2002 AllMusicAmazon
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Ron Sexsmith performed live, 1997-07-29, Sessions At West 54th 1997 info
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Ron Sexsmith performed live, 2013-06-21, Brighton, England 2013 YouTube
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Patrik Tanner A Tribute To Elvis Costello 2004 AllmusicAmazonAmazon.uk
The Pete Walter Band Laptop Sessions video 2011 laptopsessions.com
Windy City Slickers Sunday 2000 windycitysings.org

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