Gangsters

Lyrics

Spoken: " Bernie Rhodes knows, don't argue."

Why must you record my phone calls?

Are you planning a bootleg L.P?

Said you've been threatened by gangsters

Now it's you that’s threatening me.

Can't fight corruption with con tricks

They use the law to commit crime?

I dread, dread to think what the future will bring

When we’re living in gangster times.

"Don't call me Scarface!"

Don't interrupt while I'm talking

Or they'll confiscate all your guitars.

A catch - 22 says if I sing the truth

They won't make me an overnight star.

Don't offer us legal protection

They use the law to commit crime.

I dread to think what the future will bring

When we're living in real gangster times.

"Bernie Rhodes knows, don't argue."

Credits

• Written by: Jerry Dammers, Terry Hall, Horace Panter, Lynval Golding, John Bradbury, Neville Staple, Roddy Byers and Cecil Campbell

Performances

This song is unreleased by Elvis Costello, but he has performed it in concert on one occasion: 1979-12-11 in Montpellier.

Recordings

• The Special A.K.A. (The Specials), A-side of single and on US version of Specials, 1979

Bootlegs

Blitzkrieg

• This section is incomplete.