Goon Squad

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Mother, Father, I'm here in the zoo
I can't come home 'cause I've grown up too soon
I got my sentence
I got my command
They said they'd make me major if I met all their demands

I could be a corporal into corporal punishment
Or the general manager of a large establishment
They pat some good boys on the back and put some to the rod
But I never thought they'd put me in the

Goon squad
They've come to look you over and they're giving you the eye
Goon squad
They want you to come out to play
You'd better say goodbye

Some grow just like their dads
And some grow up too tall
Some go drinking with the lads
Some don't grow up at all

And you must find the proper place
For everything you see
But you'll never get to make a lampshade out of me

I could join a chain of males or be the missing link
Looking for a lucky girl to put me in the pink
They pat some good boys on the back and put some to the rod
But I never thought they'd put me in the

Goon squad
They've come to look you over and they're giving you the eye
Goon squad
They want you to come out to play
You'd better say goodbye

Mother, Father, I'm doing so well
I'm making such progress now that you can hardly tell
I fit in a little dedication
With one eye on the clock
They caught you under medication
You could be in for a shock

Thinking up the alibis that everyone's forgotten
Just another mummy's boy gone to rotten
They pat some good boys on the back and put some to the rod
But I never thought they'd put me in the

Goon squad
They've come to look you over and they're giving you the eye
Goon squad
They want you to come out to play
You'd better say goodbye

Goon Squad
Written byElvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
Produced byNick Lowe
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedAugust-September 1978, Eden Studios, London
ReleasedJanuary 5, 1979
AlbumsArmed Forces, 1979
Collections2½ Years, 1993
Various Artists collectionsRock Against Racism (RAR's Greatest Hits), 1980
Length3:14

First known performance:
April 1, 1978, Bracknell, England
Last known performance:
April 19, 1984, Durham, NH
     (67 known performances)


Alternate versions

Goon Squad (Live 1978)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedJune 4, 1978, Los Angeles, CA
ReleasedOctober 28, 2002
AlbumsArmed Forces (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2002
Length3:42
Goon Squad (Live 1979)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedJune 4, 1979, Pink Pop Festival, Geleen, Netherlands
ReleasedNovember 2020
AlbumsThe Complete Armed Forces (2020 super deluxe edition), 2020
Length2:51
Armed ForcesArmed Forces Rykodisc album cover.jpg

Armed ForcesArmed Forces Rhino album cover.jpg

The Complete Armed Forces (2020 super deluxe edition)2020 DELUXE PINKPOP FRONT.JPG

Rock Against Racism (RAR's Greatest Hits)Rock Against Racism RAR's Greatest Hits album cover.jpg

2½ Years2½ Years album cover.jpg

Covers

Aaron & Alejandra performed live, 2013-06-12, Long Beach, CA 2013 YouTube
The King Syndicate with Owen Hodgson online release 2015 YouTube
Erich Sellheim home studio production, sung in German 2014 YouTube

Chords

 D/F#     D/A
--2--    --2--
--3--    --3--
--2--    --2--
--x--    --x--
--x--    --0--
--2--    --x--

| Em | Em | Em | Em |

Em              D               Em
Mother, Father, I'm here in the zoo.
D/F#         Em          D/A             Em
I can't come home 'cause I've grown up too soon.
Em                 D           Em
I got my sentence, I got my command.
        D/F#             Em         A                     
They said they'd make me major if I met all their demands.
G            D/F#          A
I could be a corp’ral into corp’ral punishment,
G              D/F#        A
Or the gen’ral manager of a large establishment. 

Chorus :
G                       D/F#            A
They pat some good boys on the back and put some to the rod,
                                         Em         D      Em
But I never thought they'd put me in the goon squad.
        C                G                D              G
They've come to look you over and they're giving you the eye.
Em        D      Em
Goon squad 
     C                G                   D              G
They want you to come out to play ; you'd better say goodbye.

| Em | Em | Em | Em |

Some grow just like their dads and some grow up too tall.
Some go drinking with the lads. Some don't grow up at all.
And you must find the proper place for everything you see.
But you'll never get to make a lampshade out of me.
I could join a chain of males or be the missing link,
Looking for a lucky girl to put me in the pink. 

Chorus

Mother, Father, I'm doing so well.
I'm making such progress now that you can hardly tell.
I fit in a little dedication with one eye on the clock.
They caught you under medication. You could be in for a shock.
Thinking up the alibis that everyone's forgotten,
Just another mummy's boy gone to rotten. 

Chorus

| Em | Em | Em | Em |

repeat and fade

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