Harpies Bizarre

From The Elvis Costello Wiki

He selects the plainest face from a spiteful row of girls
Elegant insulted women, a flaw of cultured pearls
He drops a name or two, she fails to catch
At last he's met his match
Unspoiled and unaffected, he wants her so much

She puts up half-hearted resistance, like she was taught to do
She's heard some of those small town playboys but this is something new
His promise seems dangerous, she'd like to believe
He says "You'd better leave"
"You've only got yourself to blame, shame, or deceive"

The waiting lines are long
They never get too far
Everyone wearing that medal with pride
Harpies Bizarre

I looked on but hesitated, I failed to interrupt
You're so hard to tell the truth to, so easy to corrupt
I'll memorize your face, your tragic smile
The hurt look in your eyes
As you betrayed yourself to the part of him that dies

The waiting lines are long
They never get too far
They're shining up their shoes to kick a falling star
You think you should be somebody
But you don't know who you are
Everyone wearing that medal with pride
Harpies Bizarre

Harpies Bizarre
Written by	Declan MacManus
Performed by	Elvis Costello
Produced by	Mitchell Froom, Kevin Killen & D.P.A. MacManus
Windband arrangement	Fiachra Trench (from original melody by MacManus)
Musicians	Elvis Costello - vocals, electric guitar T-Bone Wolk - hung upside down Rickenbacker tremelo bass Larry Knechtel - harpsichord, tack piano Mitchell Froom - Vox Continental Pete Thomas - drums, tambourine, finger cymbals Nicholas Bucknall - clarinet Richard Morgan - oboe Andrew Findon - flute Simon Rayner - French horn Neil Levesley - bassoon
Recorded	late 1990-early 1991, Ocean Way, Hollywood & Westside Studios, London
Released	May 10, 1991
Albums	Mighty Like A Rose, 1991
Length	3:44