Harpies Bizarre

Lyrics

He selects the plainest face form 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

Credits

• Written by: D.P.A. MacManus
• Produced by: Mitchell Froom, Kevin Killen and D.P.A. MacManus
• Windband Arrangement by: Fiachra Trench from original melody by MacManus
• Musicians:

Elvis Costello - vocals and electric guitar

T-Bone Wolk - hung upside down Rickenbacker tremelo bass

Larry Knechtel - harpsichord and tack piano

Mitchell Froom - Vox Continental

Pete Thomas - drums, tambourine and finger cymbals

Nicholas Bucknall - clarinet

Richard Morgan - oboe

Andrew Findon - flute

Simon Rayner - French horn

Neil Levesley - bassoon

Discography

Albums:

• Mighty Like A Rose, 1991
• Mighty Like A Rose (Deluxe Edition), Rhino, 2002

Singles:

• This section may be incomplete.

Collections:

• none

Alternate Versions:

• none

Soundtracks:

• none

Various Artists collections:

• none

Covers

Recorded by:

• none

Performed by:

• none

Bootlegs

• This section is incomplete.