When I Was Cruel No. 2

Lyrics

I exit through the spotlight glare

I stepped out into thin air

Into a perfume so rarefied

"Here comes the bride"

Not quite aside, they snide, "She's number four"

"There's number three just by the door"

Those in the know, don't even flatter her, they go one better

"She was selling speedboats in a tradeshow when he met her"

Look at her now

She's starting to yawn

She looks like she was born to it

But it was so much easier

When I was cruel

She reaches out her arms to me

Imploring: "Another melody?"

So she can dance her husband out on the floor

The captains of industry just lie there where they fall

In eau-de-nil and pale carnation creation

A satin sash and velvet elevation

She straightens the tipsy head-dress of her spouse

While her recalls a honey house

There'll be no sorrows left to drown

Early in the morning in your evening gown

But it was so much easier

When I was cruel

The entrance hall was arranged with hostesses and ushers

Who turned out to be the younger wives nursing schoolgirl crushes

Parting the waves of those few feint friends

Fingers once offered are now too heavy to extend

The ghostly first wife glides up stage-whispering to raucous talkers

Spilling family secrets out to flunkeys and castrato walkers

See that girl

Watch that scene

Digging the "Dancing Queen"

Two newspaper editors like playground sneaks

Running the book on which of them is going to last the week

One of them calls to me and he says, "I know you"

"You gave me this tattoo back in '82"

"You were a spoilt child then with a record to plug"

"And I was a shaven-headed seaside thug"

"Things haven't really changed that much"

"One of us is still getting paid too much"

There are some things I can't report

The memory of his last retort

But it was so much easier

When I was cruel

Look at me now

She's starting to yawn

She looks like she was born to it

Ah, but it was so much easier

When I was cruel

Credits

• Written by: Elvis Costello
  Recording contains elements from "Un Bacio È Troppo Poco" written by Antonio Amurri/Bruno Canfora, performed by Mina
• Produced by: Elvis Costello, Ciaran Cahill, Leo Pearson and Kieran Lynch (collectively as The Imposter)
• Musicians:

Elvis Costello - vocals, guitars and bass

Steve Nieve - piano

Bill Ware - vibraphone

Discography

Albums:

• When I Was Cruel, 2002

• This section may be incomplete.

Singles:

• This section may be incomplete.

Collections:

• Album Name, Year
• This section may be incomplete.

Soundtracks:

• none

Various Artists collections:

• none

Alternate Versions:

• Honeyhouse (Cruel No. 2) (remix)

When I Was Cruel - Collectors Edition, 2002

Cruel Smile, 2002

Covers

Recorded by:

• none
• This section may be incomplete.

Performed by:

• none
• This section may be incomplete.

Bootlegs

• This section is incomplete.