I Hope You're Happy Now

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He's a fine figure of a man and handsome too
With his eyes upon the secret places he'd like to undo
Still he knows who knows who and where and how
And I hope you're happy now

He's got all the things you need and some that you will never
But you make him sound like frozen food, his love will last forever
Still he knows what you want and what you don't allow
And I hope you're happy now

I hope that you're happy now like you're supposed to be
And I know that this will hurt you more than it hurts me

He's acting innocent and proud still you know what he's after
Like a matador with his pork sword, while we all die of laughter
In his turquoise pajamas and motorcycle hat
I hope you're happy now because you'll soon put pay to that
I knew then what I know now I never loved you anyhow
And I hope you're happy now

I Hope You're Happy Now
Written byElvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
Produced byNick Lowe with Colin Fairley
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedMarch-May 1986, Olympic Studios, London
ReleasedSeptember 15, 1986
AlbumsBlood & Chocolate, 1986
CollectionsGirls Girls Girls, 1989
The Very Best Of Elvis Costello, 1999
Rock And Roll Music, 2007
PromosHighlights From Blood & Chocolate, 1986
Selections From This Year's Model - Blood & Chocolate - Brutal Youth, 2002
Either Side Of The Same Town Sampler, 2010
Length3:05

First known performance:
August 3, 1984, Sunrise, FL
Last known performance:
2024
     (404 known performances)


Eye.jpg
“Recorded live in the big, old studio at Olympic (before it was vandalized), after three different attempts at the song. In the long run I'm happier to live with it being humorous, rather that murderous.” Girls Girls Girls liner notes, 1989.

Alternate versions

I Hope You're Happy Now (early Attractions version)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
Produced byNick Lowe with Colin Fairley & Elvis Costello
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedOctober 1984, Eden Studios, London
ReleasedFebruary 28, 1995
CollectionsGoodbye Cruel World (Rykodisc/Demon reissue), 1995
Goodbye Cruel World (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2004
PromosPunch The World, 1995
Selections From Almost Blue, Goodbye Cruel World, Kojak Variety, 2004
Length2:51

I Hope You're Happy Now (Solo Demo)
Performed byElvis Costello
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
RecordedFebruary 14, 1985, Sunset Sound, Hollywood
ReleasedNovember 7, 1986
SinglesI Want You, 1986
CollectionsKing Of America (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2005
Length3:02

I Hope You're Happy Now (Confederates version)
Performed byElvis Costello
Produced byJ. Henry (T-Bone) Burnett & Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus with Larry Kalman Hirsch
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, acoustic guitar
Jerry Scheff - string bass
Mitchell Froom - keyboards
Jim Keltner - drums
Recordedca. September-October 1985, Ocean Way, Hollywood
CollectionsSingles, Volume 3, 2003
Length2:59
NoteThis previously unreleased version was erroneously released on this compilation in place of the solo demo version.
Blood & ChocolateBAC album cover large.jpg

Highlights From Blood & ChocolateHighlights From Blood & Chocolate UK 7" promo.jpg

I Want You singleI Want You UK 7" single front sleeve.jpg

Girls Girls GirlsGGG album cover 300.jpg

Goodbye Cruel WorldGCW album cover large.jpg

The Very Best Of Elvis Costello, 1999The Very Best Of Elvis Costello (2CD) album cover.jpg

Singles, Volume 3Singles Volume 3 album cover.jpg

King Of America (Rhino/Edsel reissue)King Of America Rhino album cover.jpg

Rock And Roll MusicRock And Roll Music album cover.jpg

Covers

Barely Pink recorded for unreleased Costello tribute 1999
The Big Delicious performed live, 2002 2002 info needed
The Goners High St. Harder 2012 Bandcamp.com
Judith Holofernes und Ihre Eigene Party performed live, 2014, Hamburg, Kassel and Hachenburg, Germany 2014 YouTubeSetlist.fmWikipedia
Paula Kelley Quartet performed live, 2002-08-10, Brilliant Mistakes tribute, Albany, NY 2002 reviewPaula Kelley
Oliver's Army (Dallas) performed live, Dallas-area Costello tribute band 2003- OliversArmyBand
Pollyanna Potomac CDS 1996 info
Erich Sellheim home studio production, sung in German 2019 YouTube
Wondermints CASSETTE 4 (white tape) 1995 infoinfo

Chords

tabbed by theoquik@aol.com

This is a guitar-based transcription, though some notes played by other instruments may be included
so that the lone guitarist can more fully realize the tune as it exists on Blood & Chocolate. 
Those lone guitarists with dexterity trouble can skip those notes and still "put over" the song 
in question, but it won't sound as cool.
Lower case letters indicate that the preceding chord should be played with the lower case note in 
the bass (e.g.  A    g    f#    =   you play an A chord, then you play an A chord with a G in the 
bass, then an A chord with an F# in the bass)

Tricky chords are pictured below the transcription.
Correspond to the list, or drschre@cumc.cornell.edu.

N.C.
he's a fine figure of a man and handsome 
A / Asus (alternate between the two)
too. with his eyes upon the secret places
A7                 D/ Dsus (alternate between the two)
he'd like to undo.                                   
Bm                 b flat                      a             b flat
still he knows who and where and how---------------->
Bm            D         E
and I hope  you're  happy now
A / Asus

N.C.
he's got all the things you need and some that you would
A/ Asus
never.  but you make him sound like frozen food his
A7                     D / Dsus
love will last for-  ever
Bm                              b flat                      a                
   b flat
still he knows what you want and what you don't allow------------->
Bm            D         E
and I hope  you're  happy now

A / Asus    <a c# e>riff

F#m     Emaj6                 A                                    A7
I           hope that you're   happy now the way you're supposed to be
DaddE,(f# in bass)    Esus
and I know that         this will hurt you 
A                        <e d c# b>riff
more than it hurts me
A/ Asus

N.C.
he's acting inncocent and proud still you know what he's
A/ Asus
after.  like a matador with his pork sword while 
A7                     D / Dsus
we all die of        laughter
Bm                              b flat                      a                   b flat
in his turquoise     pa-   jamas and his motorcycle hat------------>I
Bm                      D                          DaddE,(f# in bass)
hope you're happy now because you'll soon put 
<e d c# b>riff
pay to that

F#m    Emaj6            A
       I knew then what I know now
F#m   Emaj6              D          DaddE,(f# in bass)
       I never loved you  anyhow 
Bm            D         E
and I hope  you're  happy now
A / Asus   A7  <a c# e>riff
F#m    Emaj6            A
       I knew then what I know now
F#m   Emaj6              D          DaddE,(f# in bass)
       I never loved you  anyhow 
Bm            D         E
and I hope  you're  happy now

Internal links

External links