I Let The Sun Go Down

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Whenever I'm in the tightest corner
Whenever I feel forlorn
I think of the isle where
I was born
And the duty to which I've sworn
But I woke up in a nightmare
With a Union Jack and half
a crown
John Bull got caught with his
pants down, again
That's inviting sundown

It's time to do or die
It's time to say "Good-bye"
Cos I'm the man who lost the
British Empire
Yes I'm the one, I let the
sun go down

Don't let the shadows lengthen
and cover my good intentions
They say that darkness brings
the right time
But it's also time for tears
I'm so sorry and sincere
Ahead of me a brilliant career
Now I'm going nowhere

It's time to do or die
It's time to say "Good-bye"
Cos I'm the man who lost the
British Empire
Yes I'm the one I let the
sun go down

Stay awhile
Delay the night
I'm too young for twilight
They'd tell the sun to hesitate
That's when Britain was Great
Now that the lights are flickering
My pulse is quickening
All over the world the lamps
will dim
And never be seen again

The balloon's gone up
The night descends
As they lower the flag on
no-man's land
They'll take you down
a peg or two
This is the bitter end

I walk into darkness
It's time to do or die
It's time to say "Good-bye"
Cos I'm the man who lost the
British Empire
Yes I'm the one, I let the
sun go down
I let the sun go down
Don't let the sun go down
I let the sun go down

I Let The Sun Go Down
Written byElvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello & The Imposters
Produced bySebastian Krys & Elvis Costello
Vocal arrangementElvis Costello
Orchestration written and conducted byElvis Costello
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, whistling, acoustic, electric and slide guitars
Steve Nieve - Challen upright piano, organ, Twilight keyboards
Davey Faragher - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
Elvis Costello, Davey Faragher & Tommy Faragher - vocal group
Robert Chausow - violin (concertmaster)
Antoine Silverman - violin
Cyrus Beroukhim - violin
Louise Owen - violin
Claire Chan - violin
Juliet Haffner - viola, string contractor
Christopher Cardona - viola
Katarzyna Bryla-Weiss - viola
Erik Friedlander - violoncello
Christopher Komer - French horn
ReleasedOctober 12, 2018
AlbumsLook Now, 2018
Length4:26

First known performance:
June 25, 2015, Cardiff, Wales
Last known performance:
March 5, 2020, Glasgow, Scotland
     (2 known performances)


Eye.jpg
“My song "I Let The Sun Go Down" was written for the Austin Powers musical” Twitter post, March 3, 2023

Look NowLook Now album cover.jpg


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