Less Than Zero

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Lyrics - Credits - Discography - Covers - Bootlegs - Chords

Lyrics

Calling Mister Oswald with the swastika tattoo,

there is a vacancy waiting in the English voodoo,

carving "v" for vandal on the guilty boy's head.

When he's had enough of that maybe you'll take him to bed

to teach him he's alive before he wishes he was dead.

Turn up the TV. No one listening will suspect,

even your mother won't detect it,

no your father won't know.

they think that I've got no respect

but everything means less than zero.

Hey, ooh hey, hey, ooh hey.


Oswald and his sister are doing it again.

They've got the finest home movies that you have ever seen.

They've got a thousand variations: every service with a smile.

They're gonna take a little break, and they'll be back after a while.

well I hear that South America is coming into style.


chorus


A pistol was still smoking, a man lay on the floor.

Mister Oswald said he had an understanding with the law.

He said he heard about a couple living in the USA.

He said they traded in their baby for a Chevrolet.

Let's talk about the future now we've put the past away.


chorus


Credits

Elvis Costello - vocals, guitar
The Shamrocks (a.k.a. Clover):
John McFee - guitar, pedal steel
Sean Hopper - piano, organ, backing vocals
Stan Shaw - organ
Johnny Ciambotti - bass, backing vocals
Mickey Shine - drums
Nick Lowe - backing vocals


Discography

Albums:

Singles:

Collections:

Alternate Versions:

  • Less Than Zero (organ mix)
A Bunch Of Stiff Records, 1977
  • Less Than Zero (Dallas Version)
see Less Than Zero (Dallas Version) for more info
  • Less Than Zero/Radio, Radio (Saturday Night Live, New York 1977-12-17)
SNL25: The Musical Performances Volume 1, 1999

Soundtracks:

  • none

Various Artists collections:

Covers

Recorded by:

  • none
  • This section may be incomplete.

Performed by:

Bootlegs

  • This section is incomplete.

Chords

tabbed by phillip@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Phillip Charles Saunders) 

|F Bb C|  F C|F Bb C|  F C|
 
F              Bb              C            F
Calling Mister Oswald with the swastika tattoo,
      C     F        Bb           C           F
There is a vacancy waiting in the English voodoo,
C      Bb                      Gm
Carving "V" for vandal on the guilty boy's head.
          Bb                               Gm
When he's had enough of that, maybe you'll take him to bed
    C              Dm/F    C                    Dm/F C
To teach him he's alive before he wishes he was dead.
 
|C   FC|  -  |
 
 
Bb                       F
Turn up the T.V. No one list'ning will suspect.
           Bb                              F
Even your mother won't detect it, so your father won't know.
Bb                      F
They think that I've got no respect,
   Ebm                F
But ev'rything means less than zero.
     Bb    F  C  F
Hey,  ooh hey,
C  F Bb    F  C
Hey,  ooh hey.


Internal links

External links

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