Pretty Words

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I ask you nicely
Get my face slapped under wraps
What's going on precisely
Is there something wrong perhaps?

Surprise, surprise (surprise, surprise)
It's more like a booby trap than a booby prize
Civil disobedience from a soldier with a dirty rifle
You're loosening all the screws that hold the hinges of my life
Fat cats and army brats
Hep cats and dog tags pawing over girly mags

Pretty words don't mean much anymore
I don't mean to be mean much anymore
All I see are snapshots, big shots, tender spots
Mug shots, machine slots
Till you don't know what's what
You don't know what you got

Curious women running after curious men
Curiosity didn't kill the cat
It was a poisoned pen
But there's not much choice (it's Hobson's choice)
Between a cruel mouth and a jealous voice

Got back to London
Picked a paper from the mat
No words of consolation
Just cartoons and chitter chatter
Well well, fancy that
Millions murdered for a kiss me quick hat
No backbone, blood and guts
Better keep your big mouth shut

Pretty words don't mean much anymore
I don't mean to be mean much anymore
All I see are snapshots, big shots, tender spots
Machine slots, mug shots
Till you don't know what's what
You don't know what you got

Pretty Words
Written byElvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
Produced byNick Lowe in association with Roger Bechirian
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
Recorded1980, DJM Studios and/or Eden Studios, London
ReleasedJanuary 1981
AlbumsTrust, 1981
Promos4 Tracks From The Trust LP, 1981
Length3:10

First known performance:
December 27, 1980, Birmingham, England
Last known performance:
February 17, 2023, New York, NY
     (7 known performances)


TrustTrust album cover large.jpg

Covers

Erich Sellheim home studio production, sung in German 2016 YouTube

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