Radio Silence

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Signal fading, listen to what I'm saying
Testing, testing
This better be worth all of the breath I'm wasting
Maintaining radio silence from now on

Barricaded in the talk radio station
Hostage taken
The red "On-Air" light shines on
Something cheaper that passes for free speech will have to do

Hear him coming through loud and clear
He's trickling in your ear
He'll tell you anything you want to hear

Tape starts running
He's going to tell you something
String starts strumming
Another humdrum conundrum
Signing off now
Maintaining radio silence from now on

But there's one thing I should have said
"The hostage will end up dead"
It's just a comedy
The hostage is me

So pay the ransom
Beyond the run-out groove
And get my wife down here
A helicopter on the roof
No police marksman
Maintaining radio silence from now on

Mystery voices
Drowned out by too much choice
That's not to mention
The sad waste of this wonderful invention
Maintaining radio silence from now on

Libraries filled up with failed ideas
There's nothing more for me there
I trust in tender ink and gentle airs

Do those drug dealer still polish women made of wax?
Gangsters and world leaders
Require the same protection from attack
From a distance it's hard to tell the difference
Between a king and jack
Between a poet and hack
Maintaining radio silence from now on

Radio Silence
Written byElvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello
Produced byThe Imposter: Elvis Costello, Ciaran Cahill, Leo Pearson & Kieran Lynch
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, DR-202, Silvertone electric guitar, grand piano, guitar loops, Hofner & Fender Precision basses
Steve Nieve - electric keyboard
Recorded2001, Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin
ReleasedApril 15, 2002
AlbumsWhen I Was Cruel, 2002
Length4:58

First known performance:
May 19, 2002, Seattle, WA
Last known performance:
November 10, 2011, Amsterdam, Netherlands
     (24 known performances, 1 as a snippet)


Eye.jpg
“The lyrics of Radio Silence are sampled on Can You Hear Me? on Wise Up Ghost

When I Was CruelWIWC album cover 400.jpg

Covers

Erich Sellheim home studio production, sung in German 2021 YouTube

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External links