Riot Act

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Forever doesn't mean forever anymore
I said forever
But it doesn't look like I'm gonna be around much anymore
When the heat gets sub-tropical
And the talk gets so topical

Riot act - you can read me the riot act
You can make me a matter of fact
Or a villain in a million
A slip of the tongue is gonna keep me civilian

Why do you talk such stupid nonsense
When my mind could rest much easier
Instead of all this dumb dumb insolence
I would be happier with amnesia

They say forget her
Now it looks like you're either gonna be before me or against me
I got your letter
Now they say I don't care for the colour that it paints me
Trying to be so bad is bad enough
Don't make me laugh by talking tough
Don't put your heart out on your sleeve
When your remarks are off the cuff

Riot act - you can read me the riot act
You can make me a matter of fact
Or a villain in a million
A slip of the tongue is gonna keep me civilian

Riot act - you can read me the riot act
You can make me

Riot Act
Written byElvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
Produced byNick Lowe
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedOctober 1979, Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands and/or Eden Studios, London
ReleasedFebruary 1980
AlbumsGet Happy!!, 1980
CollectionsGirls Girls Girls, 1989
The Very Best Of Elvis Costello, 1999
Unfaithful Music & Soundtrack Album, 2015
PromosGet Happy!! (Promo Album), 1980
Punch The Clock, Trust & Get Happy!! Sampler, 2003
Length3:35

First known performance:
April 10, 1984, Charlottesville, VA
Last known performance:
February 14, 2023, New York, NY
     (124 known performances)


Eye.jpg
“From the wiped out sound of this track you'd never guess that these dark thoughts were written on a beautiful beach at dawn.” Girls Girls Girls liner notes, 1989.

Alternate versions

Riot Act (Demo)
Performed byElvis Costello
Produced byElvis Costello
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, all instruments
Recorded1979, Archipelago Studios, London
ReleasedApril 29, 1994
AlbumsGet Happy!! (Rykodisc/Demon reissue), 1994
Get Happy!! (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2003
Length2:48
Get Happy!!GH album cover large.jpg

Girls Girls GirlsGGG album cover 300.jpg

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

Unfaithful Music & Soundtrack AlbumUnfaithful Music & Soundtrack Album album cover.jpg

Covers

Depoprovera performed live, 2003-03-25 2003 link
Karen Farr Sistine 1993 AllMusicAmazon
Robbie Fulks performed live, 2015-03-30, The Hideout, Chicago 2015 YouTube
Jeffrey Gaines Galore  bonus disc 1998 AllMusicwebsite
Robin Goldwasser The Loser's Lounge Tribute to Elvis Costello 2002 LosersLounge
Kristian Hoffman performed live, 2003-03-27, EC tribute, Knitting Factory, Los Angeles 2003 archive.org
Steve Nieve instrumental, performed live, 2020-04-24, The Daily Improvisation, France 2020 Facebook - 15:05
Okkervil River Almost You: The Songs Of Elvis Costello 2003 AllmusicAmazonAmazon.uk
Erich Sellheim home studio production, sung in German 2015 YouTube
'Til Tuesday performed live 1991 link

Internal links

External links