Strange

From The Elvis Costello Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search

How many wrinkles in a pickle?
How many hairs in a head?
How many waves in the ocean?
How many crumbs in bread?
But last, but not least, but baby most of all
Why do I m-mumble every time you call?

(Chorus:)
Because you're strange to me baby
Oh, you're good to me mama
Well, I admit you are strange
But baby, please don't change
I know I belong with you

How many bubbles in soap?
How many chewings in gum?
How many rolls in a wheel?
Where did eyeballs come from?
But last, but not least, but baby most of all
Why do I m-mumble every time you call?

(Repeat Chorus)

How many blanks in a blanket?
How many cuts in a knife?
How strong is a bedbug?
And how deep is his bite?
Last, but not least, but baby most of all
Why do I m-mumble every time you call?

(Repeat Chorus)

Strange, you got a big double head and one bloodshot eye
Strange, you got five double chins, you eat baboon pie
Strange, your knees look like the knees of a nanny goat
Strange, you got two left legs, your lips don't close
Strange, there's something wrong with you, I don't know what it is
Strange, I'm gonna leave you alone, gonna leave you like this

Strange
Written byScreamin' Jay Hawkins
Performed byElvis Costello
Produced byElvis Costello & Kevin Killen
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals
Jim Keltner - drums
Jerry Scheff - bass
Larry Knechtel - piano
Marc Ribot - electric guitar
Recorded1990, Blue Wave Studios, Barbados
Vocal backgrounds added at Eden Studios, London
ReleasedMay 9, 1995
AlbumsKojak Variety, 1995
PromosSelections From Almost Blue, Goodbye Cruel World, Kojak Variety, 2004
Length2:48

First known performance:
May 25, 1991, Santa Barbara, CA
Last known performance:
July 2, 1995, Roskilde, Denmark
     (39 known performances)


Eye.jpg
“"Screamin' Jay Hawkins is not a particular major figure in my life but half the fun in music is coming across the Quirky one-off that you just love. I found this on a B-side and I just loved the words ("How many wrinkles in a pickle... / How many crumbs in bread... / Where do eyeballs come from".) In fact, the words are so ludicrous I couldn't get through the first verse. But I kept the fuck-up at the beginning because that's the way it was recorded and, anyway, it's not supposed to be an Open University blues album."” — Elvis writing in Q magazine, June 1995.

Kojak Variety album cover.jpg


Recordings by other artists

 Artist  Year  Release  Links
Screamin' Jay Hawkins  1964  B-side of single The Whammy Discogs


Internal links

External links