Sugar Won't Work

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Lightning Up!
And shake the ground

Is that a horn that's blowing?
Or a bell that's tolling?
Walls are falling
Ships pulled out from their mooring
Is that a river or just a road the storm has stolen?

And this will predict the times these signs will bring
Me and my stupid heart
We were never apart
But now sugar won't work

Lightning Up!
And fly the coop
Far from this tin-pan alley oop
Did you think I was your dupe?
I hear such lies and howlers
Words to pull out your molars

And this will predict the times these signs will bring
Me and my stupid heart
We were never apart
But now sugar won't work

Lightning Up!
Sugar the pill
A wall of ocean ten miles high
Metal darts torn from the sky
Like wanton boys make noise pull wings from flies

And this will predict the times these signs will bring
Me and my stupid heart
We were never apart
But now sugar won't work

Sugar Won't Work
Written byElvis Costello, Ahmir Thompson and Steven Mandel
Performed byElvis Costello and The Roots
Produced byElvis Costello, Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson and Steven Mandel
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, Kay baritone guitar
Ray Angry - organ
Kirk Douglas - electric guitar
Pino Palladino - bass
?uestlove - drums
AlbumsWise Up Ghost, 2013
Length3:31

First known performance:
September 16, 2013, New York, NY
Last known performance:
September 27, 2020, The Immobile Tour
     (30 known performances)


Alternate versions

Sugar Won't Work (Karriem Riggins Beat Interlude)
Performed byElvis Costello and The Roots
Remix byKarriem Riggins
AlbumsWise Up: Thought, 2013
Length0:49

Wise Up GhostWise Up Ghost album cover.jpg

Wise Up: ThoughtWise Up Thought Remixes & Reworks album cover.jpg


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