Suit Of Lights

From The Elvis Costello Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search

While Nat King Cole sings "Welcome To My World"
You request some song you hate you sentimental fool
And it's the force of habit
If it moves then you fuck it
If it doesn't move you stab it
And I thought I heard "The Working Man's Blues"
He went out to work that night and wasted his breath
Outside there was a public execution
Inside he died a thousand deaths

And they pulled him out of the cold cold ground
And they pulled him out of the cold cold ground
And they pulled him out of the cold cold ground
And they put him in a suit of lights

In the perforated first editions
Where they advocate the hangman's noose
Then tell the sorry tale of the spent Princess
Her uncouth escort looking down her dress

Anyway they say that she wears the trousers
And learnt everything that she does
And doesn't know if she should tell him yes
Or let him go

And they pulled him out of the cold cold ground
And they pulled him out of the cold cold ground
And they pulled him out of the cold cold ground
And they put him in a suit of lights

Well it's a dog's life in a rope leash or a diamond collar
It's enough to make you think right now
But you don't bother
For goodness sake as you cry and shake
Let's keep you face down in the dirt where you belong
And think of all the pleasure that it brings
Though you know that it's wrong

And there's still life in your body
But most of it's leaving
Can't you give us all a break
Can't you stop breathing

And I thought I heard "The Working Man's Blues"
I went to work that night and wasted my breath
Outside they're painting tar on somebody
It's the closest to a work of art that they will ever be

And they pulled him out of the cold cold ground
And they pulled him out of the cold cold ground
And they pulled him out of the cold cold ground
And they put him in a suit of lights
And they put him in a suit of lights

Suit Of Lights
Written byDeclan MacManus
Performed byThe Costello Show (featuring The Attractions)
Produced byJ. Henry (T-Bone) Burnett & Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus with Larry Kalman Hirsch
MusiciansThe Little Hands Of Concrete - vocals, acoustic guitar
Bruce Thomas - electric bass
Pete Thomas - sticks & drums
Steve Nieve - piano, Hammond organ
RecordedAugust 1985, Ocean Way and/or Sunset Sound and/or Sound Factory, Los Angeles
ReleasedFebruary 21, 1986
AlbumsKing Of America, 1986
CollectionsGirls Girls Girls, 1989 (cassette only)
Unfaithful Music & Soundtrack Album, 2015
Various Artists collectionsOor 1981-1990: 10 Jaar Popmuziek, 2002
Length4:02

First known performance:
October 5, 1986, Los Angeles, CA
Last known performance:
February 13, 2023, New York, NY
     (155 known performances)


King Of America1986 King Of America Album.jpg

Girls Girls GirlsGGG album cover 300.jpg

Oor 1981-1990: 10 Jaar PopmuziekOor 1981-1990 10 Jaar Popmuziek album cover.jpg

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

Covers

Steve Nieve performed live, 2020-04-04, The Daily Improvisation, France (snippet) 2020 Facebook - 15:22
Erich Sellheim home studio production, sung in German 2019 YouTube

Chords

Chord EADGBe

G/B   X2000X

F/A   X03210

C/G   3X2010

C/E   032010

C/Bb  X12010

F/Eb  XX1211


      C        G/B         F/A           C/G
While Nat King Cole sings "Welcome To My World"
F                C/E               Dm          E
You request some song you hate you sentimental fool
    Em                Am
And it's the force of habit
      Em
If it moves then you fuck it
      Am
If it doesn't move you stab it

      C         G/B        F/A           C/G
And I thought I heard "The Working Man's Blues"
F              C/E                 Dm         E7
He went out to work that night and wasted his breath
Em                  Am
Outside there was a public execution
Em                   Am
Inside he died a thousand deaths

         C          G/B        F/A       C/G
And they pulled him out of the cold cold ground
         C          G/B        F/A       C/G
And they pulled him out of the cold cold ground
         C          G/B        C/Bb      F/A
And they pulled him out of the cold cold ground
C/G                   G       C     G/B  F/A  C/G  F  C/E  Dm  C
And they put him in a suit of lights

       C    G/B   F/A   C/G
In the perforated first editions
           F   C/E      Dm        E
Where they advocate the hangman's noose
     Em                         Am
Then tell the sorry tale of the spent Princess
    Em                Am
Her uncouth escort looking down her dress

C          G/B      F/A           C/G
Anyway they say that she wears the trousers
    F           C/E            Dm
And learnt everything that she does
    E7              C   G/B    C/Bb     F  C/E
And doesn't know if she should tell him yes
   F/Eb    Gsus    Gsus  G
Or let him go

         C          G/B        F/A       C/G
And they pulled him out of the cold cold ground
         C          G/B        F/A       C/G
And they pulled him out of the cold cold ground
         C          G/B        C/Bb      F/A
And they pulled him out of the cold cold ground
C/G                   G         C
And they put him in a suit of lights


            G               F C/E G/D C     G             G
Well it's a dog's life in a rope leash or a diamond collar
     G                  F     C/E   G/D C
It's enough to make you think right now
    F               F
But you don't bother
    C        G/B         F/A     C/G
For goodness sake as you cry and shake
      F        C/E       Dm                E7
Let's keep you face down in the dirt where you belong
    C    G/B C/Bb    F   C/E  F/Eb    Gsus4
And think of all the pleasure that it brings
           Gsus4          G
Though you know that it's wrong

    G                          F C/E
And there's still life in your body
G/D C    G              G
But most of it's leaving
G                 F  C/E G/D C
Can't you give us all a break
      F                 F
Can't you stop breathing

      C         G/B        F/A           C/G
And I thought I heard "The Working Man's Blues"
F         C/E                 Dm        E
I went to work last night and wasted my breath
Em                       Am
Outside they're painting tar on somebody
Em               Am                              Gsus4 G
It's the closest to a work of art that they will ever be

         C      G/B            F/A       C/G
And they pulled him out of the cold cold ground
         C      G/B            F/A       C/G
And they pulled him out of the cold cold ground
         C      G/B            C/Bb      F/A
And they pulled him out of the cold cold ground
C/G                   G       C
And they put him in a suit of lights

repeat ...

C/G                   G       C     G/B  F/A  C/G  F  C/E  Dm  C
And they put him in a suit of lights

C     G/B  F/A  C/G  F  C/E  Dm  C

repeat ...

Internal links

External links