Tears Before Bedtime

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I know the name on the tip of your tongue
And I know that accusing look
Everybody knows I've been so wrong
That's the problem and here's the hook

Chorus:
Tears before bedtime
There'll be trouble tonight
I don't want to talk about it anymore
I don't want to have another fight
I don't want to talk I don't want to fight
How wrong can I be before I am right

For the tears that you boo hoo hoo
There can be no defence
You say you'll forgive and forget
But it's only a pretense

(Chorus)

Either you can leave the past behind
Or give me something to disconnect my mind
I sleep with my fists clenched tight
When I don't lie awake all night
I guess time gave up the ghost too late
And the balance of our love
Very soon turns to hate

Darling your suspiciousness
Tortures me at night
But I can't excuse the cruel words
That I use whenever we fight

(Chorus)

Tears Before Bedtime
Written byElvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
Produced byGeoff Emerick from an original idea by Elvis Costello
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedNovember 1981, AIR Studios, London
ReleasedJuly 2, 1982
AlbumsImperial Bedroom, 1982
PromosA Conversation With Elvis Costello, 1982
Length3:00

First known performance:
August 29, 1981, Gateshead, England
Last known performance:
November 16, 2019, Carmel, IN
     (109 known performances)


Alternate versions

Tears Before Bedtime (Almost Blue reissue version)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
Produced byBilly Sherrill
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
John McFee - guitar
RecordedMay 20, 1981, CBS Studio A, Nashville
ReleasedAugust 30, 1994
AlbumsAlmost Blue (Rykodisc/Demon reissue), 1994
Almost Blue (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2004
Length2:23

Tears Before Bedtime (Alternate Version)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
Produced byGeoff Emerick from an original idea by Elvis Costello
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedNovember 1981, AIR Studios, London
ReleasedOctober 28, 2002
AlbumsImperial Bedroom (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2002
Length3:01

Tears Before Bedtime (Live 2006)
Performed byElvis Costello & Allen Toussaint
featuring The Imposters, Anthony "AB" Brown & The Crescent City Horns
Horn arrangementAllen Toussaint
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Allen Toussaint - piano
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Davey Faragher - bass, backing vocal
Pete Thomas - drums
Anthony "AB" Brown - guitar
Amadee Castenell - saxophone
Brian "Breeze" Cayolle - saxophone
Joe "Foxx" Smith - trumpet
Sam "Big Sam" Williams - trombone
RecordedJuly 3, 2006, Montreal, QC, Canada
ReleasedDecember 5, 2006
VideosHot As A Pistol, Keen As A Blade, 2006
Imperial BedroomIB album cover large.jpg

A Conversation With Elvis CostelloA Conversation With Elvis Costello album cover.jpg

Almost BlueAB album cover large.jpg

Hot As A Pistol, Keen As A BladeHot As A Pistol Keen As A Blade DVD cover.jpg

Covers

Steve Nieve performed live, 2020-05-02, The Daily Improvisation, France - instrumental 2020 Facebook - 10:45
Erich Sellheim home studio production, sung in German 2016 YouTube

Internal links

External links