The Beat

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We're all going on a summer holiday
Vigilantes coming out to follow me
Heard somebody say they're out to collar me
Anybody wanna swallow me?

It takes two to tumble, it takes two to tango
Speak up; don't mumble if you're in the combo
On the beat, on the beat

Till a man comes along and he says
"Have you been a good boy, never played with your toy?
Though you never enjoy, such a pleasure to employ"

See your friends in the state they're in
See your friends getting under their skin
See your friends getting taken in

Well, if you only knew the things you do to me
I'd do anything to confuse the enemy
There's only one thing wrong with you befriending me
Take it easy, I think you're bending me

I've been a bad boy with the standard leader
My neighbor's revving up his Vauxhall Viva
On the beat, on the upbeat

Till the man comes along and he says
"Have you been a good boy, never played with your toy?
Though you never enjoy, such a pleasure to employ"

See your friends walking down the street
See your friends never quite complete
See your friends getting under their feet

Oh, I don't want to disease you
But I'm no good with machinery
Oh, I don't wanna freeze you
Stop looking at the scenery
I keep thinking about your mother
Oh, I don't wanna lick them
I don't wanna be a lover
I just wanna be your victim

I don't go out much late at night
I don't go out much at all
Did you think you were the only one
Who was waiting for a call?
On the beat, on the beat, on the upbeat

Till a man comes along and he says,
"Have you been a good boy, never played with your toy?
Though you never enjoy, such a pleasure to employ"

See your friends treat me like a stranger
See your friends despite all the arrangements
See your friends -- nothing here has changed

Just the beat
Just the beat
Just the beat
Just the beat



Yo Te Ví (Spanish Model) lyrics

Aqui estamos pensando en verano
Los vigilantes saben cuando es que llegamos
Se que aliguien quiere acusarme de algo
No hay nadie que queria ayudarme un rato?

Es que No tengo adone ir, no tengo adonde estar
Dime si sabes la que hay o mejor no hablar
(Yo te vi... On the Beat... yo te vi
On the Beat)
Ya no pude mas y dije...
Si me vas a tocar no me puedes mirar
Si no vas a sentir ya te puedes vestir...

Otra vez
Te vas a esconder...
Otra vez
Robándome la piel
Otra vez
Somos los de ayer

Si tu supieras las cosas que se ven
Pues no pretendo que te sin querer
Si soy tu amigo porque dudar de mi
Aquí no hay nadie mañana puedes ya volver

Ya no mi importa que me enseñes los dientes
Yo me quedo tranquilo hasta que cambies la mente
(Yo te vi... On the Beat... yo te vi
On the Beat)
Ya no pude mas y dije...
Si me vas a tocar no me puedes mirar
Si no vas a sentir ya te puedes vestir...

Otra vez
Vas caminando así
Otra vez
Fingiendo sonreír
Otra vez
Ya no me puedo ir

Envenenarte no interesa... no entendió esta maquina
No me interesa congelarte...
Este Drama no hay que vivirla
Sigo pensando en lo que hablamos... la memoria no da pa tanto
Yo no quiero ser tu amante... ni tu único esclavo
Ya no salgo mas de noche... yo no salgo mas de dia
Si tu crees que eres la única, porque entonces me preguntas?
(Yo te vi... On the Beat... yo te vi
On the Beat)
Ya no pude mas y dije...
Si me vas a tocar no me puedes mirar
Si no vas a sentir ya te puedes vestir...

Otra vez
Somos dos extraños
Otra vez
Sin tiempo ni horarios
Otra vez
Entre el placer y el daño

Otra vez

The Beat
Written byElvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
Produced byNick Lowe
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedAugust 3, 1977, Pathway Studios, London
ReleasedMarch 17, 1978
AlbumsThis Year's Model, 1978
Collections2½ Years, 1993
PromosSelections From This Year's Model - Blood & Chocolate - Brutal Youth, 2002
Length3:47

First known performance:
July 21, 1977, Manchester, England
Last known performance:
July 2, 2023, Hampton Beach, NH
     (345 known performances)


Alternate versions

The Beat (Live 1977)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedAugust 7, 1977, London, England
ReleasedSeptember 11, 2007
AlbumsMy Aim Is True: Deluxe Edition, 2007
Length3:46

The Beat (Live 1978 - Washington)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedFebruary 28, 1978, Washington, DC
ReleasedMarch 4, 2008
AlbumsThis Year's Model: Deluxe Edition, 2008
Length3:43

The Beat (Live 1978 - Toronto)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedMarch 6, 1978, Toronto, ON, Canada
Released1978 (promo-only release)
October 15, 1993 (commercial release)
AlbumsLive At The El Mocambo, 1978
Collections2½ Years, 1993
Length3:34

Yo Te Ví (Spanish Model Version)
Performed byDraco Rosa, Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Produced bySebastian Krys from an original idea by Elvis Costello
Spanish adaptationDraco Rosa & Elsten Torres
MusiciansDraco Rosa - vocals
Elvis Costello - vocals, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedOctober 2019, Puerto Rico (Draco Rosa), August 3, 1977, Pathway Studios, London (Elvis Costello & The Attractions)
ReleasedSeptember 10, 2021
AlbumsSpanish Model, 2021
Length3:39
This Year's ModelTYM album cover large.jpg

Live At The El MocamboLive At The El Mocambo album cover.jpg

2½ Years2½ Years album cover.jpg

My Aim Is TrueMAIT UK initial album cover large.jpg

Spanish ModelSpanish Model album cover.jpg

Covers

Zachary Scot Johnson performed live, home studio production 2022 YouTube
Radio Costello performed live, 2023-10-01, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield, England 2023 FaceBook
Erich Sellheim home studio production, sung in German 2013 YouTube

Internal links

External links