The Crooked Line

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Life isn't a game won or tied
Lost by either side
Then some people's idea
Of the straight and narrow didn't appeal to me

If you were my life's companion
As it seems you may turn out to be
I'm contemplating
How I hope I'll find you waiting
At the very end of this crooked line

Love isn't a trial of strength and weakness
Through light into darkness
Then some people remark
The worthwhile fire never started without that spark

If you were my life's companion
As it seems you may turn out to be
I'm contemplating
How I hope I'll find you waiting
At the very end of this crooked line

The Crooked Line
Written byElvis Costello & T Bone Burnett
Performed byElvis Costello
Produced byT Bone Burnett
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, Gibson J-50 acoustic guitar
T Bone Burnett - Kay 161 electric guitar
Dennis Crouch - double bass
Stuart Duncan - fiddle
Jeff Taylor - accordion
Mike Compton - mandolin
Jim Lauderdale - harmony vocal
Emmylou Harris - harmony vocal
RecordedMarch 31-April 2, 2008, Sound Emporium Studio, Nashville
ReleasedJune 2, 2009
AlbumsSecret, Profane & Sugarcane, 2009

Background:
 Written for but not used in an unspecified movie, possibly the 2005 Johnny Cash biopic Walk The Line.
First known performance:
July 22, 2005, Wallingford, CT
Last known performance:
February 10, 2023, New York, NY
     (52 known performances)


Eye.jpg
“‘The Crooked Line’ is a song longing for constancy. It's the only song I've ever written about fidelity that is without any irony.” elviscostello.com, March 23, 2009.

Secret, Profane & SugarcaneSecret Profane And Sugarcane album cover medium.jpg

Covers

My Darling Clementine with Steve Nieve performed live, July 12, 2020, the Immobile Tour webcast, Day 59.2,
Manchester, England and Trouville, France
2020 Facebook
My Darling Clementine & Steve Nieve My Darling Clementine: Country Darkness Vol. 3 2020 Website

Internal links