The Greatest Thing

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Everyone stopped when she walked into the room
Isn't this the greatest thing
Everyone own up but nobody could touch her
Isn't this the greatest thing
Punch the clock, keep boxing clever
You'll be young enough forever

Isn't this the greatest
Isn't this the greatest thing
Isn't this the greatest thing
The greatest thing

I heard some new confection
Said we can't afford to feel affection
'Cos it's the latest thing
In and out of matrimony
Never once removed the Sony
'Cos it's a status thing
So girls like that above described
Are not to be so easily bribed
With a white frock and a ring
Punch the clock and in time you'll get pulled apart
If you're married on paper and not in your heart

But I won't be told that life with the one you love is sordid
Just because some authority says you can't afford it

And it's the greatest thing, and it's the greatest thing
And it's the greatest thing, and it's the greatest thing

Oh, it's the greatest
Isn't this the greatest thing
Isn't this the greatest thing
The greatest thing

Since nights were long and days were olden
Woman to man has been beholden
But since then times have been changing
She sends back his tribute of a rose
And says this ring is better suited to the nose you're always fingering
I punch the clock and it's OK
I know a girl who takes my breath away

And it's the greatest
Isn't this the greatest thing
Isn't this the greatest thing
The greatest thing, the greatest thing...



Alternate lyrics from demo version:


Everyone stopped as she walked into the room
Isn't this the greatest thing
Everyone own up but nobody could touch her
Isn't this the greatest thing
Red eyes swivel in their sockets
Pictures painted hands in pockets
Isn't this the greatest thing
Punch the clock, keep boxing clever
You'll be young enough forever
Isn't this the greatest thing

Isn't this the greatest thing
The greatest thing
The greatest thing
Isn't this the greatest thing
The greatest thing

I heard some sickly new confection
Says we can't afford to feel affection
And it's the latest thing
In and out of matrimony
Never once removed the Sony
'Cos it's a status thing
So girls like that above described
Are not to be so easily bribed
With a white frock and a ring
Punch the clock and in time you'll get pulled apart
If you're married on paper and not in your heart
'Cos that's the greatest thing

But I won't be told that life with the one you love is sordid
Just because some authority says you can't afford it

Since nights were long and days were olden
Woman to man has been beholden
But since then times have been changing
She sends back his tribute of a rose
And says this ring is better suited for the nose he's always fingering
There's a two-inch television screen and fifty million miles of cable
A world of coffee table books and no coffee table
I punch the clock and it's OK
I know a girl who takes my breath away

And it's the greatest thing
The greatest thing
The greatest thing
And it's the greatest thing
The greatest thing

The Greatest Thing
Written byElvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions (with The TKO Horns)
Produced byClive Langer & Alan Winstanley
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
Jim Paterson - trombone
Jeff Blythe - baritone saxophone, clarinet
Paul Speare - tenor saxophone
Dave Plews - trumpet
RecordedJanuary-April 1983, AIR Studios, London
ReleasedAugust 5, 1983
AlbumsPunch The Clock, 1983
Length3:02

First known performance:
June 3, 1983, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Last known performance:
November 2, 1984, London, England
     (102 known performances)


Alternate versions

The Greatest Thing (Demo)
Performed byElvis Costello
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, all instruments
Recordedca. 1982-1983, Elvis' home
ReleasedJuly 28, 2003
AlbumsPunch The Clock (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2003
Length2:23
Punch The ClockPunch The Clock Rhino album cover.jpg

Covers

Erich Sellheim home studio production, sung in German 2018 YouTube

Internal links

External links