The Land Of Give And Take

Lyrics

History repeats the old conceits

The glib replies the same defeats

Keep your finger on important issues

With crocodile tears and a pocketful of tissues

She found this oily slick

Then she got a nervous tick

In a fashionable hovel

Hanging around dying to be tortured

Digging his way into the bone orchard

Going to a go-go, going to grovel

In the land of give and take

You keep your body and your soul make no mistake

But I can't take much more heartache

So to hell with you for heaven's sake

In an almost empty gin palace

Through a two-way looking glass

You see your Alice

And she smiles very sweetly

Charged with insults and flattery

Moving with malice

You've got to be so cruel to be callous

And you fit the identikit completely

In the land of give and take

You keep your body and your soul make no mistake

But I can't stand much more heartache

So to hell with you for heaven's sake

I might shake California's fault

Be locked in Geneva's deepest vault

I shall not walk, I shall not fear

From the valley of your breath I shall steer clear

His hands were clammy and cunning

She was suitably stunning

But she says there's not a hope in Hades

All the laddies cat call and wolf whistle

Though they dog fight like rose and thistle

Getting to the nitty gritty just chewing on the gristle

As she staggers to the ladies'

In the land of give and take

You keep your body and your soul make no mistake

But I can't take much more heartache

So to hell with you for heaven's sake

In the land of give and take

You keep your body and your soul make no mistake

But I can't take much more heartache

So to hell with you for heaven's sake

In the land of give and take

You keep your body and your soul make no mistake

But I can't take much more heartache

So to hell with you for heaven's sake

Credits

• Written by: Elvis Costello
• Produced by: Geoff Emerick
• Musicians:

Elvis Costello - vocals, guitar

Steve Nieve - keyboards

Bruce Thomas - bass

Pete Thomas - drums

Discography

Albums:

• Imperial Bedroom (Deluxe Edition), Rhino/Edsel, 2002

Singles:

• none

Collections:

• none

Soundtracks:

• none

Various Artists collections:

• none

Covers

Recorded by:

• none

Bootlegs

• This section is incomplete.