The Town Where Time Stood Still

From The Elvis Costello Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search

I made my selection from the lonely hit parade
In the town where time stood still
I was feeling very little pain
Until some joker played "Almost Persuaded"
Now every girl I see
Looks so much prettier to me
My faithfulness has faded
And their looks are sharp as daggers
And the conversation heated
Since the boys have all been laid off
And are walking round defeated
In the town where time stood still

Somebody in charge must have pretended
The future's been suspended
And I say I don't want trouble
But I find myself back in it
In the town where time stood still
I am the man of the minute

Teach me to say "I love you"
I'll teach you to say "You will do"
In the town where time stood still
Or maybe I can find a little girl
To wind me up with all the usual skills

There's nothing else to do but rearrange somebody's features
And trap your fingers in the till
The bar is full of girls just like the creature with the curse
And the food is just like cabaret and vice versa
In the town where time stood still

Just as my heart went down sinking
I found the town was shrinking
And suddenly I saw her through the smoke and empty beers
In the town where time stood still
She might have well have waited years

Now I suppose we did some things we used to do
But no amount of darkness could ever turn her into you

And so I woke up in the town where time stood still
With a headache and a heartache
And a handful of pills
A welcome mat, a scandal rag and unpaid bills

With her hand inside her handbag
The sign says "please wait to be seated"
I only want a cup of coffee
I know you can't have your cake and eat it
In the town where time stood still

Did you hear the news today?
It's all bad, did I tell you how I left her so sad?
With a headache and a heartache
And an hour or two to kill
I only wish we were together
In the town where time stood still
In the town where time stood still
In the town where time stood still
In the town where time stood still
In the town where time stood still

The Town Where Time Stood Still
Written byElvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello
Produced byElvis Costello
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, all instruments except drum loop
Pete Thomas - drum loop
Recorded1982, Eden Studios, London
ReleasedFebruary 28, 1995
AlbumsPunch The Clock (Rykodisc/Demon reissue), 1995
Punch The Clock (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2003
Length3:30

First known performance:
August 29, 1981, Gateshead, England
Last known performance:
April 19, 2020, The Daily Improvisation
     (11 known performances)


Alternate versions

The Town Where Time Stood Still (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
Length2:56

The Town Where Time Stood Still (Demo)
Performed byElvis Costello
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Recorded1983, unknown location
ReleasedJuly 26, 2004
AlbumsGoodbye Cruel World (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2004
Length2:15
Punch The ClockPunch The Clock Rhino album cover.jpg

Imperial BedroomIB album cover large.jpg

Goodbye Cruel WorldGCW album cover large.jpg

Covers

Erich Sellheim home studio production, sung in German 2016 YouTube

Internal links

External links