Watch Your Step

Don't say a word Don't say anything Don't say a word I'm not even listening I read in the paper about their escape They're just two bits of kids from a bunch of sour grapes You better watch your step Watch who's knocking on your front door Now you know that they're watching What are you waiting for? Think you're young and original Get out before They get to watch your step Every day is full of fun And family spies They're making heroes out of fall guys They say it's good for business From Singapore to Widnes You better watch your step Broken noses hung up on the wall Back-slapping drinkers cheer the heavyweight brawl So punch drunk they don't understand at all You better watch your step Every night Go out full of carnival desires End up in the closing time choirs When you're kicking in the car chrome And you're drinking down the Eau de Cologne And you're spitting out the Kodachrome You better watch your step Bye I send you all my regards You're so tough You're so hard Listen to the hammers falling in the breaker's yard You better watch your step You better watch your step Ooh, watch your step

Watch Your Step Written by Elvis Costello Performed by Elvis Costello & The Attractions Produced by Nick Lowe in association with Roger Bechirian Musicians Elvis Costello - vocals, guitar Steve Nieve - keyboards Bruce Thomas - bass Pete Thomas - drums Recorded 1980, DJM Studios and/or Eden Studios, London Released January 1981 Albums Trust, 1981 Singles Watch Your Step, 1981 Collections The Best Of Elvis Costello & The Attractions, 1985 Girls Girls Girls, 1989 The Very Best Of Elvis Costello & The Attractions, 1994 Promos The Elvis Costello Interview with Tom Snyder: Tomorrow Coast To Coast, 1981 Visa Sampler, 2007 Length 2:57 First known performance:  March 20, 1980, Sunderland, England Last known performance:  February 10, 2023, New York, NY      (302 known performances) Alternate versions Watch Your Step (Alternate Version) (1979) Performed by Elvis Costello Produced by Elvis Costello Musicians Elvis Costello - vocals, all instruments(?) Recorded November 1979, U.K. Pro Studio, London Released July 28, 2003 Albums Get Happy!! (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2003 Length 2:01 Watch Your Step (Alternate Version) (1980) Performed by Elvis Costello & The Attractions Produced by Nick Lowe in association with Roger Bechirian Musicians Elvis Costello - vocal, guitar Steve Nieve - keyboards Bruce Thomas - bass Pete Thomas - drums Recorded July 1980, DJM Studios, London Released July 28, 2003 Albums Trust (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2003 Length 2:44 Watch Your Step (Live 1983) Performed by Elvis Costello & The Attractions (with The TKO Horns) Musicians Elvis Costello - vocal, guitar Steve Nieve - keyboards Bruce Thomas - bass Pete Thomas - drums Jim Paterson - trombone Jeff Blythe - saxophone Paul Speare - saxophone Dave Plews - trumpet Recorded September 7, 1983, Austin, TX Released July 28, 2003 Albums Punch The Clock (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2003 Length 3:22

Covers

Maypole

Product  (promo version)

1997

YouTube  •  Billboard  •  AllMusic

Oliver's Army (Dallas)

performed live, Dallas-area Costello tribute band

2003 -

OliversArmyBand

Erich Sellheim

home studio production, sung in German

2016

YouTube

The Sharpers

performed live, 2013-11-01, Orléans, France

2013

YouTube

Chords

Tabbed by: Michael P McCullough

INTRO:
C F Em     C F G  (repeat)

   C           F   Em  C         F   Cm 
1.)Don't say a word,   don't say anything
2.)Ev'ry day is full   of fun,   and 
3.)Ev'ry night go out     full   of 

   C           F     Em  C        F     G
1.)Don't say a word, I'm not even listening
2.)  family spies,       they're making heroes 
3.)carnival desires       end up in the 

   C             Dm          Em
1.)I read in the papers about their escape
2.)out of fall guys     they say it's good 
3.)closing time choirs       when you're 

  F            C                      Em          F  C      F Em C
1.)They're just two bit of kids from a bunch of so-ur grapes
2.)for business                 from   Singapore to Widnes
   F                        C Dm         Em                F
3.)kicking in the car chrome  And you're drinking down the Eau de Cologne
           C Dm       Em               F          C F Em C
3.{cont.})And you're spitting out the Kodachrome

       C          F         G     C   F Em C F G
1,2,3.)You better watch your step

C           Bm          Am          F
Watch who's knocking on your front door
        C                 Bm
Now you know that they're watching
             Am      F
What are you waiting for?
             C          Bm
Think you're young and original
Am        F        C F Em 
Get out before...
C           F          G    C F Em C F G
They get to watch your step


C      Bm            Am     F
Broken noses hung up on the wall
C             Bm                 Am           F
Back slapping drinkers cheer the heavy weight brawl
C        Bm               Am   F            C F Em 
So punch drunk they don't understand at all
C          F          G    
You better watch your step

INSTRUMENTAL

Am  F Em C G F Em Dm  G C Bb F

C   Bm
Bye
  Am           F
I send you all my regards
C         Bm
You're so tough
Am        F
You're so hard
C             Bm          Am         F         G    C
Listen to the hammers falling in the breaker's yard
C          F          G    C
You better watch your step
You better watch your step
Ooh, watch your step</pre></code>

Internal links

• Elvis Costello Home Page: Trust  •  lyrics  •  chords
• Lyrics  •  Covers

External links

• Elvis Costello Reissues: Trust