Watch Your Step

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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 byElvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
Produced byNick Lowe in association with Roger Bechirian
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
Recorded1980, DJM Studios and/or Eden Studios, London
ReleasedJanuary 1981
AlbumsTrust, 1981
SinglesWatch Your Step, 1981
CollectionsThe Best Of Elvis Costello & The Attractions, 1985
Girls Girls Girls, 1989
The Very Best Of Elvis Costello & The Attractions, 1994
PromosThe Elvis Costello Interview with Tom Snyder: Tomorrow Coast To Coast, 1981
Visa Sampler, 2007
Length2:57

First known performance:
March 20, 1980, Sunderland, England
Last known performance:
2024
     (311 known performances)


Alternate versions

Watch Your Step (Alternate Version) (1979)
Performed byElvis Costello
Produced byElvis Costello
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, all instruments(?)
RecordedNovember 1979, U.K. Pro Studio, London
ReleasedJuly 28, 2003
AlbumsGet Happy!! (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2003
Length2:01

Watch Your Step (Alternate Version) (1980)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
Produced byNick Lowe in association with Roger Bechirian
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedJuly 1980, DJM Studios, London
ReleasedJuly 28, 2003
AlbumsTrust (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2003
Length2:44

Watch Your Step (Live 1983)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions (with The TKO Horns)
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
Jim Paterson - trombone
Jeff Blythe - saxophone
Paul Speare - saxophone
Dave Plews - trumpet
RecordedSeptember 7, 1983, Austin, TX
ReleasedJuly 28, 2003
AlbumsPunch The Clock (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2003
Length3:22
TrustTrust album cover large.jpg

Watch Your Step single

The Best Of Elvis Costello & The AttractionsBOEC album cover 200.jpg

Girls Girls GirlsGGG album cover 300.jpg

The Very Best Of Elvis Costello & The Attractions, 1994The Very Best Of Elvis Costello And The Attractions album cover.jpg

Get Happy!!GH album cover large.jpg

Punch The ClockPunch The Clock Rhino album cover.jpg

Visa SamplerVisa Sampler front.jpg

Covers

Brenda Kahn Almost You: The Songs Of Elvis CostelloVarious artists 2003 AllmusicAmazonAmazon.uk
Maypole Product  (promo version) 1997 YouTubeBillboardAllMusic
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

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