When I Write The Book

From The Elvis Costello Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search

Now I can remember like it was only yesterday
Love was young and foolish like a little child at play
But oh how lovers change, I never dreamed how easily
'cause now I'm just a shadow of the boy I used to be

And when I write the book about my love
It will be about a man who's torn in half
About his hopes and ambitions wasted through the years
The pain will be written on every page in tears
When I write the book about my love

I was a fool to myself when I kept on runnin' around
And I fared little better when I tried settlin' down
Maybe some magic moment, I've never known one, not for long
For all too soon the magic is in a moment gone

And when I write the book about my love
It'll be a heartbreaking story about love and luck
When I get down on the pages all I felt
It will make the hardest-hearted of critics' hearts melt
When I write the book about my love

When I was young love was fun and I was so happy,
I looked so good and I dressed so snappy
Two-tone shoes on my feet big old smile on my face,
as I moved and grooved all over the place
Now I'm down in the heels my complexion is bad
'cause my love life is sadder than sad

And when I write the book about my love
It'll be a pop publication, tougher than tough
When I get down on the pages all I missed
It will shoot to the top of the best-sellers list
When I write the book about my love

When I Write The Book (unreleased cover)
Written byNick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Billy Bremner & Terry Williams
Performed byElvis Costello with Nick Lowe, Austin de Lone, Bill Kirchen, Bob Andrews, Derek Huston, Ruth Davies & Paul Revelli - 2010-10-01
Elvis Costello - solo, 2015-2016

First known performance:
October 1, 2010, San Francisco, CA, early show
Last known performance:
April 12, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT
     (24 known performances)


Category:Unreleased covers1999-00-00 live.jpg


Recordings by other artists

 Artist  Year  Release  Links
Rockpile  1980 Seconds Of Pleasure AllMusicWikipedia
Huey Lewis & The News  2001 Plan B AllMusicWikipedia
 Andrea Re  2001 Labour Of Love: The Music Of Nick Lowe AllMusicAmazon
Elizabeth McQueen  2005 Happy Doing What We're Doing AllMusicAmazon

Internal links