You Bowed Down

Lyrics

I expect you're entitled to know why I'm making contact

With acquaintances scattered all over the land

I'd promise you now and again that I'd honour the contract

If it hadn't crumbled away in my hand

So we broke that vow independently now

But I don't know why you absolutely deny

You bowed down (you bowed down, you bowed down)

You bowed down (you bowed down, you bowed down)

When you first looked away I might say it was really a kindness

It must have hurt you to see how dreams sour

Now they say that justice and love are the next things to blindness

Well you're getting plenty of both of them now

And so you parade where appointments are made

And never meant to be kept

Unless you accept

You bowed down (you bowed down, you bowed down)

You bowed down (you bowed down, you bowed down)

You value the burnt amber of falling leaves

And you long to delay

As you feel their breath as they whisper

"It won't hurt you now to betray

If you just bow down"

And now every time that we meet on the edge of hysteria

You're helping them sell off some new party line

I remember a time when you would have seemed so superior

Now you say "Will you please meet this good friend of mine?"

So you're in demand as long as you kiss their hand

But all the applause is for their name not yours

You bowed down (you bowed down, you bowed down)

You bowed down (you bowed down, you bowed down)

You bowed down (you bowed down, you bowed down)

You bowed down (you bowed down, you bowed down)

You bowed down

You bowed down

You bowed down

You bowed down

Credits

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

Elvis Costello - vocals, guitars and keyboards (bridge)

Steve Nieve - keyboards

Bruce Thomas - bass

Pete Thomas - drums, percussion and acoustic guitar

Discography

Albums:

• All This Useless Beauty, 1996
• All This Useless Beauty (Deluxe Edition), Rhino, 2001
• This section may be incomplete.

Singles:

• This section may be incomplete.

Collections:

• Album Name, Year
• This section may be incomplete.

Alternate Versions:

• You Bowed Down (demo)

All This Useless Beauty (Deluxe Edition), Rhino, 2001

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Soundtracks:

• none

Various Artists collections:

• none

Covers

Recorded by:

• Roger McGuinn, on Back From Rio (1990)
• This section may be incomplete.

Performed by:

• none
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Bootlegs

• This section is incomplete.