You Bowed Down

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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

You Bowed Down
Written byElvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
Produced byGeoff Emerick & Elvis Costello
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, guitar, bridge keyboards
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums, acoustic guitar
RecordedAugust-September 1995, Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin
February 1996, Westside Studios, London
ReleasedMay 13, 1996
AlbumsAll This Useless Beauty, 1996
SinglesYou Bowed Down, 1996
Various Artists collectionsGuide May 1996, 1996
Collector's Edition 1996, Vol. 2, 1996
PromosYou Bowed Down, 1996
Damn Critics, Damn Right, 1996
Fuck The Rules, 1996
Heck On Wheels: Volume 7, 1996 (edit)
Either Side Of The Same Town Sampler, 2010
Length4:53 (album version)
4:15 (promo edit)

First known performance:
May 25, 1991, Santa Barbara, CA
Last known performance:
June 19, 2013, Southend-on-Sea, England
     (74 known performances)


Alternate versions

You Bowed Down (Demo)
Performed byElvis Costello
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, all instruments
Recordedca. 1988-1990, unknown location
ReleasedAugust 21, 2001
AlbumsAll This Useless Beauty (Rhino reissue), 2001
Length4:18

You Bowed Down (Live 1996)
Performed byCostello & Nieve
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - piano
RecordedMay 20, 1996, Boston, MA
ReleasedDecember 3, 1996
AlbumsCostello & Nieve, 1996
PromosLive At The Paradise, Boston, 1996
Length4:56
All This Useless BeautyATUB album cover large.jpg

You Bowed Down singleYou Bowed Down US CD single front cover.jpg

Costello & NieveCostello & Nieve album cover.jpg

Covers

Roger McGuinn Back From Rio 1990 AllMusicAmazon
Roger McGuinn Back To New York (bootleg) 2002 AllMusic
Roger McGuinn Live From Electric Lady Land (bootleg) 2002 AllMusic

Internal links

External links