45

Bells are chiming for victory There's a page back in history 45 They came back to the world that they fought for Didn't turn out just like they thought 45 Here is a song to sing to do the measuring What did you lose? What did you gain? What did you win? Nine years later a child is born There's a record, so you put it on 45 Nine years more, if we're lucky now Nine-year-old puts his money down 45 Every scratch, every click, every heartbeat Every breath that I held for you 45 There's a stack of shellac and vinyl Which is yours now and which is mine? 45 Here is a song to sing to do the measuring What did you lose? What did you gain? What did you win? Bass and treble heal every hurt There's a rebel in a nylon shirt But the words are a mystery, I've heard 'Til you turn it down to 33 and 1/3 'Cos it helps with the elocution Corporations turn revolutions 45 So don't you weep and shed Just change your name instead What do you lose when it all goes to your head? I heard something peculiar said: "Perhaps he's got a shot and now he's dead" 45 Bells are chiming and tears are falling It creeps up on you without a warning 45 Every scratch, every click, every heartbeat Every breath that I bless I'd be lost, I confess 45

45 Written by Elvis Costello Performed by Elvis Costello (& The Imposters) Produced by The Imposter: Elvis Costello, Ciaran Cahill, Leo Pearson & Kieran Lynch Musicians Elvis Costello - vocals, Magnatone Typhoon electric guitar Pete Thomas - drums, handclaps Davey Faragher - Fender Precision bass, handclaps Steve Nieve - Hohner pianet, Vox Continental organ Elvis Costello & Steven Kennedy - backing vocals Recorded 2001, Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin Released April 15, 2002 Albums When I Was Cruel, 2002 Singles 45, 2002 Promos Sunday Times CD, 2002 (PC audio track) Videos Sunday Times CD, 2002 Length 3:29 First known performance:  September 29, 1999, The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Last known performance:  September 15, 2023, Randers, Denmark      (354 known performances, 1 as a snippet) Alternate versions 45 (Cities 97 version) Performed by Elvis Costello Musicians Elvis Costello - vocal, guitar Recorded June 5, 2002, Echo Bay Studios, New Hope, MN Released November 5, 2002 Various Artists collections Cities 97 Sampler Volume 14, 2002 Length 3:15

Covers

Dylan Posa

In My Own Way

2016

Bandcamp

Erich Sellheim

home studio production, sung in German

2021

YouTube

Chords

• Transcribed by Pablo Alonso.

(play stacatto)
A5 
             G5       D5     C5 
Bells are chiming for victory
D5	       C5      G5      A5
There's a page back in history
   D5  A5
45               G5     D5                     C5
They came back to the world that they fought for
D5          C5      G5
Didn't turn out just like they thought
A5  D5  A5
45

D         E           D/F#       E/G#
Here is a song to sing to do the measuring
D/A			      E/B                    (guitar+bass)
What do you lose, what do you gain, what do you win?

Nine years later a child is born
There's a record, so you put it on
45
Nine years more, if we're lucky now
Nine-year-old puts his money down
45
Every scratch. every click, every heartbeat
Every breath that I held for you
45
There's a stack of shellac and vinyl
Which is yours now and which is mine?
45

Here is a song to sing to do the measuring
What do you lose, what do you gain, what do you win? 

A5                   D5         
Bass and treble heal every hurt
                C5  G5
There's a rebel in a nylon shirt
A5            G5    D5
But the words are a mystery, I've heard
F#5                      B5         (F#m and Bm on organ)
'Til you turn it down to 33 and 1/3
A5            G5       D5   C5  D5
'Cos it helps with the elocution
             C5   G5
Corporations turn revolutions
A5 G5 A5
45

So don't just weep and shed
Just change your name instead
What do you lose when it all goes to your head?

I heard something peculiar said:
"Perhaps he's got a shot and now he's dead"
45

Bells are chiming and tears are falling
It creeps up on you without a warning
45
Every scratch, every click, every heartbeat
Every breath that I bless
I'd be lost, I confess
45

A G  A G  to fade

Internal links

• Elvis Costello Home Page: When I Was Cruel  •  lyrics  •  chords  •  Info page
• Lyrics  •  Covers

External links

• Elvis Costello Reissues: When I Was Cruel
•  45  - Promo video (3.29)