Dirty Rotten Shame

I recall the good old days But thankfully they've gone Now the ponies are all broken nags That stumble as they groan And throw the jockeys from their throne When there are ditches left to dodge And lions left to tame But it's nothing but a dirty rotten shame It's a dirty rotten shame That when you're frivolous and strong It isn't youth, its fearlessness That has been wasted on the young The cruel are in the cradle And the bishop's in the bag It's nothing but a dirty rotten shame Now I sound like a millionaire That brags of rags and jewels A snarling pup is wild enough But as his anger cools He's left to sharpen useless tools That tear and graze in fine affrays But few are worth the name It's nothing but a dirty rotten shame It's a dirty rotten shame And that is not an idle boast When all your courage and your strength Will leave you as you need it most When there are lamps to dampen And cauliflowers to flip It's nothing but a dirty rotten shame It's nothing but a dirty rotten shame

Dirty Rotten Shame Written by Elvis Costello Performed by Elvis Costello Produced by T Bone Burnett Musicians Elvis Costello - vocal, Gibson Century acoustic guitar Dennis Crouch - double bass Stuart Duncan - fiddle Jeff Taylor - accordion Mike Compton - mandolin Jim Lauderdale - harmony vocal Recorded March 31-April 2, 2008, Sound Emporium Studio, Nashville Released April 28, 2009 Singles Complicated Shadows, 2009 Downloads Secret, Profane & Sugarcane, 2009 (iTunes US/Canada pre-order only) Length 3:48 First known performance:  November 8, 1994, Poole, England Last known performance:  February 10, 2023, New York, NY      (21 known performances)

Covers

Ronnie Drew

Dirty Rotten Shame

1995

AllMusic  •  Amazon

Ronnie Drew

Bespoke Songs, Lost Dogs, Detours & Rendezvous   Various artists

1998

Allmusic  •  Amazon  •  Amazon.uk

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