Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

Baby can you understand me now Sometimes I feel a little mad Don't you know that no one alive can always be an angel When things go wrong I seem to be mad Chorus: I'm just a soul whose intentions are good Oh Lord please don't let me be misunderstood Baby sometimes I'm so carefree With a joy that's hard to hide Other times it seems that all I have to do is worry And then I know you're bound to see my other side (Chorus) If I get edgy I want you to know That I never mean to take it out on you Life has its problems and I get my share But that is one thing I would never do 'cause I love you Oh don't you know I'm human I've got my faults just like anyone Sometimes I lie awake long regretting Some foolish thing, some sinful thing I've done (Chorus x 3)

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood Written by Bennie Benjamin, Sol Marcus & Gloria Caldwell Performed by The Costello Show Produced by J. Henry (T-Bone) Burnett & Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus with Larry Kalman Hirsch Musicians The Little Hands Of Concrete - vocals Michael Blair - marimba Jerry Scheff - string bass Jim Keltner - brushes & drums Mitchell Froom - Hammond organ T Bone Burnett - electric guitar Recorded September-October 1985, Ocean Way and/or Sunset Sound and/or Sound Factory, Los Angeles Released January 1986 Albums King Of America, 1986 Singles Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, 1986 Collections Singles, Volume 3, 2003 Videos The Right Spectacle: The Very Best Of Elvis Costello - The Videos, 2005 Length 3:18 First known performance:  January 31, 1986, The Tube - broadcast date Last known performance:  October 28, 2021, Providence, RI      (105 known performances) Alternate versions Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (Live 1986) Performed by Elvis Costello Produced by David Vanderhayden Musicians Elvis Costello - vocal, guitar Recorded February 11, 1986, New York, NY Released 1986 (promo-only release) October 27, 2003 (commercial release) Collections Singles, Volume 3, 2003 Promos Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, 1986 Length 3:21

Chords

General description:

Intro:  Bm | Em

Verse 1: Bm | A | G | F#7
         Bm | A | G | F#7

Chorus: D | Bm | Em        { the Em bar is actually 6 quarters, though this
                             is a four quarters song }

Verse 2: G A | G A | G A | D Bm   { the G is played on 3 eighths, the A on
         G A | G A | G A | F#7      5 eighths }

Bm:  7-9-9-7-7-7        
Em:  x-7-9-9-8-7
A:   5-7-7-6-5-5
G:   3-5-5-4-3-3
F#7: 2-4-2-3-5-2
D:   x-5-7-7-7-5



[Intro]
[Intro]

[Verse 1]
Baby can you understand me now
Sometimes I feel a little mad
Don't you know that no one alive can always be an angel
When things go wrong I seem to be mad 

[Chorus]
I'm just a soul who's intentions are good
Oh Lord please don't let me be misunderstood

[Intro]
[Intro]

[Verse 1]
Baby sometimes I'm so carefree
With a joy that's hard to hide
When other times it seems that all I have to do is worry
And then I know you're bound to see my other side

[Chorus]

[Intro]

[Verse 2]
If I get edgy I want you to know
That I never mean to take it out on you
Life has its problems and I get my share
But that is one thing that I would never do 'cause I love you

[Verse 1]
Oh don't you know I'm human
I got my faults just like anyone
Sometimes I lie awake long regreting 
Some foolish thing, some sinful thing I've done

[Chorus]

[Intro]

[Chorus]

[Intro]

[Chorus]

[Intro]
repeat (and fade...)

Internal links

• Elvis Costello Home Page: King Of America  •  lyrics  •  chords  •  KOA info page 1
• Lyrics

External links

• Elvis Costello Reissues: King Of America
• Wikipedia