Jack Of All Parades

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When we first met I didn't know what to do
My old love lines were all worn out on you
And the world walked round my mouth
They lit me up and they snuffed me out

Chorus:
And I was everybody's boy
But soon that thrill just fades
To be the love of one true heart
Or the Jack of all parades

You won't know who to thank
You won't know who to blame
It's just a part of the Murdering Game
'Cos down in the fleshpots
Where they pay you in pounds
They're laughing like drains
And baying like bloodhounds
For the Jack of all parades
The Jack of all parades

Once I knew a girl
That looked so much like Judy Garland
That people would stop and give her money
And everybody was Frankie, Jimmy or Bobby
Not the Jack, the Jack of all Parades,
Oh the Jack, the Jack of all Parades,
Oh the Jack, of all Parades.

Now the way that I feel is no longer news
You know my love and how to refuse it
Cause you know where the door is
And how to use it
Oh you know you do

But from my chequered past
To this shattered terrace
Where you can't keep your mind off
the Crimes of Paris
And you can't keep your peace
And try to forget it
And I can't forgive you
For things you haven't done yet

Oh I was anybody's boy
But soon that thrill just fades
To be the love of one true heart
Or the Jack of all parades

When we first met I didn't know what to do
My old love lines were all worn out on you
And the world walked 'round my mouth
I didn't mean to say it
I just blurted it out
As you pretended not to notice
Or be taken aback
And I loved you there and then
It's as simple as that

Oh I was everybody's boy
But soon that thrill just fades
To be the love of one true heart
Or the Jack of all parades
To be the love of one true heart
Or the Jack of all parades
Oh the Jack of all parades

Jack Of All Parades
Written byDeclan MacManus
Performed byThe Costello Show
Produced byJ. Henry (T-Bone) Burnett & Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus with Larry Kalman Hirsch
MusiciansThe Little Hands Of Concrete - vocals, acoustic guitar
T-Bone Wolk - electric bass
Mickey Curry - sticks & drums
Mitchell Froom - Hammond organ
Steve Nieve - piano
RecordedAugust-September 1985, Ocean Way and/or Sunset Sound and/or Sound Factory, Los Angeles
ReleasedFebruary 21, 1986
AlbumsKing Of America, 1986
CollectionsGirls Girls Girls, 1989 (cassette only)
Length5:17

First known performance:
October 1, 1986, Los Angeles, CA
Last known performance:
October 17, 2014, Belfast, Northern Ireland
     (42 known performances)


Alternate versions

Jack Of All Parades (Solo Demo)
Performed byElvis Costello
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
RecordedJuly 1985, unknown studio, Los Angeles
ReleasedApril 25, 2005
AlbumsKing Of America (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2005
Length3:29

King Of America1986 King Of America Album.jpg

Girls Girls GirlsGGG album cover 300.jpg

Covers

Bob Fenster home studio production 2013 YouTube
Michael Martinez home studio production 2021 SoundCloud
Erich Sellheim home studio production, sung in German 2019 YouTube

Chords

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-------------0-------
-0----0--------------
----0----0-1---1--3--  [2 times, then:]


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-----------------------
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-0----0----0----0------
----0----0----0----0---


     A              Dm                  A
When we first met I didn't know what to do
                           Dm          A
My old love lines were all worn out on you
        D            D/C#        Bm
And the world walked round at my mouth
     A                  E          A
They lit me up and they snuffed me out

Chorus
    A     E           A
And I was everybody's boy
    D         D/C#        Bm
But soon that thrill just fades
   D      E       A   E    F#m
To be the love of one true heart
       D       E   A
Or the Jack of all parades

[Do opening riff here]

          A
You won't know who to thank
          Dm          A
You won't know who to blame
                        Dm        A
It's just a part of the Murdering Game

'Cos down in the fleshpots
           Dm         A
Where they pay you in pounds

They're laughing like drains
    Dm          A
And baying like bloodhounds
        D       D/C#  Bm
For the Jack of all parades
    D       E   A       A7
The Jack of all parades

D
Once I knew a girl
               Dm
That looked so much like Judy Garland
     A
That people would stop and give her money
D                            Dm
  And everybody was Frankie, Jimmy or Bobby
        A         E
Not the Jack, the Jack of all Parades,
       A         D           E
Oh the Jack, the Jack of all Parades,
       A    E         A
Oh the Jack, of all Parades.

[Intro riff again]

        A                  Dm        A
Now the way that I feel is no longer news
                     Dm     A
You know my love and how to refuse it

Cause you know where the door is
D          A
And how to use it
D      D/C#     Bm
Oh you know you do
         A
But from my chequered past
   Dm             A
To this shattered terrace

Where you can't keep your mind off
    Dm        A
the Crimes of Paris

And you can't keep your peace
    Dm     A
And try to forget it

And I can't forgive you
    Dm                 A
For things you haven't done yet

   A     E         A
Oh I was anybody's boy
    D         D/C#        Bm
But soon that thrill just fades
   D      E       A   E    F#m
To be the love of one true heart
       D       E   A
Or the Jack of all parades

     A              [tacet]
When we first met I didn't know what to do
   A                       [tacet]
My old love lines were all worn out on you
        D            D/C#      Bm
And the world walked 'round my mouth
  A
I didn't mean to say it
       E          A
I just blurted it out
       D                D/C#
As you pretended not to notice
      Bm
Or be taken aback
    E           A
And I loved you there and then
        E         A
It's as simple as that

   A     E           A
Oh I was everybody's boy
    D         D/C#        Bm
But soon that thrill just fades
   D      E       A   E    F#m
To be the love of one true heart
       D       E   A
Or the Jack of all parades
   A      E       A   E    F#m
To be the love of one true heart
       D       E   A
Or the Jack of all parades
       D       E   A
Oh the Jack of all parades

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