Joe Porterhouse

The children sit upon the stairs High above a valley of tears Don't let them see you crying that way, oh no Oh no, Joe Porterhouse is not gone forever He'll be back another day Don't let them see you crying that way Chorus: Please don't wake him let him sleep It's a moment she can keep Like an old bus ticket or a photograph Resting on the mantlepiece While for the wicked, there is no peace She says it's not his time to go Why we were nearly lovers years ago Now what is left for me Among the broken branches of the family tree Heart like an anchor, arms like cable He stood all alone on an iron turntable Don't let them see you crying that way, oh no The sun beats down, it's cracking the flags Boys who should know better are stamping out fags Don't let them see you laughing that way (Chorus) Oh no, Joe Porterhouse is not gone forever He'll be back another day Don't let them see you crying that way

Joe Porterhouse Written by Elvis Costello Performed by Elvis Costello & The Attractions Produced by Clive Langer & Alan Winstanley Musicians Elvis Costello - vocals, guitar Maurice Worm (a.k.a. Steve Nieve) - keyboards Bruce Thomas - bass Pete Thomas - drums see Goodbye Cruel World credits for possible additional musicians Recorded February 1984, SARM West Studios, London Released June 18, 1984 Albums Goodbye Cruel World, 1984 Length 3:29 First known performance:  February 14, 1984, Clermont-Ferrand, France Last known performance:  October 29, 1984, London, England      (9 known performances) Alternate versions Joe Porterhouse (Demo) Performed by Elvis Costello Musicians Elvis Costello - vocal, guitar Recorded 1983, unknown location Released July 26, 2004 Albums Goodbye Cruel World (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2004 Length 3:19 see also: (I Love You) When You Sleep

Covers

Erich Sellheim

home studio production, sung in German

2019

YouTube

Chords

      Bm                    E
The children sat upon the stairs
 A     D      A         D       
High above a valley of tears 
 Bm                     E           A     D
Don't let them see you crying that way oh no 

Bm         E
Oh no Joe Porterhouse
A              D
Is not gone forever
          A            D
He'll be back another day
 Bm                     E           A
Don't let them see you crying that way

Chorus:
  D               D/G D/F# D/G  D
Please don't wake him let him sleep
D         D/G D/F# D/G D
It's a moment she can keep
 D           D/G D/F#  D/G D      Am
Like an old bus tick - et  or a photograph
 D              D/G  D/F#   D/G
Resting on the man - tle - piece 
       D               D/G D/F# D/G D
While for the wicked there is   no peace 
     D
She says it's not his time to go 
                           Am        Am Bm C
Why we were nearly lovers years ago
 Am  Bm      C       A
Now what is left for me 
  D         Em   Fm       D       G       g f# Em
Among the broken branches of the family tree 

A D

Heart like an anchor 
Arms like cable 
He stood all alone on an iron turntable 
Don't let them see you crying that way oh no 
The sun beats down 
It's cracking the flags 
Boys who should know better 
Are stamping out fags 
Don't let them see you laughing that way

Chorus 

Oh no Joe Porterhouse 
Is not gone forever 
He'll be back another day
Don't let them see you crying that way 

a b Am(/C) (repeat and fade)

Internal links

• Elvis Costello Home Page: Goodbye Cruel World  •  lyrics  •  chords  •  Info page
• Lyrics  •  Covers

External links

• Elvis Costello Reissues: Goodbye Cruel World