My Thief

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When I go to sleep, you become my thief
Why don't you steal what you can keep?
But you won't let me be
You break into my dreams
And every day seems different

Sometimes I pretend you'll come back again
And you'll console the heart you stole
Have pity on the man
Who knows that you have gone
And has begun to break down

I feel almost possessed
So long as I don't lose this glorious distress then
You can take all I have left
I know it's over
If you can't be my lover
Be my thief

I'm so drowsy now, I'll unlock the door
What fades in time will hurt much more
So here's that happy scene where you come back to me
It's only found in fiction

I feel almost possessed
So long as I don't lose this glorious distress then
You can take all I have left
I know it's over
If you can't be my lover
Be my thief

"I didn't lead you on,
But there will always be
A little larceny in everyone
So hush and don't you cry
I'm trying to be kind
Because I have a perfect alibi"

My Thief
Written byBurt Bacharach & Elvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello with Burt Bacharach
Produced byBurt Bacharach & Elvis Costello
Arranged byBurt Bacharach
MusiciansElvis Costello - voice
Burt Bacharach - grand piano, conductor
Steve Nieve - second grand piano
Jim Keltner - drums
Greg Cohen - bass
Dean Parks - guitar
Lisa Taylor - vocal solo
plus additional musicians
RecordedJune-July 1998, Ocean Way, Los Angeles
ReleasedSeptember 28, 1998
AlbumsPainted From Memory, 1998
Length4:17

First known performance:
October 13, 1998, New York, NY
Last known performance:
January 17, 2018, Solana Beach, CA
     (12 known performances)


Alternate versions

My Thief (Live 1998)
Performed byElvis Costello with Burt Bacharach
RecordedOctober 18, 1998, Sony Music Studios, New York
ReleasedDecember 8, 1998
VideosSessions At West 54th, 1998
Painted From MemoryPFM album cover large.jpg

Sessions At West 54th (video)Sessions At West 54th VHS cover.jpg

Covers

Cole Fortier & Jon Longtin performed live, July 2021, The Space, SUNY Potsdam, New York. 2021 YouTube
Don Byron & Bill Frisell The Songs Of Bacharach & Costello 2023 AllMusicYouTubeAmazon
Bill Frisell The Sweetest Punch 1999 AllMusicWikipediaAmazon
Gwyneth Herbert & Will Rutter First Songs 2003 AllMusicAmazon
Gwyneth Herbert & Will Rutter performed live, Pizza Express Jazz Club, London 2003 link
Steve Nieve instrumental performed live, 2020-12-10, The Immobile Tour, France 2020 Facebook

Internal links

External links