Tears Before Bedtime

I know the name on the tip of your tongue And I know that accusing look Everybody knows I've been so wrong That's the problem and here's the hook Chorus: Tears before bedtime There'll be trouble tonight I don't want to talk about it anymore I don't want to have another fight I don't want to talk I don't want to fight How wrong can I be before I am right For the tears that you boo hoo hoo There can be no defence You say you'll forgive and forget But it's only a pretense (Chorus) Either you can leave the past behind Or give me something to disconnect my mind I sleep with my fists clenched tight When I don't lie awake all night I guess time gave up the ghost too late And the balance of our love Very soon turns to hate Darling your suspiciousness Tortures me at night But I can't excuse the cruel words That I use whenever we fight (Chorus)

Tears Before Bedtime Written by Elvis Costello Performed by Elvis Costello & The Attractions Produced by Geoff Emerick from an original idea by Elvis Costello Musicians Elvis Costello - vocals, guitar Steve Nieve - keyboards Bruce Thomas - bass Pete Thomas - drums Recorded November 1981, AIR Studios, London Released July 2, 1982 Albums Imperial Bedroom, 1982 Promos A Conversation With Elvis Costello, 1982 Length 3:00 First known performance:  August 29, 1981, Gateshead, England Last known performance:  July 18, 2006, New Orleans, LA      (109 known performances) Alternate versions Tears Before Bedtime (Almost Blue reissue version) Performed by Elvis Costello & The Attractions Produced by Billy Sherrill Musicians Elvis Costello - vocal, guitar Steve Nieve - keyboards Bruce Thomas - bass Pete Thomas - drums John McFee - guitar Recorded May 20, 1981, CBS Studio A, Nashville Released August 30, 1994 Albums Almost Blue (Rykodisc/Demon reissue), 1994 Almost Blue (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2004 Length 2:23 Tears Before Bedtime (Alternate Version) Performed by Elvis Costello & The Attractions Produced by Geoff Emerick from an original idea by Elvis Costello Musicians Elvis Costello - vocal, guitar Steve Nieve - keyboards Bruce Thomas - bass Pete Thomas - drums Recorded November 1981, AIR Studios, London Released October 28, 2002 Albums Imperial Bedroom (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2002 Length 3:01 Tears Before Bedtime (Live 2006) Performed by Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint featuring The Imposters, Anthony "AB" Brown & The Crescent City Horns Horn arrangement Allen Toussaint Musicians Elvis Costello - vocal, guitar Allen Toussaint - piano Steve Nieve - keyboards Davey Faragher - bass, backing vocal Pete Thomas - drums Anthony "AB" Brown - guitar Amadee Castenell - saxophone Brian "Breeze" Cayolle - saxophone Joe "Foxx" Smith - trumpet Sam "Big Sam" Williams - trombone Recorded July 3, 2006, Montreal, QC, Canada Released December 5, 2006 Videos Hot As A Pistol, Keen As A Blade, 2006

Internal links

• Elvis Costello Home Page: Imperial Bedroom  •  lyrics  •  chords
• Lyrics  •  Covers

External links

• Elvis Costello Reissues: Imperial Bedroom