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:
November 16, 2019, Carmel, IN
(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