That's How You Got Killed Before

Well, you're standing on the corner flagging all the girls you see Now do like EC and let those ladies be You know that's wrong, man, you know that's wrong Boy, you better get control -- that's how you got killed before That girl you just met who got a big guy for a pal Who'll put knots on your head for messing with his gal So take it steady, man, let those women go Well, I'm just trying to tell you -- that's how you got killed before Now, you wouldn't listen, Ephrom, you got two black eyes That's what you get, Daddy, for messing with men's wives So take it steady, whoa, let those women go Well, I'm just trying to tell you -- that's how you got killed before Alternate lyrics My Flame Burns Blue version Well, you're standing on the corner flagging all the girls you see Now do like I say and let those ladies be You know that's wrong, man, you know that's wrong I'm just trying to tell you -- that's how you got killed before That girl you meddled got a big guy for a pal He'll put knots on your head for messing with his gal So take it easy, man, you'd better take it slow Well, I'm just trying to tell you -- that's how you got killed before Now, you wouldn't listen to me, you got two black eyes That's what you get, man, for messing with men's wives So take it easy, whoa, let those women go I'm just trying to tell you -- that's how you got killed before

That's How You Got Killed Before Written by Dave Bartholomew Performed by The Dirty Dozen Brass Band (with Elvis Costello) Produced by Scott Billington Musicians Elvis Costello - vocals Gregory Davis - trumpet Efrem Towns - trumpet Kevin Harris - tenor saxophone Roger Lewis - baritone saxophone Charles Joseph - trombone Kirk Joseph - Sousaphone Jenell Marshall - drums, percussion Danny Barker - guitar Recorded August-December 1989, Sorceror Sound, New York possible additional recording at Ultrasonic Studios, New Orleans Released 1990 Albums Dirty Dozen Brass Band: The New Orleans Album, 1990 Kojak Variety (Rhino/Edsel edition), 2004 Various Artists collections Sound Decisions, 1990 Length 3:10 First known performance:  October 2, 1986, Los Angeles, CA Last known performance:  September 7, 2006, Amsterdam, Netherlands      (82 known performances, 2 as a snippet) Alternate versions That's How You Got Killed Before (Live 1986) Performed by Elvis Costello & The Confederates Musicians Elvis Costello - vocal, guitar James Burton - lead guitar Jerry Scheff - bass Jim Keltner - drums Mitchell Froom - organ T Bone Burnett - rhythm guitar T-Bone Wolk - accordion Michael Blair - percussion Ralph Carney - saxophone Recorded October 23, 1986, New York, NY Released June 28, 1995 Albums King Of America (Rykodisc/Demon reissue), 1995 King Of America (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2005 Length 3:13 That's How You Got Killed Before (Reprise) (Live 1986) Performed by Elvis Costello & The Confederates Musicians Elvis Costello - vocal, guitar James Burton - lead guitar Jerry Scheff - bass Jim Keltner - drums Mitchell Froom - organ T Bone Burnett - rhythm guitar T-Bone Wolk - accordion Michael Blair - percussion Ralph Carney - saxophone Recorded October 23, 1986, New York, NY Released June 28, 1995 Albums King Of America (Rykodisc/Demon reissue), 1995 King Of America (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2005 Length 7:00 That's How You Got Killed Before (Live 2004) Performed by Elvis Costello with The Metropole Orkest Produced by Gert-Jan van den Dolder Arranged by Vince Mendoza Musicians Elvis Costello - vocal Steve Nieve - piano The Metropole Orkest Vince Mendoza - conductor Ruud Breuls - trumpet solo Bart van Lier - trombone solo Jos Beeren - tenor saxophone solo Recorded July 9, 2004, The Hague, Netherlands Released January 13, 2006 Albums My Flame Burns Blue, 2006 Length 4:14

Internal links

• Elvis Costello Home Page: Kojak Variety  •  lyrics  •  chords  •  KV info page 1  •  That's How You Got Killed Before info page
• Lyrics

External links

• Elvis Costello Reissues: Kojak Variety  •  King Of America