Condemned Man

Judge said, "Son, you better say your prayers Got a noose that fits you and some gallow stairs And by this time tomorrow you won't be alive Soon we'll be giving you 10,000 volts" And I said, "Make that twenty-five" The firing squad have got me right in their sights Got me strapped up tightly with some dynamite And I hear the executioner has got a brand new kink He's giving me cyanide to breathe and strychnine to drink So dress me in chains and bind me in shackles The last thing you'll hear is my cold-hearted cackle The last thing you'll see is my twisted leer I'm a condemned man and I'll never get out of here The searchlight's sweeping up from the prison tower The clock is creeping up to the midnight hour Outside they're wailing, "Repent, repent, repent, and believe" There's a telephone ringing but no chance of reprieve All you straight-shooters and God-fearing dolts Can be scared rigid by electrical volts But I can't be killed by any regular means Or I'll come back to haunt you and visit your dreams So dress me in chains and bind me in shackles The last thing you'll hear is my cold-hearted cackle The last things I'll leave are my fondest regards I'm a condemned man and they're dragging me these last few yards

Condemned Man Written by Elvis Costello Performed by Elvis Costello Produced by T Bone Burnett Musicians Elvis Costello - vocal Additional musicians unknown Recorded February-March 2010, Nashville, TN Singles National Ransack, 2010 First known performance:  April 29, 2009, Bristol, England Last known performance:  August 3, 2015, Camden, NJ      (63 known performances)

Internal links

• Lyrics