Charm School

Men made out of monkeys Men made into mice Happy days are here again And all the drinks half price A girl with a trick and a man with a calling Trying to make a living out of your downfalling Trying to make a living out of anything at all Didn't they teach you anything except how to be cruel In that charm school You and I as lovers Were nothing but a farce Trying to make a silk purse Out of a sow's arse Saying "Why don't you watch me" Hardly speaking sotto voce Trying to make a living out of your downfalling Trying to make a living out of anything at all Didn't they teach you anything except how to be cruel In that charm school I've got a notion I've got an angle Take your dreams and promises And put them through the mangle They say it's hell to finance too And I just want to romance you In this perpetual nightclub I'll be yours eternal Though the hours are long And the noise infernal Just one shameful act or sometimes two We make believe we're making do Trying to make a living out of your downfalling Trying to make a living out of anything at all Didn't they teach you anything except how to be cruel In that charm school Didn't they teach you anything except how to be cruel In that charm school, in that charm school

Charm School Written by Elvis Costello Performed by Elvis Costello & The Attractions (with Afrodiziak) Produced by Clive Langer & Alan Winstanley String arrangement David Bedford Musicians Elvis Costello - vocals, guitar Steve Nieve - keyboards Bruce Thomas - bass Pete Thomas - drums Caron Wheeler - backing vocals Claudia Fontaine - backing vocals Recorded January-April 1983, AIR Studios, London Released August 5, 1983 Albums Punch The Clock, 1983 Length 3:52 Only known performance:  August 3, 1983, Allentown, PA Last known performance:  December 3, 1984, London, England      (64 known performance) Alternate versions Charm School (Demo) Performed by Elvis Costello Musicians Elvis Costello - vocal, all instruments Recorded ca. 1982-1983, Elvis' home Released July 28, 2003 Albums Punch The Clock (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2003 Length 2:14

Internal links

• Elvis Costello Home Page: Punch The Clock  •  lyrics  •  chords  •  PTC info page 1
• Lyrics

External links

• Elvis Costello Reissues: Punch The Clock