Elvis Costello & Brian Eno - My Dark Life

From the Album: All This Useless Beauty (Rhino reissue), 2001
Photo: Denis Roche
She says nobody wants to believe,
you're the same as everyone.
What makes me unique?
My Dark Life.
There was a kink in the world,
sent that statue tumbling,
an invitation east.
So we could watch it all crumbling.
She came on, like a light,
and so softly she spoke.
"You don't know, you don't know about,
my dark life".
And you think, you're a guest,
you're a tourist at best.
Peering into the corners of
My dark life.
Now that you tear your dreams,
from consumptive ballerinas.
She'll stand on tiptoe for you,
in her gray and tattered tutu.
She stays where she is,
'cause of voyeurs like these,
with an accusative look that says,
"My dark life".
Robber men await you there,
each beguiling alley,
To shake you and to pierce you,
and remind you of,
my dark life.
Enter the pious elite,
in their preening finery,
and bang the tambourine.
They're dining on rice paper scenery.
See how the villain attracts,
envious glances from everyone.
She's waitressing by day.
It doesn't bring in much money now.
And the strong concealed arms,
set off bells and alarms,
in the strangest of locations of
my dark life.
But the fantasy slipped,
as he tipped her in cigarettes.
She tries to smile very graciously,
when she wants to kill him.
Now the victory is sweet,
you get down on your knees.
It's the perfect position for
Kissing western leather.
So they came from ugly Texas,
and from nameless Tennessee.
From peculiar Missouri,
and from places closer to me.
All the cream of heartless England,
cheer the carnival is over.
The remnants of red army bandsmen played
America, the beautiful.