Tokyo Storm Warning
The sky fell over cheap Korean monster-movie scenery And spilled into the mezzanine of the crushed capsule hotel Between the Disney abattoir and the chemical refinery And I knew I was in trouble but I thought I was in hell So you look around the tiny room And you wonder where the hell you are While the K.K.K. convention Are all stranded in the bar They wear hoods and carry shotguns In the main streets of Montgomery But they're helpless here as babies 'Cause they're only here on holiday What do we care if the world is a joke (Tokyo storm warning) We'll give it a big kiss, we'll give it a poke (Tokyo storm warning) Death wears a big hat 'cause he's a big bloke (Tokyo storm warning) We're only living this instant The black sand stuck beneath her feet In a warm Sorrento sunrise A barefoot girl from Naples Or was it a Barcelona hi-rise Whistles out the tuneless theme song On a hundred cheap suggestions And a million false seductions And all those eternal questions What do we care if the world is a joke (Tokyo storm warning) We'll give it a big kiss, we'll give it a poke (Tokyo storm warning) Death wears a big hat 'cause he's a big bloke (Tokyo storm warning) We're only living this instant So they flew the Super-Constellation All the way from Rimini And feasted them on fish and chips From a newspaper facsimile Now dead Italian tourists bodies Litter up the Broadway Some people can't be told You know they have to learn the hard way Holidays are dirt-cheap in the Costa del Malvinas In the Hotel Argentina they can hardly tell between us For Teresa is a waitress Though she's now known as Juanita In a tango bar in Stanley or in Puerto Margarita She's the sweetest and the sauciest The loveliest and the naughtiest She's Miss Buenos Aires in a world of lacy lingerie What do we care if the world is a joke (Tokyo storm warning) We'll give it a big kiss, we'll give it a poke (Tokyo storm warning) Death wears a big hat 'cause he's a big bloke (Tokyo storm warning) We're only living this instant Japanese God, Jesus robots telling teenage fortunes For all we know and all we care they might as well be Martians They say gold paint on the palace gates Comes from the teeth of pensioners They're so tired of shooting protest singers That they hardly mention us While fountains fill with second-hand perfume And sodden trading stamps They'll hang the bullies and the louts that dampen down the day What do we care if the world is a joke (Tokyo storm warning) We'll give it a big kiss, we'll give it a poke (Tokyo storm warning) Death wears a big hat 'cause he's a big bloke (Tokyo storm warning) We're only living this instant We braved the cold November air and the undertaker's curses Saying, "Take me to the Folies Bergere And please don't spare the hearses" For he always had a dream of that revolver in your purse How you loved him 'til you hated him And made him cry for mercy He said, "Don't ever mention my name there Or talk of all the nights you cried We've always been like worlds apart Now you're seeing two nightmares collide" What do we care if the world is a joke (Tokyo storm warning) We'll give it a big kiss, we'll give it a poke (Tokyo storm warning) Death wears a big hat 'cause he's a big bloke (Tokyo storm warning) We're only living this instant
The Very Best of Elvis Costello
Apr 2001
- (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding
- Oliver's Army
- (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea
- Accidents Will Happen
- Pump It Up
- I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down
- Radio Radio
- Clubland
- Good Year For The Roses
- Man Out Of Time
- I Wanna Be Loved
- Everyday I Write The Book
- Brilliant Mistake
- The Other Side Of Summer
- Tokyo Storm Warning
- Sulky Girl
- So Like Candy
- She
- Big Tears - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
- Beyond Belief - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
- Lipstick Vogue - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
- Green Shirt - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
- Pills & Soap
- Shipbuilding - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
- High Fidelity - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
- New Lace Sleeves - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
- Talking In The Dark - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
- New Amsterdam
- I Hope You're Happy Now - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
- Riot Act - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
- My Funny Valentine
- Indoor Fireworks - The Costello Show
- Almost Blue - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
- I Want You - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
- God Give My Strength
- That Day Is Done
- I Want To Vanish - Elvis Costello/Steve Nieve