Songtext Town where time stood still Elvis Costello

Town where time stood still

I made my selection from the lonely hit parade
In the town where time stood still
I was feeling very little pain
Until some joker played "Almost Persuaded"
Now every girl I see
Looks so much prettier to me
My faithfulness has faded
And their looks established daggers
And the conversation heated
Since the boys had all been late
I found them walking round defeated
In the town where time stood still

Somebody in charge must have pretended
The future's been suspended
And I say I don't want trouble
But I find myself back in it
In the town where time stood still
I am the man of the minute

Teach me to say "I love you"
I'll teach you to say "You will do"
In the town where time stood still
A way (?) that I can find a little girl
To wind me up with all the usual spells

There's nothing else to do but rearrange somebody's future
And check your figures in the till
The bar is full of girls just like the creature with the curse
And the food is just like cabaret and vice versa
In the town where time stood still
Just as my heart (went down) sinking
I found the town was shrinking

And suddenly I saw her through the smoke and empty beers
In the town where time stood still
She might have well have waited years

Now I suppose we did some things we used to do
But no amount of darkness could ever turn her into you

And so I woke up in the town where time stood still
With a headache and a heartache
And a handful of pills
A welcome mat, a scandal rag and unpaid bills

With her head inside her handbag
The sign says "please wait to be seated"
I only want a cup of coffee
I know you can't have your cake and eat it
In the town where time stood still

Did you hear the news today?
It's all bad; they'll be howling after sunset
With a headache and a heartache
And an hour or two to kill
I only wish we were together...
In the town where time stood still