Lyrics Pidgin English - Elvis Costello, The Attractions

Pidgin English

There’s a young girl with her old man who’s too sick to mention
She’ll be turning twenty seven as she draws her widow’s pension
But he couldn’t catch a common cold, he couldn’t get arrested
Too terrified to answer back, too tired to have resisted
Many hands make light work
Shorthand makes life easy
When he’s out on night work
Make sure no one sees me
It all ends up in a slanging match with body talk and bruises
A change is better than a rest
Silly beggars can’t be choosers
One of a thousand pities that you can’t characterize
There are ten commandments of love
When will you realize
There are ten commandments of love
I believe, I trust, I promise, I wish love’s just a throwaway kiss
In this Pidgin English
If you’re so wise use your lips and your eyes
Take it to the bridge she sighs
You go cheep cheep cheep between bull-eyes and bluster
Stiff as your poker face, keener than mustard
From your own back yard to the land of exotica
From the truth society to neurotic erotica
Silence is golden
Money talks diamonds and ermine
There’s a word in Spanish
Italian and German
In sign language, Morse code, semaphore and gibberish
Have you forgotten how to say it
In your Pidgin English?
One of a thousand pities that you can’t characterize
There are ten commandments of love
When will you realize
There are ten commandments of love
I believe, I trust, I promise, I wish love’s just a throwaway kiss
In this Pidgin English
One of a thousand pities that you can’t characterize
There are ten commandments of love
When will you realize
There are ten commandments of love
I believe, I trust, I promise, I wish love’s just a throwaway kiss
In this Pidgin English
P. S. I love you
P. S. I love you
P. S. I love you