Elvis Costello - Temptation Lyrics






Who's this kid with his mumbo jumbo
Living in air-conditioned limbo
Though they treat him just like a guest
He's living under threat of arrest
Now that he's finally trying to make some sense
He drinks in self-defense
Give me temptation
The subtle touch of authority will
Take you anytime down to the station
You say that it's alright by me
Now you're living with the curse of sophistication
Now that you're shackled up to the rigmarole
With absolute control

I see you lying so wide awake
After I've given you all that you can take
So for heaven's sake
Give me temptation

Still you want to succeed so badly
Finding your life will not be deadly
You tell me you can take it or leave it
Sometimes I think that you really believe it
You're just itching to break her secret laws
As you go from claws to clause
Give me temptation





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Elvis Costello Temptation Comments
  1. T.... C....

    Total class

  2. T.... C....

    Brilliant

  3. W.... C....

    Love it! takes me back in time.......Great song, great music , great album.

  4. T.... C....

    Fantastic

  5. d.... h....

    Best song on his best album

  6. V.... P....

    Name an Album with more masterpieces than Get Happy!!-High Fidelity-Riot Act-Possession-Temptation-Men Called Uncle-King Horse-New Amsterdam-Motel Matches.

  7. A.... B....

    Always a great songwriter but always felt the band a bit lacklustre and samey for such a quality music maker like Declan !

  8. S.... C....

    This is why Elvis is king~!

  9. C.... M....

    This just might be his best effort.

  10. D.... ....

    Sounds like “Time is Tight” Booker T and the mgs

    D.... ....

    Yeah. 5ive Gears In Reverse kinda sounds like that too. The guitar on that reminds me of Steve Cropper

    D.... ....

    kevtruth Must be intentional, seeing as the whole album is a homage to 60s R&B

    D.... ....

    I forget where i found them, but i read Elvis's liner notes for Get Happy!! on a website once and he explicitly mentioned that this song was inspired by Time is Tight and that they used the bassline from it as an homage. So yep, it's definitely intentional!

    D.... ....

    that's the point

  11. M.... W....

    I misheard the lyrics as "though you treat him just like a guest he's living under an arm rest" Of, course it's "threat of arrest" but I like my mistake better!

  12. M.... W....

    As you go from clause to claws...

  13. Y.... E....

    One if EC's great songs.

  14. R.... L....

    and then listen to Booker T & The MGs Time is Tight
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtdMhh1jIvw

    R.... L....

    An acknowledged remembrance

  15. j.... j....

    vocals back in the mix, which is unusual, but smart and catchy . . .great drum rvb . . .

  16. s.... ....

    This song would be better if were a minute longer. How few song can that be said of?

  17. B.... H....

    Tasty northern soul! Great song!

  18. A.... ....

    yes, gimme temptations instead of this junk

    A.... ....

    Diddums.

  19. 2.... ....

    Now this was rock `n roll! I never understood why this didn`t become a big hit, but thank you for uploading it !

    2.... ....

    Agreed.

    2.... ....

    In the 80's you didn't have hit records if you weren't androgynous. No lipstick, no hits. Besides this was an album track. Also, I doubt if a mass-audience would have understood what Elvis was singing about. 80's audiences were only interested in dance, dance, dance.

  20. s.... ....

    Bruce Thomas shines here.

    s.... ....

    BT shines all the time except when he wrote the book. ;)

    s.... ....

    Oh.. guess I need to read the book. ;-D

    s.... ....

    The Big Wheel is the title if my older memory serves me. Read the review first before throwing out the coin for it. It's what got him booted from the band. Take head, never write a book about your mates especially the leader of the group!

    s.... ....

    Or at least wait until the band is no more.

    s.... ....

    @Quinn Johnson He (Bruce) actually published that book long after he got booted in 1986. Elvis C then requested his bass services in 1994 when he reformed the Attractions

  21. K.... ....

    Underrated?  By who?

  22. w.... ....

    This album and Trust are the most underrated. 

    w.... ....

    @wpollock1 so true!!

    w.... ....

    Trust, yes. But Get Happy!! does get it's accolades deservedly.

  23. b.... ....

    Great tune and Bruce is a highly underrated bassist in my opinion!

  24. s.... ....

    Awesome song...Bruce Thomas' bass playing just kills me.

  25. s.... f....

    Best song on this record, inexplicable it never got airplay.

    s.... f....

    King Horse for me