Song Lyrics

We're all going on a summer holiday
Vigilantes coming out to follow me
Heard somebody say they're out to collar me
Anybody want to swallow me?
It takes two to tumble, it takes two to tango
Speak up--don't mumble if you're in the combo
On the beat, on the beat
Till a man comes along and he says
"Have you been a good boy, never played with your toy?
Though you never enjoy, such pleasure to employ"
See your friends in the state they're in
See your friends getting under their skin
See your friends getting taken in

Well, if you only knew the things you do to me
I'd do anything to confuse the enemy
There's only one thing wrong with you befriending me
Take it easy, I think you're bending me
I've been a bad boy with the standard leader
My neighbor's revving up his Vauxhall Viva
On the beat, on the upbeat
Till a man comes along and he says
"Have you been a good boy, never played with your toy?
Though you never enjoy, such pleasure to employ"
See your friends walking down the street
See your friends never quite complete
See your friends getting under their feet

Oh, I don't want to disease you, but I'm no good with machinery
Oh, I don't want to freeze you, stop looking at the scenery
I keep thinking about your mother, oh, I don't want to lick them
I don't want to be a lover, I just want to be your victim
I don't go out much at night, I don't go out much at all
Did you think you were the only one who was waiting for a call?
On the beat, on the upbeat
Till a man comes along and he says
"Have you been a good boy, never played with your toy?
Though you never enjoy, such pleasure to employ"
See your friends treat me like a stranger
See your friends despite all the arrangements
See your friends, nothing here has changed
Just the beat
Just the beat

Elvis Costello

The duration of The Beat [Live at the el Mocambo] is 3:25 minutes and seconds.