Elvis Costello Back On My Feet Lyrics

Back On My Feet Lyrics

How many days will the wet weather last? 
I want to know will the clouds 
When they roll back 
Reveal a man in an old mac 
Living on a park bench 
Sitting on his own? 

Cut to the rain as it runs down the glass 
Eventually through the lightning and thunder 
We see a man going under 
This is how it happens 
This is what he said 

He said, "I don`t need love 
Though temptation is sweet 
Give me your hand 
`Til I`m back on me feet 
You`re always telling me about my misery 
I`ve seen things you`ll never see 
Don`t pity me." 

Focus in on the breath of a man 
Who takes a brown paper bag 
From his knapsack 
Between his whispers and wise cracks 
He`s looking for permission 
Screaming at the sky, 

"I don`t need love 
though temptation is sweet 
Give me your hand 
`Til I`m back on me feet 
You`re always telling me about my misery 
I`ve seen things you`ll never see 
Don`t pity me. 

I`ll be right again 
Be upright without you 
I`ll stand up again 
Kick up a fuss again too." 

Cut back again to a girl walking by 
Until the feet that are all shoes and no socks 
Climb an invisible soap box 
Laughing at the traffic 
Shouting at the world: 

"I don`t need love 
though temptation is sweet 
Give me your hand 
`Til I`m back on my feet 
You`re always telling me about my misery 
I`ve seen things you`ll never see 
Don`t pity me. 

I`ll stand up again 
Kick up a fuss again too 
I`ll be right again 
Be upright without you." 

We see a life through the eyes of a man 
As he live and he dies 
By a simple tattoo 

"I`ll be back again 
When I land on my feet 
I`ll stand up again 
Kick up a fuss again, wouldn`t you?"

Well there you go, though we tried hard to know him 
It`s there on his face 
He`s a case where there`s clearly no hope 

"Give me your hand again 
`Til I land again"

His face starts to fade 
As we pull down the shade 
And the picture we made 
Is in glorious cinemascope 

"I`ll be back..."