Elvis Costello - Brilliant Disguise Lyrics






I hold you in my arms
There's a band playing
What are those words whispered, baby
Just as you turn away?

Well I saw you last night
Out on the edge of town
I wanna read your mind and know just what I got in this
New thing I found

So tell me what I see
When I look into your eyes
Is that you, baby
Or just a brilliant disguise?

I heard someone call your name
Underneath my willow
I saw something tucked in shame
Underneath your pillow

Well I tried so hard, baby
But I just can't see
What a woman like you
Is doing with me

So tell me who I see
When I look into your eyes
Is that you, baby
Or just a brilliant disguise?

Now look at me, baby
Struggling to do everything right
And then it all falls apart
When out go the lights

I'm just a lonely pilgrim
I walk this world in wealth
I wanna know it's you I don't trust
'Cause I damn sure don't trust myself

Now you play the lovin' woman
I play the faithful man
Just don't look too close
Into the palm of my hand

When we stood at the altar
The gypsy swore our future looked right
But in the wee, wee hours, maybe baby,
The gypsy lied

So when you look at me
You better look hard and look twice
Is that me, baby
Or just a brilliant disguise?

Tonight our bed is cold
I'm lost in the darkness of our love
God have mercy on a man
Who doubts what he's sure of





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Elvis Costello Brilliant Disguise Comments
  1. k.... M....

    This is fabulous, hail hail Elvis is king!

  2. k.... ....

    A rare miss by Elvis on this one. Nunya is right. Elvis takes out all of the anguish out of the song.

    k.... ....

    ktpinnacle wrong greatness is covering greatness

    k.... ....

    Doesn't mean that he gets it right every time.

    k.... ....

    ktpinnacle no way brother his aim is true, lol. The reason you don't dig it is the reason I totally dig it. It's Bruce's anguish it's his story tunnel of love is probably his most personally written album. Elvis didn't need to match that. A cover done well should be a different take on a song.

    k.... ....

    Oh, I love this. But it has to be kept in mind that what it is is a good-sounding demo, not something intended for release. He recorded some songs he thought George Jones should cover, sang them in an approximation of Jones's style rather than his own, and sent them to George. So it's just a bonus for EC fans who bought the special edition of Kojak. The one of Dylan's You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go is another gem.

  3. B.... T....

    I love Elvis. I love Bruce. This version is absolute shit and almost embarrassing.

  4. N.... B....

    This song is supposed to be devastating, not jaunty.

    N.... B....

    Exactly! I'm a big Elvis Costello fan but there's a lot wrong with this. You'd think he'd never even heard the song.

    N.... B....

    Nunya Bizniz It is still devastating, the style is just different. It was recorded as more of a country song for this version, if Don Williams (RIP) sang this with the same music it would be more apparent perhaps. Either way I think it's a great cover.

  5. L.... S....

    I love this

  6. S.... P....

    fucking good, I'm blown away

  7. p.... ....

    like a scalpel, it cuts

  8. d.... ....

    Elvis Costello = excellent taste, no soul whatsoever.
    .

    d.... ....

    HEH. Watch Your Step.

  9. S.... R....

    I hate TRIBUTE albums... most of the time the songs are murdered. Just leave GOOD SONGS ALONE!

    S.... R....

    I hear ya

  10. A.... M....

    Holy Eff this is otherworldly good. Springsteen's is great too. Tough call let me go listen I'll come back and decide...Never mind, not even close. Costello wins by submission. Springsteen said 'Matay'

    A.... M....

    It's truly sad to think someone thinks this version is better. You must be lucky enough to never have dealt with the kind of relationship that Bruce wrote this about. This completely takes the emotion and depth out of the meaning of the song.

  11. t.... ....

    it's on Light of day - Tribute to Springsteen

  12. i.... ....

    I love this song. Elvis adds that missing something that Bruce just didn't have in his original. He added his little touch of magic.

    i.... ....

    How can someone who wrote the song be accused of "missing" something? His life, his words, his music, his emotion. The song is about the end of a marriage, a couple's distrust of each other, lying, and hiding your true self because of being in denial and realizing its all in vain. Elvis making this song upbeat makes so sense whatsoever and he completely took the emotion out of it.

    i.... ....

    I've seen Springsteen 34 times live. My uncle got me into him when I was just a kid and Bruce was playing in the West Village. Bruce has changed my life. However, i'll be the first to admit that this version destroys Bruce's original. Cheers to Elvis Costello.

  13. a.... 2....

    I love this so much, thank you for posting. It is not on my version of Kojak Variety.

    a.... 2....

    It's just on the bonus disc of the Rhino version, not on the original album, but showed up first in 1996 as an extra track on the "It's Time" CD single (which is how I first heard it). If I remember correctly, Costello recorded this as a demo for George Jones (who I don't think ever ended up recording it).