135 :: Peacemakers and Pornography :: A Slow Drag with ”We Are All Cowards Now”

Today’s slow drag is with “We Are All Cowards Now” from “Hey Clockface,” released in 2020. The songwriting is credited to Elvis Costello.

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Show Notes:

Appreciation written, produced, and narrated by Remedy Robinson, MA,MFA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slow_drag_remedy/

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Email: slowdragwithremedy@gmail.com  

“Elvis Costello Wiki Resource, Podcasts” https://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php?title=Podcasts

Transcription: https://slowdragwithremedy.weebly.com

Podcast music by https://www.fesliyanstudios.com

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Slow Drag with Remedy on Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/1f521a34-2ed9-4bd4-a936-1ad107969046/slow-drag-with-remedy-an-elvis-costello-appreciation

References:

Elvis Costello Wiki Resource, “We Are All Cowards Now” https://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php?title=We_Are_All_Cowards_Now

“We Are All Cowards Now” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8r_F_4AjVE

 

"We Are All Cowards Now" lyrics

Time has taught us

That they’re sending out their sons

To take away our guns and our daughters

We are all cowards now

Rivers rising

Darkness fell upon

People blotting out the sun

Disguising how

We are all cowards now

 

At least the Emperor Nero had an ear for music

But that’s history

Caligula said “God’s speed, my steed”

But that’s his story

They’re coming for our Peacemakers

Our Winchesters and Colts

The rattle of our Gatling Guns

Our best cowboy revolts and threats and insults

We are all cowards now

 

The emptiness of arms

The openness of thighs

The pornography of bullets

The promises and prizes can’t disguise

We are all cowards now

 

They're draping stones with colours

And a roll of stolen names

Except those we never cared about

And those we need to blame

We’ll extinguish that flame, just the same

We are all cowards now

 

Arms are empty

The pornography of plenty

Count commands from one to ten

Number sins from ten to twenty

There’s an illusion we believe in

There is honour in their need

Pretty confetti, chemical debt

And a necessity to bleed

 

My fears too fleet to scupper

My prayers too thin to scream

On my lover's back a zipper

On her limb a straightened seam

So, close the windows tightly

Lower lamps and shades

On the screen, silent rehearsals

For tomorrow's parades

For tomorrow's parades

For tomorrow's parades

We are all cowards now

 

Additional lyrics from live performances:

In a box of lies

In a shimmering air

There's a whispered curse

There's a mumbled prayer

No choice but to scan the sky up above

At least pretend we can surrender to love

At least pretend we can surrender to love

Put up your hands

Put up your hands

Put up your hands

Speak up for beauty

Throw down your arms

Undo your duty

For the wounds of the past

Some fool will say

Pardon these crimes committed today

We are all cowards now