Brilliant Mistake

He thought he was the King of America Where they pour Coca Cola just like vintage wine Now I try hard not to become hysterical But I'm not sure if I am laughing or crying I wish that I could push a button And talk in the past and not the present tense And watch this hurtin' feeling disappear Like it was common sense It was a fine idea at the time Now it's a brilliant mistake She said that she was working for the ABC News It was as much of the alphabet as she knew how to use Her perfume was unspeakable It lingered in the air Like her artificial laughter Her mementos of affairs "Oh" I said "I see you know him" "Isn't that very fortunate for you" And she showed me his calling card He came third or fourth and there were more than one or two He was a fine idea at the time Now he's a brilliant mistake He thought he was the King of America But it was just a boulevard of broken dreams A trick they do with mirrors and with chemicals The words of love in whispers And the axe of love in screams I wish that I could push a button And talk in the past and not the present tense And watch this lovin' feeling disappear Like it was common sense I was a fine idea at the time Now I'm a brilliant mistake

Brilliant Mistake Written by Declan MacManus Performed by The Costello Show Produced by J. Henry (T-Bone) Burnett & Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus with Larry Kalman Hirsch Musicians The Little Hands Of Concrete - vocals, acoustic guitar Mickey Curry - brushes & drums Jerry Scheff - string bass T-Bone Wolk - electric guitar, piano accordion Mitchell Froom - Hammond organ, harpsichord Recorded ca. August-September 1985, Ocean Way, Hollywood possibly Sunset Sound and/or The Sound Factory Released February 21, 1986 Albums King Of America, 2005 Singles Brilliant Mistake, 2005 Collections Girls Girls Girls, 1989 The Very Best Of Elvis Costello & The Attractions, 1994 The Very Best Of Elvis Costello, 1999 The Best Of Elvis Costello The First 10 Years, 2007 Soundtracks Blackpool, 2004 Promos Selections From King Of America, 1995 The Rykodisc/Hannibal/Gramavision Fall '95 Mixer, 1995 UK Elvis Costello, 2002 Length 3:45 First known performance:  March 9, 1985, London, England      (405 known performances)

Chords

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G  F  G  F  G  F  G  F

   G                           D
He thought he was the King of America
      C                             G       D
Where they pour Coca Cola just like vintage wine
    G                           D
Now I try hard not to become hysterical
            C                        G  D
But I'm not sure if I am laughing or crying
  C
I wish that I could push a button
                                F        C
And talk in the past and not the present tense

And watch this hurtin' feeling disappear
            F      C    Em
Like it was common sense
G         F     G          F
 It was a fine idea at the time
G           Em  C D G C
 Now it's a brilliant mistake

G, C, G, C, Em, Am, G, C


She said that she was working for the ABC News
It was as much of the alphabet as she knew how to use
Her perfume was unspeakable
It lingered in the air
Like her artificial laughter
Her mementos of affairs
"Oh" I said "I see you know him"
"Isn't that very fortunate for you"
And she showed me his calling card
He came third or fourth and there were more than one or two
He was a fine idea at the time
Now he's a brilliant mistake

He thought he was the King of America
But it was just a boulevard of broken dreams
A trick they do with mirrors and with chemicals
The words of love in whispers
And the axe of love in screams
I wish that I could push a button
And talk in the past and not the present tense
And watch this lovin' feeling disappear
Like it was common sense
I was a fine idea at the time
Now I'm a brilliant mistake

Internal links

• Elvis Costello Home Page: King Of America  •  lyrics  •  chords  •  KOA info page 1
• Lyrics  •  Covers

External links

• Elvis Costello Reissues: King Of America