edith and the kingpin

Elvis Costello

The big man arrives
Disco dancers greet him
Plainclothes cops greet him
Small town, big man
Fresh lipstick glistening
Sophomore jive
From victims
Of typewriters
The band sounds
Like typewriters
The big man
He's not listening
His eyes hold edith
His left hand holds
His right
What does that hand desire
That he grips it so tight

Edith in the ring
The passed-over girls
Are conferring
The man
With the diamond ring
Is purring
All claws for now withdrawn
One by one they bring
His renegade stories to her
His crimes
And his glories to her
In challenge they look on
Women he has wanted grow
Old too soon
He tilts
Their tired faces
Gently to the spoon

Edith in his bed
A plane in the rain
Is humming
The wires in the walls
Are humming
Some song-some
Mysterious song
Bars in her head
Beating frantic
And snowblind
Romantic and snowblind
She says-his
Crime belongs
Edith and the kingpin
Each with charm to sway
Are staring eye to eye
They dare not look away
You know they dare
Not look away