It's at times such as this she'd be tempted to spit
If she wasn't so ladylike
She imagines how she might have lived
back when legends and history collide
So she looks to her prince finding he's so charmingly
slumped at her side
Those days are recalled on the gallery wall
And she's waiting for passion or humour to strike

[Chorus:]
What shall we do, what shall we do with all this useless beauty?
All this useless beauty

Good Friday arrived, the sky darkened on time
'Til he almost began to negotiate
She held his head like a baby and said "It's okay if you cry"
Now he wants her to dress as if you couldn't guess
He desires to impress his associates
But he's part ugly beast and Hellenic deceased

Sing with the song of Elvis Costello, All This Useless Beauty lyrics!

So she finds that the mixture is hard to deny

[Chorus]

She won't practice the looks from the great tragic books
That were later disgraced to face celluloid
It won't even make sense but you can bet
If she isn't a sweetheart or plaything or pet
The film turns her into an unveiled threat

Nonsense prevails, modesty fails
Grace and virtue turn into stupidity
While the calendar fades almost all barricades to a pale compromise
And our leaders have feasts on the backsides of beasts
They still think they're the gods of antiquity
If something you missed didn't even exist
It was just an ideal -- is it such a surprise?

[Chorus 2x]

elvis costello

Artist Information

Name:

Declan Patrick Aloysius McManus

Albums / OSTs:

all this useless beauty almost blue armed forces blood and chocolate brutal youth de-lovely deep dead blue [with bill frisell] for the stars [with anne sofie von otter get happy!! goodbye cruel world imperial bedroom king of america kojak variety laurel canyon mighty like a rose my aim is true north notting hill painted from memory punch the clock spike the delivery man the family man the juliet letters the wedding singer this year's model trust until the end of the world when i was cruel x-files: songs in the key of x Click here to view All Albums and Song Lyrics of Elvis Costello!