Declan Patrick MacManus was born August 25, 1954, in St Mary's Hospital, Paddington in London, England, moving to Birkenhead (the birthplace of his father, musician Ronald "Russ" MacManus) with his widowed mother at age 16. He is better known by his stage name, Elvis Costello, a popular British musician, singer, and songwriter of Irish ancestry. Some sources list his full given name as Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus, however Aloysius was not one of his names at birth, being added years later. Costello was an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s, and alongside Nick Loweand Ian Durymade his first releases on the independant label Stiff, tailoring his work towards the punkand new wavescenes. From 1980's Armed Forcesonwards, however, other influences including soul, country, 60s pop and classical music began to re-emerge, and he soon became established as a unique and original voice.
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Cheap Reward (Honky Tonk Demo) Lyrics
Elvis Costello
Oh well I feel so loose tonight I might fall to pieces
So be prepared to sweep me out the door
And I might be horizontal by the time the music ceases
So I think I'll get accuainted with the floor
Oh I was tryin' a get away from the things that I alway do
Hello floorboards once again, how are you?
Chorus:
Lip service, that's all you ever get from me
Well how could you believe I'd take you seriously
With your cheap rewards, your blackmail and your comical rage
You just remember you'll only be the boss so long as you pay my wage
All the sign posts on this road they point one way
Don't act like your above me just look at your shoes
I'll turn the light out now 'cause ther's nothin' more to say
And it's all been lost before, so there's nothin' to lose
Oh, but you could say that you love me very painlessly
I would'a done the same for you, oh but you said to me
-chorus-
Just remember you'll only be the boss so long as you pay my wage