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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Complicated Shadows Lyrics
Elvis Costello
Well you know your time has come and youre sorry for what youve done
You shouldve never have been playing with a gun
In those complicated shadows
Well theres a line that you must toe
And itll soon be time to go
But its darker than you know in those complicated shadows
All you gangsters and rude clowns
Who were shooting up the town
When you should have found someone to put the blame on
Though the furys hot and hard
I still see that cold graveyard
Theres a solitary stone thats got your name on
You dont have to take it from me
But I know what I spake
You think youre like iron and steel
But iron and steel will bend and break
In those complicated shadows
Go!
Sometimes justice you will find
Is just dumb not colour-blind
And your poor shattered mind cant take it all in
All those phantoms and those shades
Should jump up on judgement day
And say to the almighty Im still stinking of sin
But the jury was dismissed
Took his neck and they give it a twist
So you see you wont be missed in those complicated shadows
You can say just what you like in a voice like a john ford film
Take the law into your hands
You will soon get tired of killing
In those complicated shadows
Complicated shadows
Complicated shadows
Complicated shadows
Go!