Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
The fallen virtues of women named for virtues is the the manifold focus here, as Costello folds puns into themselves in an effortlessly layered omelet. In turn, Costello’s narrator considers how his weakness for women has shrunken his virtue to an atomic scale.
The song’s allusions to Christian New...
[Verse 1]
I arose and Marigold lay down with Curious Iris
Cherry gave to Victor her prudence and her virus
For the sake of purity, I can recall the time and place
Between wisdom and murder, she gave up her immaculate face
[Chorus]
My poor belated chastity fell foul of grown up games
With false and lovely modesty I can recall the names I'll miss
In the particle of me that cares for this
I betrayed those little atoms with a kiss
[Verse 2]
Patience has her virtue still but every grace must have its price
I, through some felicity, may spin a tale of constant vice
I took my better nature out, drowned it in the babbling stream
Took the blossom of my youth and blew it all to smithereens
[Chorus]
My poor belated chastity fell foul of grown up games
With false and lovely modesty I can recall the names I'll miss
In the particle of me that cares for this
I betrayed those little atoms with a kiss
[Verse 3]
And if you still don't like my song then you can just go to Hell
I don't care if I'm right or wrong or if my typewriter can spell
But I cannot promise you I've said goodbye to childish things
There's still some pretty insults left and such sport in threatening
[Chorus]
My poor belated chastity fell foul of grown up games
With false and lovely modesty, I can recall the names I'll miss
In the particle of me that cares for this
I betrayed those little atoms with a kiss
[Outro]
And for the sake of clarity they are "Faith", "Hope", and "Charity"
In the particle of me that cares for this
I betrayed those little atoms with a kiss
Little Atoms was written by Elvis Costello.
Little Atoms was produced by Geoff Emerick & Elvis Costello.
Elvis Costello released Little Atoms on Tue May 14 1996.