close

How To Be Dumb Lyrics & Chords By Elvis Costello

LyricsView Chords

I was hell-bent on destroying my powers of concentration
While you were living like a saint
And all the time the very one you trusted was
Washing off somebody else's paint
Now you've got yourself a brand new occupation
Every fleeting thought is a pearl
And beautiful people stampede to the doorway of the
Funniest fucker in the world
They're here to help you
Satisfy your desires
There's a bright future
For all you professional liars
Now you know how to be dumb?
Are you ready to take your place
In the modern museum of mistakes?
Don't you know how to be dumb?
Like a building thrown up overnight
In one of those reverse earthquakes
They emptied out all of the asylums
They emptied out all the jails
The 'New Bruise' was the name of a dance craze
By Jesus Cross and the Cruel Nails
Followed up by 'Torturing Little Beaver'
With their contraption of 'Barb wire'
Between the fear and the fever lies
All the rejection they require
They'll be howling by midnight
They'll be drooling by dawn
Skulls shrunk down to the size of their brains
Heads shaven and shorn
Don't you know how to be dumb?
Are you ready to take your place
In the modern museum of mistakes?
Don't you know how to be dumb?
Like a building thrown up overnight
In one of those reversed earthquakes
Trapped in the House of the Perpetual Succour where
Bitterness always ends so pitifully
You always had to dress up your envy in some
Half remembered philosophy
Now you're masquerading as pale powdered genius whose
Every bad intention has been purged
You could've walked out any time you wanted but
Face it you didn't have the courage
I guess that makes you a full time hypocrite
Or some kind of twisted dilettante
Funny though people don't usually get so ugly till they
Think they know what they want
Scratch your own head stupid
Count up to three
Roll over on your back
Repeat after me
Don't you know how to be dumb?
Are you ready to take your place
In the modern museum of mistakes?
Don't you know how to be dumb?
Like a building thrown up overnight
In one of those reverse earthquakes
Ohh don't you know how to be dumb?
Don't you know how to be dumb?
Don't you know how to be dumb?
Yes you know how to be dumb?
Dumb, dumb, dumb, d-d-d-dumb
Fine, fine

Tracks related to how to be dumb - elvis costello

the magnificent five

by: adam and the ants

all over now

by: aimee mann

superball

by: aimee mann

opportunity

by: elvis costello & the attractions

crimes of paris

by: elvis costello & the attractions

medicine show

by: big audio dynamite

road movie to berlin

by: they might be giants

i go to sleep

by: graham bonnet

please call me

by: graham bonnet

tender is the night

by: jackson browne

paper tigers

by: tom cochrane

be there

by: lloyd cole

invasion hit parade

by: elvis costello

fame is

by: crowded house

soul desert

by: julian cope

either side of the same town

by: elvis costello & the imposters

the name of this thing is not love

by: elvis costello & the imposters

unpindownable

by: chumbawamba

what we want

by: chumbawamba

plenty of music

by: new york dolls

fool for you baby

by: new york dolls

bitter fingers

by: elton john

bought for a song

by: fountains of wayne

do as i say

by: gang of four

baby ate my eightball

by: super furry animals

devil's radio

by: george harrison

don't get excited

by: graham parker

thank you girl

by: john hiatt

heart of ice

by: joe jackson

the human touch

by: joe jackson

cool 'n' out

by: joe strummer and the mescaleros

close
Sign in person Home A to Z All Artists Top Artists Top Tracks