Success
Elvis Costello/Elvis Costello & the Attractions Lyrics
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You told me all the big things you had planned
It wasn't long till all your dreams came true
Success put me in second place with you
You have no time to love me anymore
Since fame & fortune knocked upon our door
I spend all my evenings all alone
If we could spend an evening now & then
Perhaps we`d find true happiness again
You never hold me like you used to do
It`s funny what success has done for you
You have no time to love me anymore
Since fame & fortune knocked upon our door
I spend all my evenings all alone
Success has made a failure of our home
The song "Success" by Elvis Costello reveals the unexpected and heartbreaking consequences of fame and fortune. The song is written as a lament from a partner, who has been disregarded and pushed aside in favor of the trappings of success. The first verse shows how the couple started out as equals, with the partner sharing their big plans and dreams, but soon after success came, they were left behind. The chorus, "You have no time to love me anymore/Since fame and fortune knocked upon our door" spells out how success has resulted in a lack of attention and neglect.
The second verse highlights the lonely side-effects of the success, with the partner spending all their evenings alone while the other half is off living the high life. The lyrics reveal how the partner doesn't recognize their loved one anymore, with "You never hold me like you used to do/It's funny what success has done for you." The pain and loneliness of success are sharply brought out in the chorus again, repeating how the glittering lights of fame have simply led to the failure of their home.
Overall, Costello's "Success" tackles a heavy and poignant topic, portraying how even the brightest of successes can come at the cost of personal relationships and happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
We used to go out walkin` hand in hand
We used to have a great time together, exploring life's possibilities, holding hands and taking it all in
You told me all the big things you had planned
You always confided in me, sharing your grand dreams and aspirations that you hoped to turn into reality
It wasn't long till all your dreams came true
Your dedication and hard work paid off and you became successful in achieving your goals in life quite soon
Success put me in second place with you
Unfortunately, with the onset of success, I fell behind in your list of priorities and you started to prioritize other things and people over me
You have no time to love me anymore
Your days are so busy that you don't have time for me now and our relationship has taken a backseat to your pursuit of success
Since fame & fortune knocked upon our door
Ever since you became famous and wealthy, everything changed for us and our relationship started to suffer
I spend all my evenings all alone
I spend most of my evenings by myself, wishing that you had more time for me and things could be the way they used to be
Success has made a failure of our home
Our relationship has been affected so much by your pursuit of success that our home, which was once filled with love, warmth and happiness, now feels like a failure
If we could spend an evening now & then
If we could just take some time out of your busy schedule and spend a few evenings together, maybe we could salvage our relationship
Perhaps we`d find true happiness again
Maybe, just maybe, if we could spend some quality time together, we could rediscover the true happiness that we once shared
You never hold me like you used to do
Even when you're here, you're always distracted and busy, you never hold me and make me feel special like you used to do in the past
It`s funny what success has done for you
It's ironic and sad to see how success has changed you so much and taken you away from the person you used to be
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: QUIN IVY, DAN PENN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind