Hora Decubitus
Elvis Costello Lyrics


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Siren is bending, the radio humming
Sun is breaking through and the storm is coming
The score is obscure, the melody fractured
It went by my window, refused to be captured

I hope that I wake up in time

Good King Neptune came flipping up my street
He was a sad case tripping up the staircase
Friends and relations are laughing at my head
Gathered like crows at the end of my bed

I hope that I wake up in time

If you can't or can't quite
Think again, you can't fight
That you might not be smite

If it's wrong, it's not right
I say it once and I'll say it again
Now and forever and ever, amen

Siren is bending, the radio is humming,
Who do you love now and who are you damning?
The score is obscure and the melody fractured
The bird by my window refused to be captured

I hope I wake up in time

If you can or can't quite
Think again, you can't fight
That you might not be smite

If it's wrong, it's not right
I'll say it once and I'll say it again
Life is a beautiful thing

I've said it before




I can't say it much more
Life is a beautiful thing

Overall Meaning

The song “Hora Decubitus” by Elvis Costello is a complex and introspective piece that touches on themes of mortality, time, and the beauty of life. The song features a disjointed melody that reflects the fractured nature of our understanding of time and our place in the world. The lyrics paint a vivid image of a world that is constantly changing and evolving, with the siren bending and the radio humming, while the sun breaks through and the storm approaches.


The line “the score is obscure, the melody fractured” is particularly poignant in its representation of the unpredictability of life. The singer expresses a desire to capture the elusive nature of life and make sense of its many contradictions. The imagery of “Good King Neptune” flipping up the street and tripping up the staircase, while friends and relations laugh at the singer’s head, is a metaphor for the chaos and unpredictability of the world.


Despite the confusion and struggle, the singer declares that “life is a beautiful thing” and that it is worth fighting for. Ultimately, the song is a reminder to live fully in the present moment and to appreciate the beauty of life, even in the midst of its many challenges and uncertainties.


Line by Line Meaning

Siren is bending, the radio humming
The sound of a siren is echoing through the airwaves as a radio hums in the background.


Sun is breaking through and the storm is coming
The sun is shining through despite the impending storm on the horizon.


The score is obscure, the melody fractured
The musical composition is hard to follow, and the tune lacks cohesion.


It went by my window, refused to be captured
A mysterious and fleeting phenomenon passed by and could not be captured or understood.


I hope that I wake up in time
The artist hopes to be aware and alert enough to face whatever comes their way.


Good King Neptune came flipping up my street
A mythical figure appeared out of nowhere and made their presence known.


He was a sad case tripping up the staircase
The appearance of the mythical figure was not what the singer expected, and they seemed to be in a state of distress.


Friends and relations are laughing at my head
People who are close to the artist seem to be making fun of them for some reason.


Gathered like crows at the end of my bed
The people who are laughing are all gathered together and resemble a group of crows perched on the artist's bed frame.


If you can't or can't quite / Think again, you can't fight / That you might not be smite / If it's wrong, it's not right / I say it once and I'll say it again / Now and forever and ever, amen
The artist is reinforcing the idea that if something is not right, there is no fighting against it, and it is important to re-evaluate any situation before making a move.


Who do you love now and who are you damning?
The singer challenges the listener to think about who they care about and who they have ill feelings towards.


Life is a beautiful thing / I've said it before / I can't say it much more / Life is a beautiful thing
The artist is repeating their belief that life is something to be appreciated and valued, even though they have expressed some negative experiences and emotions in the rest of the song.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DECLAN ELVIS COSTELLO MACMANUS, CHARLES MINGUS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Pete Hammer

My dad Bob Hammer wrote the arrangement of this for Mingus based on E's flat Ah's flat too for the Mingus mingus mingus mingus mingus album from 1963. This is interesting.

mistercapnjoe

"If it's wrong, it's not right!" His aim is true....

Carter Young

The immortal Mingus requires no lyrics. I mean, come on, just because everyday he wrote the book about Allison while watching the girl detectives talk about pumping it up doesn't mean he should write lyrics for the immortal Mingus. 

deborahsuewho

It was Mingus' widow who asked him to do this. The songs you mentioned are from over 30 years ago - I encourage you to listen to later stuff. Anyway, he said the same thing, but it turned out quite well. See if you can find any of his work with the Mingus orchestra - it's pretty interesting. :)

Peter Owen

Elvis' take on this kind of stuff is predictable and understandable. You get asked to do stuff like this, you do it. When you get to the end and look back on your life, do you want to think 'I wrote a lyric for a Charles Mingus tune because his widow asked me to'? Or do you want to think 'I had the opportunity to write a lyric for a Charles Mingus tune because his widow asked me to, but I didn't, in case someone on the internet thought I was being pretentious'? No-brainer, surely?

marta lobos

In the album Mingus, Joni Mitchell wrote and sang to different Charles Mingus songs. And the album was a collaboration between Joni Mitchell and Charles Mingus.

deborahsuewho

@Peter Owen Nicely stated.

How to Play the Drums by Tim Rowe

Peanut butter and chocolate this isn't.

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