Jimmie Standing In The Rain
Elvis Costello Lyrics
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Punching out the shadows underneath the sockets
Tweed coat turned up against the fog
Slow coaches rolling o'er the moor
Between the very memory
And approaches of war
Stale bread curling on a luncheon counter
Forgotten man of an indifferent nation
Waiting on a platform at a Lancashire station
Somebody's calling you again
The sky is falling
Jimmie's standing in the rain
Nobody wants to buy a counterfeited prairie lullaby in a colliery town
The hip flask and fumbled skein of some stage door Josephine is all he'll get now
Eyes going in and out of focus
Mild and bitter from tuberculosis
Forgotten man
Indifferent nation
Waiting on a platform at a Lancashire station
Somebody's calling you again
The sky is falling
Jimmie's standing in the rain
Her soft breath was gentle on his neck
If he could choose the time to die
Then he would come and go like this
Underneath a painted sky
She woke up and called him "Charlie" by mistake
And then in shame began to cry
Tarnished silver band peels off a phrase
And then warms their hands around the brazier
Forgotten man
Indifferent nation
Waiting on a platform at a Lancashire station
Somebody's calling you again
It's finally dawning
Jimmie's standing in the rain
Brilliantine glistening
Your soft plaintive whistling
And your wan wandering smile
Died down at The Hippodrome
Now you're walking off to jeers, the lonely sound of jingling spurs,
The "toodle-oos" and "Oh, my dears" down at "The Argyle"
Vile vaudevillians applaud sobriety
There's no place for a half-cut cowboy in polite society
Forgotten man
Indifferent nation
Waiting on a platform at a Lancashire station
Somebody's calling you again
It's finally dawning
Jimmie's standing in the rain
Somebody's calling you again
It's finally dawning
Jimmie's standing in the rain
The song "Jimmie Standing in the Rain" by Elvis Costello is a poignant portrayal of a forgotten man in an indifferent nation during a time approaching war. The lyrics describe a man, Jimmie, with nothing but a third-class ticket in his pocket and some stale bread on a luncheon counter. He is waiting on a platform at a Lancashire station, and the sky is falling as he stands alone in the rain. The melancholic tone of the song, underscored by the tweed coat turned up against the rolling fog, paints a vivid picture of a man caught between the memory of better days and the impending chaos of war.
As the song continues, we learn that Jimmie is dying from tuberculosis, a disease that adds a layer of sadness to his already tragic situation. The lines "Eyes going in and out of focus" and "Mild and bitter from tuberculosis" highlight his struggles and the dismal conditions of his life. The song reaches its emotional climax in the final verse, where Jimmie's memories are juxtaposed with the harsh reality of his situation. The lyrics "Her soft breath was gentle on his neck/If he could choose the time to die/Then he would come and go like this/Underneath a painted sky" are heartbreaking, as they depict a romanticized version of what his life could have been.
Line by Line Meaning
Third-class ticket in his pocket
Jimmie has a cheap train ticket in his pocket, indicating his lowly status.
Punching out the shadows underneath the sockets
Jimmie is tired and has dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep.
Tweed coat turned up against the fog
Jimmie is wearing a warm coat to protect himself from the cold fog.
Slow coaches rolling o'er the moor
The trains run slowly across the countryside.
Between the very memory
Jimmie is between his past experiences and his current situation.
And approaches of war
The war is looming and affecting everyone's lives.
Stale bread curling on a luncheon counter
The food available to Jimmie is old and unappetizing.
Loose change lonely, not the right amount
He doesn't have enough money for what he wants to buy.
Forgotten man of an indifferent nation
Jimmie feels ignored and neglected by society and his country.
Waiting on a platform at a Lancashire station
Jimmie is waiting for a train in a specific location.
Somebody's calling you again
Someone is trying to reach Jimmie.
The sky is falling
There is a sense of doom or danger in the air.
Jimmie's standing in the rain
Jimmie is literally outside in the rain, but it also implies his hopeless situation.
Nobody wants to buy a counterfeited prairie lullaby in a colliery town
Jimmie's music is not appreciated or valuable in his current setting.
The hip flask and fumbled skein of some stage door Josephine is all he'll get now
Jimmie has only a flask and some mementos from a past relationship to comfort him.
Eyes going in and out of focus
Jimmie's vision is blurry, possibly from exhaustion or illness.
Mild and bitter from tuberculosis
Jimmie is suffering from the disease and its unpleasant side effects.
Her soft breath was gentle on his neck
Jimmie is remembering a fond moment with someone he cares about.
If he could choose the time to die
Jimmie is feeling hopeless and wishing for an end to his suffering.
Then he would come and go like this
Jimmie wishes for a peaceful and easy death.
Underneath a painted sky
His imaginings of death are idealistic and unrealistic.
She woke up and called him "Charlie" by mistake
Jimmie is haunted by a past relationship.
And then in shame began to cry
The memory is painful for him.
Tarnished silver band peels off a phrase
His wedding ring is old and worn down.
And then warms their hands around the brazier
Jimmie is reminiscing about a time when he was with loved ones.
Vile vaudevillians applaud sobriety
Jimmie dislikes the shallow performers and their audience.
There's no place for a half-cut cowboy in polite society
Jimmie doesn't fit in with high-class society.
It's finally dawning
A change or realization is starting to occur.
Somebody's calling you again
Someone is trying to reach Jimmie.
Jimmie's standing in the rain
Jimmie is still stuck in his situation, but there's a hint of hope.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ELVIS COSTELLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kim Lanese
Saw him on this concert in Mesa, Arizona and this is now one of my favorite songs. I met him after the show and he is such a gracious and beautiful person.
Usurped
Fantastic song
Pat Donnelly
The whole song is brilliant, but that last part ...that'll give me chills for days. Wow!
mox888
Just how good is that! Wonderful performance from a wonderful performer.
Jim Schultz
Third-Class ticket in his pocket
Punching out the shadows underneath the sockets
Tweed coat turned up against the fog
Slow coaches rolling o'er the moor
Between the very memory
And approaches of war
Stale bread curling on a luncheon counter
Loose change lonely, not the right amount
Forgotten Man of an indifferent nation
Waiting on a platform at a Lancashire station
Somebody's calling you again
The sky is falling
Jimmie's standing in the rain
Nobody wants to buy a counterfeited prairie lullaby in a colliery town
A hip flask and fumbled skein with some stagedoor Josephine is all he'll get now
Eyes going in and out of focus
Mild and bitter from tuberculosis
Forgotten Man
Indifferent nation
Waiting on a platform at a Lancashire station
Somebody's calling you again
The sky is falling
Jimmie's standing in the rain
Her soft breath was gentle on his neck
If he could choose the time to die
Then he would come and go like this
Underneath a painted sky
She woke up and called him "Charlie" by mistake
And then in shame began to cry
Tarnished silver band peals off a phrase
And then warms their hands around the brazier
Forgotten Man
Indifferent nation
Waiting on a platform at a Lancashire station
Somebody's calling you again
It's finally dawning
Jimmie's standing in the rain
Brilliantine glistening
Your soft plaintive whistling
And your wan wandering smile
Died down at The Hippodrome
Now you're walking off to jeers, the lonely sound of jingling spurs, the "toodle-oos" and "Oh, my dears" down at "The Argyle"
Vile vaudevillians applaud sobriety
There's no place for a half-cut cowboy in polite society
Forgotten Man
Indifferent nation
Waiting on a platform at a Lancashire station
Somebody's calling you again
It's finally dawning
Jimmie's standing in the rain
toclement
This is very possibly the best song Elvis Costello has ever written, and that is saying a lot considering how many excellent songs he has composed.
Peter Owen
@Thomas Andersen It is astonishing. And on top of even having written it and recorded it, the moment at the end where he goes off-mic - and can still command the auditorium with his voice alone - and quotes 'Brother Can You Spare a Dime'... This is a man passionately interested in popular music, and passionately interested in writing new songs. Which, compared with the fact that most singer/songwriters his age are pretty much coasting it now, makes him unusual.
Thomas Andersen
Possibly his best song in 30 years
Julie Sahlberg
loss? I know I own it!!!???? why???