Internationally, the band is perhaps best known for popular rock hits such as "Oliver's Army" and "Pump It Up", both featuring expressive yet sardonic vocals from Costello. He reconvened the band for one-off albums and tours over the following decade, particularly from 1994 through 1996. He has also enlisted Nieve, and to a lesser extent Pete Thomas, for other recordings and performances, and this continues to the present day. Costello and Bruce Thomas have had a notoriously stormy relationship, documented in Thomas' 1990 autobiographical novel 'The Big Wheel'. The original Attractions reunited for the 'Brutal Youth & All This Useless Beauty' sessions despite Costello and Thomas' differences. Pete Thomas and Steve Nieve, along with Bruce Thomas' replacement Davey Faragher, have been a part of Costello's other most well known backing band, The Imposters.
Together, Costello and the Attractions, based out of London, England, recorded ten albums. Most of which are critically regarded as among Costello's finest. They are: 'This Year's Model' (1978); 'Armed Forces' (1979); 'Get Happy' (1980); 'Trust' (1981); 'Almost Blue' (1981); 'Imperial Bedroom' (1982); 'Punch The Clock' (1983); 'Goodbye Cruel World' (1984); 'Blood and Chocolate' (1986), and 'All This Useless Beauty' (1996). The full band plays on some, but not all, tracks on the 1994 release 'Brutal Youth', which is credited to Costello alone. In addition, The Attractions also recorded an album without Costello, titled 'Mad About the Wrong Boy', which they released in 1980.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions most recently appeared together, although they didn't play, when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. The band's work has continued to receive much airplay and sell quite well over the years. 'Mad About the Wrong Boy', while obscure, has been a collectors item for many new wave and power pop fans.
How Much I Lied
Elvis Costello & The Attractions Lyrics
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It's so hard to say the words I feel
This fancy that I'm on has been going on too long
It's time to stop pretending things are real
'Cause I've been living deep in sin, I've been living blind
And I just don't know what's right or wrong
To take a chance on losing you is such a silly thing to do
Blue, so blue, my love is burning blue
Any private flame could be a lie
Blue, so blue, my love still burns for you
But I know I'll only make you cry
A thief can only steal from you
He cannot break your heart
He can never touch the precious things inside
Someone like you should surely be
Miles and miles away from me
Then you'd never care how much I lied
So try to understand the pain
It takes so long when I explain
Please don't you forget how much I lied
How much I lied
Elvis Costello & The Attractions’s song ‘How Much I Lied’ is a heart-wrenching ballad featuring vulnerable lyrics about a man who is struggling to reconcile his own inner turmoil with his love for his partner. In the opening of the song, the man confesses that he has been living a lie for far too long. He has been pretending that his fancy is true and that his love is pure, but in reality, he has been living deep in sin and has lost his ability to distinguish between right and wrong. The man is aware that taking a chance on losing his partner would be foolish, but he fears that he might wake up one day and find that his partner is gone.
The chorus of ‘How Much I Lied’ emphasizes the pain and anguish of the man’s situation. He describes his love as ‘blue’ and burning, but he understands that any private flame could be a lie. He acknowledges that his love for his partner is still strong, but he also realizes that he is only going to make her cry. The man compares himself to a thief who can steal but cannot break a heart or touch the precious things inside. He seems to believe that his partner deserves someone better than him, someone who will not lie and deceive her.
The song concludes with the man acknowledging that he knows he will never be able to be with his partner in the way that he wants. He believes that she should be miles away from him, far from the pain and hurt that he might cause her. The man understands that explaining his pain and difficulties will take time, but he begs his partner not to forget how much he lied.
Line by Line Meaning
Darling, there is one thing I must tell you, you must know
I have something important to confess, please listen carefully
It's so hard to say the words I feel
I find it difficult to express how I truly feel
This fancy that I'm on has been going on too long
This act I'm putting on has been going on for too long now
It's time to stop pretending things are real
It's time to stop pretending that what I'm doing is real
'Cause I've been living deep in sin, I've been living blind
I've been doing things that are immoral and wrong
And I just don't know what's right or wrong
I'm having a hard time distinguishing right from wrong
To take a chance on losing you is such a silly thing to do
It's foolish to risk losing you
A chance I might wake up and find you gone
I fear that I may wake up one day and find out that you left
Blue, so blue, my love is burning blue
My love is filled with sadness and burning blue
Any private flame could be a lie
Any private feelings I have could be deceitful
Blue, so blue, my love still burns for you
I still love you, despite the sadness
But I know I'll only make you cry
I fear that I'm only causing you pain
A thief can only steal from you
A thief can only take away material things from you
He cannot break your heart
He cannot cause the same amount of pain as a broken heart
He can never touch the precious things inside
He cannot reach the valuable things inside you
Someone like you should surely be
Someone like you deserves to be happy and loved
Miles and miles away from me
Far away from me
Then you'd never care how much I lied
Then you wouldn't have to endure my dishonesty
So try to understand the pain
Please try and understand the pain I'm going through
It takes so long when I explain
It's taking me a long time to explain
Please don't you forget how much I lied
Please don't forget that I've lied to you
How much I lied
I've lied so much
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: David Rivkin, Gram Parsons
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind