With a concept of imaginary letters being sent to an imaginary recipient, Juliet Capulet, all five musicians contributed to the writing of the lyrics as well as the music. No overdubs were made, the album recorded in its entirety live in the studio. One single was released from the album, the track "Jacksons, Monk, and Rowe," although it did not chart in either the United States or the UK.
Who Do You Think You Are
Elvis Costello and the Brodsky Quartet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The empty laugh that you cultivate
You fall into that false embrace
And kiss the air about her face
Who do you think you are?
The tres bon mots you almost quote from your
Quiver of literary darts
Little heart
Who do you think you are?
My cigarette burns right down to the ash, my coffee
Cup is unstained
The waiter hovers close at hand
His courtesy strained
Who do you think you are?
I close with my regards
Well I`m the red-face gentleman
Caught in this picture postcard
Who do you think you are?
Trying my best to make the best of your absence
Though the joke gets tired and sordid
Sea-shell hearts get trampled under foot
Punchlines unrewarded
But even at this distance it`s not easy to accept
The vision that I chase returns when I least expect it
I've fallen from your tired embrace
I kiss the air around the place that should be your face.
The lyrics of Elvis Costello and the Brodsky Quartet's song "Who Do You Think You Are?" speak about a person who tries to assume a false identity to cover up their insecurities. The song starts with an observation of the "hunted look" and "haunted grace" of the person who pretends to be someone they are not. They create a false persona, including the use of "tres bon mots," but Costello calls them out on it, wondering, "who do you think you are?"
The song continues to describe the scene of the person's facade, with "a thousand or so tuneless violins thrilling your cheap little heart." This situation is in stark comparison to the singer that sits calmly by, drinking coffee and smoking a cigarette, unfazed by the artificiality of the person's actions. The waiter's strained courtesy highlights the recognition of this act as one that is put on to appear a certain way, rather than the genuine behavior of the person.
In the second half of the song, the singer laments the loss of a past relationship that also seems to have been artificial. They are "trying [their] best to make the best of [the] absence" but are constantly reminded of the "vision that [they] chase" of the person who they thought they knew. This relationship was a tired embrace that did not offer any fulfillment, as the punchlines were unrewarded, and even their "sea-shell hearts get trampled underfoot."
Overall, "Who Do You Think You Are?" critiques the falsity of people who hide their insecurities behind a façade, while also highlighting the pain of lost relationships that were built on a false foundation.
Line by Line Meaning
The hunted look, the haunted grace
You appear distressed and uneasy, with a ghostly presence about you.
The empty laugh that you cultivate
You force a fake chuckle, pretending to be happy when really you're not.
You fall into that false embrace
You find comfort in a fabricated connection that lacks true depth.
And kiss the air about her face
You long for the touch of someone you cannot have.
Who do you think you are?
You are questioning their true identity and character.
The tres bon mots you almost quote from your Quiver of literary darts
You almost quote clever sayings, using your stockpile of intellectual ammunition.
A thousand or so tuneless violins thrilling your cheap Little heart
You are easily impressed and emotionally moved by anything, even the most meaningless of things.
My cigarette Burns right down to the ash, my coffee Cup is unstained
I'm waiting for you, but my patience is running thin as I waste time smoking and drinking coffee.
The waiter hovers close at hand,His Courtesy strained
The waiter is hovering, sensing my annoyance with waiting for you and the situation we're in.
Trying my best to make the best of your absence,Though the joke gets tired and sordid
I'm trying to entertain myself while being alone and waiting for you, but it's becoming difficult and boring.
Sea-shell Hearts get trampled under foot,Punchlines unrewarded
My heart and the things I find funny are unappreciated and disregarded in this situation.
But even at this distance it's not easy to acceptThe vision that I chase returns when I least expect it
Despite being apart, I cannot easily forget about you and you still enter my thoughts suddenly.
I've fallen from your tired embrace,I kiss the air around the place that should be your face
I realize that the relationship or interaction we had was shallow and limited, but I still long for the feeling of being close to you.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ELVIS COSTELLO, MICHAEL HENRY THOMAS, MARINA DEL MAR THOMAS-PEDRAZA, IAN DEREK BELTON, PAUL MARTIN CASSIDY, JACQUELINE LUCY KATHERINE THOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind