Elvis Costello Turpentine lyrics

I can't tell if this is real or if I am sleeping
I'll embroider the truth
And that's so I shall reap
I took things that didn't belong to me
I didn't mean to do you wrong

Looking back on all that stolen time
Back when I was drinking turpentine
Don't blame me
I only took you in
It takes time to do the poisoning
So let's close the door on this and lock it

And that's all that it will ever be
Just an accident of chemistry

You did everything to me but stopped short of murder
Couldn't move me much closer to keeping my word
While the crowd threw stones at the hangman
The sky fell down
The bells rang

Looking back on all that stolen time
Back when I was drinking turpentine
Don't blame me
I only took you in
It takes time to do the poisoning
So let's close the door on this and lock it

And that's all that it will ever be

Just an accident of history

Airless shaft of an underground railway
Effete assassin with a hawk in a sack
The earth will offer us in when our hearts fail
As it swallowed the river running under the track

I can't tell if I'm dreaming or if I'll awaken
With a song in my heart that is longing to break
Let it out and let it fly high
Up where the spires scrape the sky

Looking back on all that stolen time
Back when I was drinking turpentine
Don't blame me
I only took you in
It takes time to do the poisoning
So let's close the door on this and lock it

And that's all that it will ever be
Just an accident of history

Airless shaft of an underground railway
Cute assassin with a hawk in a sack
The earth will offer us in when our hearts fail
Swallowed the river running under the track
That's right