Text: Elvis Costello. The Beat.

We're all going on a summer holiday
Vigilante's coming out to follow me
Heard somebody say, they're out to collar me
Anybody wanna swallow me?

Takes two to tumble, it takes two to tango
Speak up, don't mumble if you're in the combo

On the beat, on the beat
Till a man comes along and he says
"Have you been a good boy, never played with your toy?
Though you never enjoy, such a pleasure to employ"

See your friends in the state their in
See your friends getting under their skin
See your friends getting taken in

Well, if you only knew the things you do to me
I'd do anything to confuse the enemy
There's only one thing wrong with you befriending me
Take it easy, I think you're bending me

I've been a bad boy with the standard leader
My neighbor's revving up his Vaux hall Viva

On the beat, on the earth beat
Till a man comes along and he says
"Have you been a good boy, never played with your toy?
Though you never enjoy, such a pleasure to employ"

See your friends walking down the street
See your friends never quite complete
See your friends getting under their feet

Oh, I don't want to disease you
But I'm no good with machinery
Oh, I don't wanna freeze you
Stop looking at the scenery

I keep thinkin' about your mother
Oh, I don't wanna lick them
I don't wanna be a lover
I just wanna be your victim

I don't go out much at night
I don't go out much at all
Did you think you were the only one
Who was waiting for a call?

On the beat, on the beat, on the earth beat
Till a man comes along and he says
"Have you been a good boy, never played with your toy?
Though you never enjoy, such a pleasure to employ"

See your friends treat me like a stranger
See your friends despite all the arrangements
See your friends, nothing here has changed
Just the beat, just the beat, just the beat, just the beat