1709 – Elvis Costello – Less than zero (1977)

 

Escrita por Elvis Costello, foi gravada em 1977 e lançada em 11 de março de 1977, no compacto que tinha Radio Sweetheart como Lado B. Sairia também no disco My aim is true, o disco de estréia de Costello, em 22 de julho de 1977. Foi produzida por Nick Lowe. Foi escrita sobre o facista inglês Oswald Mosley. Foi escrita com raiva, depois de Costello ver o antigo lider da Britush Union of Fascists Oswald Mosley ser entrevistado e ter negado seu passado racista. Costello disse que o mesmo não se arrependia de nada do que fez nos anos 30s.

A letra:

Calling Mister Oswald with the swastika tattoo,
there is a vacancy waiting in the English voodoo,
carving "v" for vandal on the guilty boy's head.
When he's had enough of that maybe you'll take him to bed
to teach him he's alive before he wishes he was dead.

Turn up the TV. No one listening will suspect,
even your mother won't detect it,
so your father won't know.
they think that I've got no respect
but everything means less than zero.
Hey, ooh hey, hey, ooh hey.

Oswald and his sister are doing it again.
They've got the finest home movies that you have ever seen.
They've got a thousand variations: every service with a smile.
They're gonna take a little break, and they'll be back after a while.
well I hear that South America is coming into style.

Turn up the TV. No one listening will suspect,
even your mother won't detect it,
so your father won't know.
they think that I've got no respect
but everything means less than zero.
Hey, ooh hey, hey, ooh hey.

A pistol was still smoking, a man lay on the floor.
Mister Oswald said he had an understanding with the law.
He said he heard about a couple living in the USA.
He said they traded in their baby for a Chevrolet.
Let's talk about the future now we've put the past away.

Turn up the TV. No one listening will suspect,
even your mother won't detect it,
so your father won't know.
they think that I've got no respect
but everything means less than zero.
Hey, ooh hey, hey, ooh hey.

A versão de Elvis Costello:

A versão de Sam Gleason: