1980 – Elvis Costello – Accidents will happen (1979)

 

Escrita por Elvis Costello, foi gravada entre agosto e setembro de 1978 e lançada em 5 de janeiro de 1979, no disco Armed Forces, o terceiro disco de Elvis Costello. Sairia também em compacto, com Talking in the dark como Lado B, em 4 de maio de 1979. Foi produzida por Nick Lowe. Fala sobre suas varias infidelidades na época, incluindo um encontro com uma motorista de taxi em Tucson, Arizona. Quando a motorista o deixou no hotel, ele ficou ouvindo um casal fazer sexo no quarto ao lado e escreveu a canção. Ele diz que fala sobre ele falhar como marido e pai, pois havia ficado famoso e não conseguia lidar com os assédios. Chegou ao número 28 no Reino Unido. No filme, ET, o Extraterrestre, Michael, irmão de Elliott, canta essa música na cozinha da familia de voltar da escola. Elliott tinha um poster de Elvis Costello no seu quarto.

A letra:

Oh, I just don't know where to begin
Love doesn't wait forever
It's now or never
But she keeps 'em hangin' on
The silly champion
She says she can't go home without a chaperone

Accidents will happen
They only hit and run
You used to be a victim now you're not the only one
Accidents will happen
They only hit and run
I don't want to hear it cause I know what I've done

There's so many fish in the sea
That only rise up on the sweat and smoke of mercury
But they keep you hangin' on
they say you're so young
Your mind is made up but your mouth is undone

Accidents will happen
They only hit and run
You used to be a victim now you're not the only one
Accidents will happen
They only hit and run
I don't want to hear it cause I know what I've done

And it's the damage that we do we never know
it's the words that we don't say that scare me so
there's so many people to see
so many people you can check up on and add to your collection
But they keep you hangin' on
until you're well hung
Your mouth is make up but your mind is undone

Accidents will happen
They're only hit and run
You used to be a victim now you're not the only one
Accidents will happen
They only hit and run
I don't want to hear it cause I know what I
I know what I
I know what I've done
I know (x lots)

A versão de Elvis Costello: