Elvis Costello - Strict Time

Trust / 1981-03-01 1. Big Sister 2. Big Sister's Clothes 3. Black Sails In The Sunset 4. Boy With a Problem 5. Clubland 6. Different Finger 7. Fish 'n' Chip Paper 8. From A Whisper to A Scream 9. Gloomy Sunday 10. Lover's Walk 11. Love For Sale 12. Luxembourg 13. New Lace Sleeves 14. Pretty Words 15. Sad About Girls 16. Seconds Of Pleasure 17. Shot With His Own Gun 18. Strict Time 19. Twenty-Five To Twelve 20. Watch Your Step 21. Weeper's Dream 22. White Knuckles 23. You'll Never Be A Man

Strict Time

There's a hand on a wire that leads to my mouth
I can hear you knocking but I'm not coming out
Don't want to be a puppet or a ventriloquist
'Cause there's no ventilation on a critical list
Fingers creeping up my spine are not mine to resist
Strict time

Chorus:
Toughen up, toughen up
Keep your lip buttoned up
Strict time

Oh the muscles flex and the fingers curl
And a cold sweat breaks out on the sweater girl
Strict time
Oh he's all hands, don't touch that dial
The courting cold wars weekend witch trial
Strict time
All the boys are straight laced and the girls are frigid
The talk is two-faced and the rules are rigid 'cause it's strict time
Strict time

Chorus

You talk in hushed tones, I talk in lush tones
Try to look Italian through the musical Valium
Strict time
Thinking of grand larceny
Smoking the everlasting cigarette of chastity
Cute assistants staying alive
More like a hand job than the hand jive
Strict time

Chorus