Elvis Costello - This Sad Burlesque

Juliet Letters / 1993-01-19 1. Damnation's Cellar 2. Dead Letter 3. Dear Sweet Filthy World 4. Deliver Us 5. Expert Rites 6. For Other Eyes 7. I Almost Had A Weakness 8. I Thought I'd Write to Juliet 9. Jacksons, Monk and Rowe 10. Last Post 11. Romeo's Seance 12. Swine 13. Taking My Life In Your Hands 14. The Birds Will Still Be Singing 15. The First to Leave 16. The Letter Home 17. This Offer Is Unrepeatable 18. This Sad Burlesque 19. Who Do You Think You Are? 20. Why?

This Sad Burlesque

I write in hopes that by the time you get this letter
We may live to see a change for the better
Or are we so devoted to these wretched selfish motives
When the cold facts and figures all add up
They cannot contradict this sad burlesque

This sad burlesque
With miserable failures making entertainment of our fate
Laughter cannot dignify of elevate
This sad burlesque

Now can they recall being young and idealistic
Before wading knee-deep in hogwash and arithmetic
The pitying smirk
The argument runs like clockwork
Will run down eventually and splutter to a stop

P.S. Well by now you know the worst of it
And we've heard all the alibis that they've rehearsed
The smug predictions
If it's not a contradiction
Keep faith in human nature
And have mercy on the creatures in this sad burlesque