Elvis Costello - Punishing Kiss

Bespoke Songs Lost Dogs Detour / 1998-05-19 1. All Grown Up 2. Almost Blue 3. Deep Dead Blue 4. Dirty Rotten Shame 5. Girls Talk 6. Hidden Shame 7. Indoor Fireworks 8. I Want to Vanish 9. Miss Mary 10. My Brave Face 11. Punishing Kiss 12. Shadow and Jimmy 13. Shamed Into Love 14. Shatterproof 15. Shipbuilding 16. The Birds Will Still Be Singing 17. The Comedians 18. The Deportees Club 19. The Other End (of the Telescope) 20. Unwanted Number 21. Upon A Veil Of Midnight Blue

Punishing Kiss

(Words MacManus/O'Riordan, music: Costello)
I favour a good punishing kiss
it helps pass the lonely afternoon
another stiff drink, wipe off that lipstick
For when you reach a certain age
All the most villainous men can be found on Channel Ten
I make them dance in attendance
'We will be back in a minute or two'
And he will punish that girl
Oh forget the reason
Just look at me I'm lost in a social whirl
She was never so witty
Always struggling to be full of fun
'On weekdays
From mid-day to one'
In a little black cocktail dress everyone hates
She'll be saving the world inbetween fashion plates
I know what she gets up to in the back of that blacked out limousine
And I catch myself shouting at the screen
I think that it's time to turn over
They say it's harmless I know
A hundred and ten percent certain
Virtually real
If you need something to feel
Then favour a punishing kiss
It helps chase the wasted afternoons
The flowers and pearls
The long lost relations
That love sick tom-boy comes in bloom
The pointless heartache
That seems to belong in my blue room
Can't stand the suspense
The endless embraces
Each episode lends the silly pretence
Say I can look away when I will never miss it
Starts with a joke
And ends with a punishing kiss