Elvis Costello - Shipbuilding

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

Shipbuilding

Is it worth it?
A new winter coat and shoes for the wife
And a bicycle on the boy's birthday
It's just a rumour that was spread around town
By the women and children
Soon we'll be shipbuilding.......
Well I ask you
The boy said "Dad they're going to take me to task, but I'll be back by Christmas"
It's just a rumour that was spread around town
Somebody said that someone got filled in
For saying that people get killed in
The result of this shipbuilding
With all the will in the world
Diving for dear life
When we could be diving for pearls
It's just a rumour that was spread around town
A telegram or a picture postcard
Within weeks they'll be re-opening the shipyards
And notifying the next of kin
Once again
It's all we're skilled in
We will be shipbuilding........
With all the will in the world
Diving for dear life
When we could be diving for pearls.