Today’s slow drag is with “Human Hands,” from “Imperial Bedroom,” released in 1981. The songwriting is credited to Elvis Costello.

Show Notes:

Appreciation written, produced, and narrated by Remedy Robinson, MA/MFA

Twitter: https://twitter.com/slowdragremedy

Email: slowdragwithremedy@gmail.com

Podcast music by https://www.fesliyanstudios.com

Rate this Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/slowdrag

References:

Elvis Costello Wiki Resource, “Human Hands”: http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Human_Hands

“Human Hands”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6yiii2iWkw

“Why Can’t a Person Tickle Himself?”: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-cant-a-person-tickle/

Purchase “The Most Terrible Time in My Life…Ends Thursday” https://www.amazon.com/Most-Terrible-Time-Life-Thursday-ebook/dp/B07XLXS5PL/ref=sr_1_1?crid=Y4SGCT62WPEK&dchild=1&keywords=the+most+terrible+time+in+my+life+ends+thursday&qid=1608873405&sprefix=The+Most+Terrible+Time+in+%2Caps%2C195&sr=8-1

 

"Human Hands" Lyrics:

I've been talking to the wall and it's been answering me

Oh darling, how I miss you

I'm just the mere shadow of my former selfishness

I crave the silhouette of your kiss

With only the blue light of the TV on

Lip-reading threats and false alarms

There's a boy somewhere holding hands with himself

And a girl in a window on the Reeperbahn

 

Whenever I put my foot in my mouth

and you begin to doubt

That it's you that I'm dreaming about

Do I have to draw you a diagram?

All I ever want is just to fall into your human hands

 

With the kings and queens of the dance hall craze

Checkmate in three moves in your heyday

But the girls don't listen to your line anymore

Now you're part of someone else

On the factory floor you still say "Where’s the action?"

Now you manufacture happiness

And get sold on the cheap for someone's satisfaction

 

Whenever I put my foot in my mouth and you begin to doubt

That it's you that I'm dreaming about

Do I have to draw you a diagram?

All I ever want is just to fall into your human hands

 

All you toy soldiers and scaremongers

Are you living in this world, sometimes I wonder

In between saying you've seen too much 

And saying you've seen it all before

Tighter and tighter, I hold you tightly

You know I love you more than slightly

Although I've never said it like this before

 

Whenever I put my foot in my mouth and you begin to doubt

That it's you that I'm dreaming about

Do I have to draw you a diagram?

All I ever want is just to fall into your human hands

All I ever want is to fall into your human hands

 

"Human Hands" Alternate Lyrics:

There’s nobody burning between these sheets

Oh, darling how I miss you

I'm just the mere shadow of my former selfishness

I crave the silhouette of your kiss

With only the blue light of the TV on

Lip-reading threats and false alarms

There's a boy somewhere holding hands with himself

And a girl in a window on the Reeperbahn

 

Whenever the money runs out

or the drugs wear off

And you start to doubt the household brands

All I ever want is just to fall into your human hands

 

 

 

With the kings and queens of the dance hall craze

Checkmate in three moves in your heyday

But the girls don't listen to your line anymore

Now you're part of someone else

On the factory floor you still say "Where’s the action?"

Now you manufacture happiness

And get sold on the cheap for someone's satisfaction

 

Whenever the money runs out

or the drugs wear off

And you start to doubt the household brands

All I ever want is just to fall into your human hands

 

 

All you toy soldiers and scaremongers

I can already remember when you were younger

in between saying you’ve seen too much

and saying you’ve seen it all before

Tighter and tighter, I hold you tightly

You know I love you more than slightly

Although I've never said it like this before

 

Whenever the money runs out or the drugs wear off

And you start to doubt the household brands

All I ever want is just to fall into your human hands