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Elvis Costello — Deep Dark Truthful Mirror
Album: Spike
Avg rating:
6

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1180









Released: 1989
Length: 3:59
Plays (last 30 days): 2
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One day you're going to have to face the deep dark truthful mirror
And it's going to tell you things that I still love you too much to say
The sky was just a purple bruise, the ground was iron
And you fell all around the town until you looked the same

The same eyes, the same lips
The same lie from your tongue trips
Deep dark, deep dark truthful mirror
Deep dark, deep dark truthful mirror

Now the flagstone streets where the newspaper shouts
Ring to the boots of roustabouts
But you're never in any doubt
There's something happening somewhere

You chase down the road til your fingers bleed
On a fiberglass tumbleweed
You can blow around the town
But it all shuts down the same

The same eyes, the same lips
The same lie from your tongue trips
Deep dark, deep dark truthful mirror
Deep dark, deep dark truthful mirror

So you bay for the boy in the tiger-skin trunks
They set him up, set him up on the stool
He falls down, he falls down like a drunk
And you drink til you drool

Well it's his story you'll flatter
You'll stretch him out like a saint
But the canvas that he splattered
Will be the picture that you never paint

Deep dark, deep dark truthful mirror
Deep dark, deep dark truthful mirror

A stripping puppet on a liquid stick
Gets into it pretty thick
A butterfly drinks a turtle's tears
But how do you know he really needs it?

'Cause a butterfly feeds on a dead monkey's hand
Jesus wept, he felt abandoned
You're spellbound baby, there's no doubting that
Did you ever see a stare like a Persian cat?

The same eyes, the same lips
The same lie from your tongue trips
Deep dark, deep dark truthful mirror
Deep dark, deep dark truthful mirror
Comments (144)add comment
I was just listening to this album and this song in the car coming home.

Love it.
Posted 2 days ago by kurtster    [ Reply ]
Yeah, Elvis Costello is the one artist that never gets a complete play through. Always skip.  Can't get beyond the insipid and droll vocal quality. Yes I'm that shallow.
Posted 2 years ago by farmersdotter2    [ Reply ]
One of the worst album cover ever.
Posted 2 years ago by nicknt    [ Reply ]
GREAT TUNE!  
Posted 2 years ago by eileenomurphy    [ Reply ]
This is his finest song--Lord have mercy.
Posted 3 years ago by ThePoose    [ Reply ]
 amcostigan88 wrote:
Great song! Great writing! Much prefer the MTV Unplugged rendition over the original however. It just delivers more of what this song's potential holds without a quirky, marching drum beat. My two cents obviously. Long Live RP! 
 

Posted 4 years ago by Soopertimes    [ Reply ]
 MattRudely wrote:

Oh dear
Oh dear oh dear
Oh dear oh dear oh dear
 

Posted 4 years ago by Ribczar    [ Reply ]
 Dfitz wrote:


Costello is a joke, a wanna-be Bob Dillon
 
Oh dear
Oh dear oh dear
Oh dear oh dear oh dear
Posted 4 years ago by MattRudely    [ Reply ]
Great to hear Mr MacManus.  I would suggest that there's not quite enough Elvis on RP. 
Posted 5 years ago by fraserji    [ Reply ]
 amcostigan88 wrote:
Great song! Great writing! Much prefer the MTV Unplugged rendition over the original however. It just delivers more of what this song's potential holds without a quirky, marching drum beat. My two cents obviously. Long Live RP! 
 
Yes, also a good version! 

Here, he was going for that New Orleans funeral march vibe, recruiting the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Allen Toussaint on piano. For the "SPIKE" album (his first for Warner Bros.), Costello said that he had the budget of "a small independent movie" at his disposal so he pulled out the stops. He recorded in 4 different locations with all-star bands, including the likes of Paul McCartney, T-Bone Burnett, Roger McGuinn, Christy Moore, Chrissie Hynde, etc., and the resulting scattershot album worked about as often as it didn't (though I quite like this one).
Posted 5 years ago by jkamm14    [ Reply ]
 TerrorGovernor wrote:
I LOVE Spike

If you don't get Costello I don't trust you
 

Costello is a joke, a wanna-be Bob Dillon
Posted 5 years ago by Dfitz    [ Reply ]
What Elvis? Terrible!
Posted 5 years ago by Stefan_Lutz    [ Reply ]
I LOVE Spike

If you don't get Costello I don't trust you
Posted 5 years ago by TerrorGovernor    [ Reply ]
Great song! Great writing! Much prefer the MTV Unplugged rendition over the original however. It just delivers more of what this song's potential holds without a quirky, marching drum beat. My two cents obviously. Long Live RP! 
Posted 5 years ago by amcostigan88    [ Reply ]
Elvis sounding like Van the Man on this one
Posted 6 years ago by thewiseking    [ Reply ]
1989 - Nick Lowe and Elvis at the Palumbo, Duquesne Univ. in Pgh Pa.
Posted 6 years ago by countyman    [ Reply ]
"As a butterfly drinks from a dead monkey's hand
Jesus wept"

Take it EASY, Elvis.
Posted 7 years ago by mrselfdestruct    [ Reply ]
Haven't heard this in years, I had bought the album when it came out.  Saw him do a outstanding performance later that year at the Fox Theater in Atlanta.
Posted 7 years ago by Cyclehawk    [ Reply ]
  Saw this had a 6.1 rating, prompting me to make my first comment after several years of listening to and loving RP.  This album is fantastic, and contains the single most damning artistic expression I've ever heard against a politician on "Tramp the Dirt Down"  When Margaret Thatcher died, I sat and listened to that song again for the first time in a while.  Chilling.  EC at his best, as is Deep Dark Truthful Mirror.
Posted 8 years ago by Blindadrenaline    [ Reply ]
 Proclivities wrote:

Do you mean Jack Handey?

 

Posted 8 years ago by lily34    [ Reply ]
i love this so much.
Posted 8 years ago by lily34    [ Reply ]
 Michael_Dean wrote:
I thought he was singing, "Deep Thoughts".  Thinking of Al Franken kinda ruined the song for me.
 
I think you mean Jack Handey, not Al Franken.
Posted 9 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
I thought he was singing, "Deep Thoughts".  Thinking of Al Franken kinda ruined the song for me.

Posted 9 years ago by Michael_Dean    [ Reply ]
Just like the WB label destroyed REM, when Elvis changed to WB for this record, he became an echo of his former - important - self. Very little afterward was of the caliber of his earlier material, even to the point of him working with Bacharach (who freely admits he never "got" rock and roll) taking on the role of the crooner. Which he is not.
Posted 9 years ago by Steely_D    [ Reply ]
 juanos wrote:
this is soooo much like Van Morrison!!, not necessarily bad, just surprised!!!

 
No reason for surprised.  Elvis adores Van.  And they are part of that great clan of Irish or Irish ancestry singer-composers along with Lennon and McCartney. 
Posted 10 years ago by lemmoth    [ Reply ]
 lemmoth wrote:

Go listen to opera ppopp.

And never again have the visceral pleasure of listening to the song-stories of Dylan, Young, Springsteen, Waits and Costello.

Bye bye 

 
Wait,,,,, Audioslave????? Are you freaking kidding me --------- that's Chris Cornell --- he of the three octave range.....
Posted 10 years ago by lemmoth    [ Reply ]
 ppopp wrote:
It's the lousy voice stretch - Elvis Costello, Audioslave, The National, Joe Walsh.

 
Go listen to opera ppopp.

And never again have the visceral pleasure of listening to the song-stories of Dylan, Young, Springsteen, Waits and Costello.

Bye bye 
Posted 10 years ago by lemmoth    [ Reply ]
Elvis is a freaking genius.  This is a fantastic song from a wonderful album.  The man could have taken a safe singer-songwriter path after his initial success but instead has experimented in whatever genre his muse, and encyclopedic musical knowledge, leads him.

And yes, imaging a butterfly feeding on a dead monkey's hand is pretty damned wierd. 
Posted 10 years ago by lemmoth    [ Reply ]
 caregiver wrote:
Agreed!  {#Arrowd}  I love the piano in this.  It reminds me of something obscure from Van Morrison.

 
It reminds me more of Billy Joel. 
Posted 10 years ago by handyrae    [ Reply ]

I insist I know how good music should sound!

ELVIS never did it for me - NEVER!

Poor Elvis!


Posted 10 years ago by Stingray    [ Reply ]
It's the lousy voice stretch - Elvis Costello, Audioslave, The National, Joe Walsh.
Posted 11 years ago by ppopp    [ Reply ]
A great song on a mostly forgettable album. 
Posted 11 years ago by burdell    [ Reply ]
This is one I've come to love more and more as time goes on.  That opening line about "it's gonna tell you things that I still love you too much to say" has become one of my favorite lyrics ever
Posted 11 years ago by Stave    [ Reply ]
You can play Costello all the time in my opinion—excellent stuff!
Posted 11 years ago by Hogtownmike    [ Reply ]
kaybee wrote:
I really like the discordance and the way his voice breaks on this.  I wonder what he was going through at the time.
 crazyossi wrote:

He was trying to learn singing - and he failed !!!
 
@ crazy ossi:
You mean like you were trying to learn English grammar and failed?!
Posted 11 years ago by JHZ    [ Reply ]
Agreed!  {#Arrowd}  I love the piano in this.  It reminds me of something obscure from Van Morrison.
Posted 11 years ago by caregiver    [ Reply ]
One of the most enegmatic and paradigm breaking poets of these days. Elvis' genius is his ability to carve his own path within the musical rhealm. And while not a die hard fan by any stretch, I know creativity when I hear it
Posted 12 years ago by Kanuffen    [ Reply ]
 kaybee wrote:
I really like the discordance and the way his voice breaks on this.  I wonder what he was going through at the time.
 
He was trying to learn singing - and he failed !!!
Posted 12 years ago by crazyossi    [ Reply ]
I really like the discordance and the way his voice breaks on this.  I wonder what he was going through at the time.
Posted 12 years ago by kaybee    [ Reply ]
 juanos wrote:
this is soooo much like Van Morrison!!, not necessarily bad, just surprised!!!
 
When Bill followed this one with Randy Newman's "Political Science", I could really hear the similarities between the two songs. Wouldn't have linked them if they hadn't been played back to back. Not my fave Elvis song, but it's OK. 
Posted 12 years ago by kcar    [ Reply ]
 AndyFarang wrote:
dear god, please make it stop......
 
I'm with you there. I just don't care for any of this guy's work. His voice just doesn't work for my taste.

Posted 12 years ago by ERERER    [ Reply ]
This whole album— and its companion outtakes disc on the Rhino (?) re-release is soooooooooooo good.  If I'm not mistaken, this is his first non-Attractions album (although I could be wrong).  At any rate, he takes this opportunity to stretch his creative legs and the results are outstanding. 

He's not much for music videos obviously, but if you get the chance to see the Veronica video, check it out.  Very well done and links well with the subject matter.  

Another gem from this album was Tramp the Dirt Down.  Think he was very fond of Margaret Thatcher?  : ) 
Posted 13 years ago by hencini    [ Reply ]
On of the consistently best albums of the 80's. 

Posted 13 years ago by mgoldman    [ Reply ]
 lemmoth wrote:


That's because great artists don't just keep repeating a variation of their "big hits" to satisfy the broad masses who may have enjoyed said hits.

They move on.

This is a very cool album with instrumentation by the very cool Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
 
exactly right.  And on this particular song some fun piano too.

Posted 13 years ago by bluefrog    [ Reply ]
 Jelani wrote:
WHAT  did he say about that butterfly?????
 
No kidding! I had a double take on that one too! I was just glad that there weren't any clients in the office!

Posted 13 years ago by BerkeleyAlice    [ Reply ]
 michaelc wrote:
One of my least fav Elvis album, but it's still good
 
Funny, I'm very fond of this album.

Posted 13 years ago by GuiltyFeat    [ Reply ]
One of my least fav Elvis album, but it's still good
Posted 13 years ago by michaelc    [ Reply ]
I could do without this one.
Posted 13 years ago by nelsonha    [ Reply ]
this is soooo much like Van Morrison!!, not necessarily bad, just surprised!!!
Posted 13 years ago by juanos    [ Reply ]
WHAT  did he say about that butterfly?????
Posted 13 years ago by Jelani    [ Reply ]
 Pharlap wrote:
This is sure no "Watching the Detectives"
 

That's because great artists don't just keep repeating a variation of their "big hits" to satisfy the broad masses who may have enjoyed said hits.

They move on.

This is a very cool album with instrumentation by the very cool Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
Posted 13 years ago by lemmoth    [ Reply ]
Don't know why but I just love this Elvis
Posted 14 years ago by PeeBee    [ Reply ]
Never liked the whole album...always loved this song.
Posted 14 years ago by mtbskisail    [ Reply ]
 Land_Shark wrote:
Better than Rap music, if you ask me. Much better.
 

Preface by saying that I love this song. Secondly, you have probably never even heard good rap before to make an opinion cause just like most music, they sure as hell don't play the good Hip-Hop on commercial radio!{#No}
Posted 14 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
Elvis C., always enjoyed his music. Might not be my fav but it's still ok.
Posted 14 years ago by gregpw    [ Reply ]
This is sure no "Watching the Detectives"
Posted 14 years ago by Pharlap    [ Reply ]
Funny, I like Elvis ok, but love this song, I think it's great!{#Yes}
Posted 14 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
dear god, please make it stop......
Posted 14 years ago by AndyFarang    [ Reply ]
No sir, I do not care for it.
Posted 14 years ago by michaelgmitchell    [ Reply ]
I love Elvis but this isn't one of his best.
Posted 14 years ago by Dillinquent    [ Reply ]
I think this may be the first time I really listened to this song and I have to say it's very good. The lyrics are especially strong. I don't particularly like this album but there are a few good tunes on it.
Posted 14 years ago by peter_james_bond    [ Reply ]
Is RP turning into the Elvis Costello of radio stations?  An also-ran?  I hope not.
Posted 14 years ago by spigolli    [ Reply ]
 RabbitEars wrote:
I dig "Chewing Gum"
 
love chewing gum - dirty dozen brass band do a great job

Posted 14 years ago by lemmoth    [ Reply ]
I dig "Chewing Gum"
Posted 14 years ago by RabbitEars    [ Reply ]
 ptgl3 wrote:
Not Elvis' best work—and I say that as a devotee. 
 
Aw man, i love Spike! God's Comic? Tramp the Dirt Down? Masterworks! And Veronica is a pretty damn tight pop tune.

Posted 15 years ago by jedley    [ Reply ]
 lingchih wrote:
I never noticed it before, but this sounds a lot like a Van Morrison tune. Must be the horns.
 

sounds EXACTLY like VM...

Posted 15 years ago by floydoftherocks    [ Reply ]
Not Elvis' best work—and I say that as a devotee. 
Posted 15 years ago by ptgl3    [ Reply ]

"Isn't it obvious? Lokai is white on
the right side. All his people are white
on the right side."

Posted 16 years ago by a_genuine_find    [ Reply ]
I love EC madly, but I think this is one of his weaker albums. Though I think this is one of the stronger songs on the album, at least lyrically.
Posted 16 years ago by holborne    [ Reply ]

Quite fabulous album, a bit weird sometimes... and, of course, a tremendous artist!!!


Posted 16 years ago by CoYoT51    [ Reply ]
It's not my cup of tea.  If this was tea, it would be white tea, steeped for 2 seconds, weak with no color or flavor. {#No}
Posted 16 years ago by Kittee    [ Reply ]
 sharkey wrote:

EC is way overplayed on RP. Way overrated & quite annoying.
 
It's amazing how the stuff you don't like is played too much on RP. For me, the various versions of that Leonard Cohen song Hallelulah (or whatever it's called) are played too much. But I just turn it down or do something else. Or try and find something new in the cover that's played.

'Course I'm one of those guys that only rates 5 and up. Hardly any 5's actually. 

Posted 16 years ago by bobrk    [ Reply ]
seemed to me like it was a lot of nick drake lately. everytime i checked in. not that that's bad...
Posted 16 years ago by lily34    [ Reply ]
EC is way overplayed on RP. Way overrated & quite annoying.
Posted 16 years ago by sharkey    [ Reply ]
I've had this song on my show a time or two.
Posted 16 years ago by bugleboy624    [ Reply ]
lingchih wrote:
I never noticed it before, but this sounds a lot like a Van Morrison tune. Must be the horns.
Agreed. I haven't cared for anything he's done since the great King of America record. For me, he's' got two periods: everything before K of A (great) and after (blah) where he just seems to be repeating himself. This tune is good though.
Posted 16 years ago by phlattop    [ Reply ]
fatcatjb wrote:
Mark Twain said of Wagner, that his music is probably better than it sounds...I can say the same of Elvis Costello, just can't get into his sound, though I admire him musically...oh well
Appropriate that you'd quote Twain--I've always thought that Elvis and Twain were kindred spirits.
Posted 16 years ago by copymonkey    [ Reply ]
davin wrote:
I grow tired of Elvis Costello .. heard him a bunch today. Just a bit too poppy for me I suppose.
The music compels me to listen and then, almost as quickly, irritates me. Must be my narrow range.
Posted 16 years ago by westslope    [ Reply ]
lingchih wrote:
I never noticed it before, but this sounds a lot like a Van Morrison tune. Must be the horns.
Dirty Dozen Brass Band is terrific throughout the album
Posted 16 years ago by lemmoth    [ Reply ]
Terrific song off an underrated album. Thanks Bill. Keep the MacManus coming.
Posted 16 years ago by lemmoth    [ Reply ]
anything elvis does is genius...he brings out the best in the original or the remake. true artist, he is. sometimes the discomfort is all about the growing. and at that he is a genius.
Posted 16 years ago by joanie    [ Reply ]
One of the all-time great album covers as well. DoctorHooey wrote:
I ADORE this song!! This is probably my favorite Elvis album.
Posted 16 years ago by kerr    [ Reply ]
Better than Rap music, if you ask me. Much better.
Posted 16 years ago by Land_Shark    [ Reply ]
Worse than Rap music if you ask me
Posted 16 years ago by Kokoloco53    [ Reply ]
I ADORE this song!! This is probably my favorite Elvis album.
Posted 16 years ago by DoctorHooey    [ Reply ]
audiolizard wrote:
Sounds like the bastard son of TMBG and Springsteen.
I think I'd listen to that band. :)
Posted 17 years ago by Marr    [ Reply ]
I never noticed it before, but this sounds a lot like a Van Morrison tune. Must be the horns.
Posted 17 years ago by lingchih    [ Reply ]
I love me some Elvis Costello, and this is probably my favorite of all time. Say what you want about his voice, but the lyrics are great and the arrangement is absolutely kickin'.
Posted 17 years ago by rconway    [ Reply ]
Seeing Mr. Costello tomorrow night!!
Posted 17 years ago by Jacksonstat    [ Reply ]
This man is a real Genius!
Posted 17 years ago by CoYoT51    [ Reply ]
I love this song! Elvis is King!
Posted 17 years ago by suddenchad    [ Reply ]
I grow tired of Elvis Costello .. heard him a bunch today. Just a bit too poppy for me I suppose.
Posted 17 years ago by davin    [ Reply ]
Art_Carnage wrote:
Carnivorous butterflies? What's he smokin'?
And I suppose you don't get Bob Dylan either. Why don't you build a fire on main street and shoot it full of holes?
Posted 17 years ago by ThePoose    [ Reply ]
monkeywonders wrote:
this is horrible
You need to look into your deep, dark, truthful mirror.
Posted 17 years ago by ThePoose    [ Reply ]
wally42 wrote:
... If you feel the need to triple puke this tune, you should consider tuning to another station.
Usually by the time I am done wretching, Elvis is done and good music is back on the air.
Posted 17 years ago by andesitic    [ Reply ]
denmom wrote:
I love Elvis, but this is not the Elvis I love. The only thing that raises it to "acceptable" for me (and it's just barely) is that lovely horn section.
I saw him do this live and it was chilling... Amazing talent Amazing performer. If you feel the need to triple puke this tune, you should consider tuning to another station.
Posted 17 years ago by wally42    [ Reply ]
I love Elvis, but this is not the Elvis I love. The only thing that raises it to "acceptable" for me (and it's just barely) is that lovely horn section.
Posted 17 years ago by denmom    [ Reply ]
How does he get away with not hitting his high notes?
Posted 17 years ago by mattc296    [ Reply ]
Posted 17 years ago by andesitic    [ Reply ]
I love the horn arrangement by Allen Toussaint on this one.
Posted 17 years ago by ThePoose    [ Reply ]
Elvis Costello's music really grates on me. I think he's a talented musician but an awful, awful singer. This is one of his better songs, and it's still pretty bad. Sounds like the bastard son of TMBG and Springsteen.
Posted 17 years ago by audiolizard    [ Reply ]
There were some good songs on this album, but after that I just haven't paid much attention to Elvis Costello. Where did all that angst and creativity go??
Posted 17 years ago by Mugro    [ Reply ]
Or is that Marshall Dillon? Or Marshall Crenshaw? andesitic wrote:
His voice usually irritates me a bit, but on this song it is worse than fingers on a chalkboard... Please Elvis, consider being just a songwriter and leave the singing to someone who can.... and this is coming from someone that absolultely loves Bob Dillan.
Posted 17 years ago by fretman    [ Reply ]
Elvis is getting twins for the holidays: Diana is as big as a house and ready to drop. Consider: God only had one son for Christmas.
Posted 18 years ago by ThePoose    [ Reply ]
when he said "same eyes," i thought for a second he said "st. ides" i guess i've just had malt liquor on my mind a lot lately.
Posted 18 years ago by optimusprime10    [ Reply ]
lovely
Posted 18 years ago by lmic    [ Reply ]
Great to hear some of these more obscure cuts in the rotation. Thanks Bill.
Posted 18 years ago by Cyclehawk    [ Reply ]
Why don't he put his wife Diana Krall to sing his songs? She's way better at it.
Posted 18 years ago by DRS    [ Reply ]
Mark Twain said of Wagner, that his music is probably better than it sounds...I can say the same of Elvis Costello, just can't get into his sound, though I admire him musically...oh well
Posted 18 years ago by fatcatjb    [ Reply ]
this is horrible
Posted 18 years ago by monkeywonders    [ Reply ]
I'm a big EC fan and this song is AWFUL.
Posted 18 years ago by diane    [ Reply ]
His voice usually irritates me a bit, but on this song it is worse than fingers on a chalkboard... Please Elvis, consider being just a songwriter and leave the singing to someone who can.... and this is coming from someone that absolultely loves Bob Dillan.
Posted 18 years ago by andesitic    [ Reply ]
This is just getting on my nerves this morning.
Posted 18 years ago by pixidrizzl    [ Reply ]
this song makes sense to me today and i kind of want to cry!
Posted 18 years ago by amandamustdance    [ Reply ]
Aud wrote:
I'm hearing a weird Van Morrison
strange, as i would have said that elvis is treading dangerously close to randy newmann territory on this one...
Posted 18 years ago by rah    [ Reply ]
KevDog wrote:
Because he is one of the most talented songwriters to succeed in not just one, but a myriad, of musical genres.
Well put.
Posted 18 years ago by ArmchairMusician    [ Reply ]
Aud wrote:
I'm hearing a weird Van Morrison
Funny, that's who I hear too!
Posted 18 years ago by Helchat    [ Reply ]
Freebish wrote:
I'm hearing The BandÂ…"Tears of Rage" ?
I'm hearing a weird Van Morrison
Posted 18 years ago by Aud    [ Reply ]
deanofox wrote:
I guess this is what Christmas at Elvis Costello's house sounds like? Ive never really got this guy, maybe its his voice?
It is his voice. It irritates. A bad tenor, trying to sound like a mixture of 50s New Yawk and the Midwest of America, all at once. But above all, a bad tenor. A bad tenor. A bad tenor.
Posted 18 years ago by Govi    [ Reply ]
I absolutely love this song, but find that the unplugged version is -just- a notch better.
Posted 18 years ago by Euphemism    [ Reply ]