Elvis Costello
Lyric guide

Crimes of Paris

Read Crimes of Paris lyrics by Elvis Costello on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.

Elvis Costello visibility2 visits Video on page
person Curated by Ethan Walker LyroVerse team
Reference snapshot

The page facts to cite before the commentary

Use this page for the lyric text, linked artist context, and any LyroVerse editor's note attached to the song. Listener comments remain user-generated and should not be treated as the primary source.

Page type: lyric reference Artist: Elvis Costello Canonical path: /elvis-costello/crimes-of-paris Related lyric paths: 6 Video embedded: yes
Lyrics

Crimes of Paris

The lyric stays readable and compact here; the note and related paths sit nearby so you do not lose the song while looking for context.

I thought it was you and your optimist's view of the clock

And how it's always another day

Just after twelve o'clock's struck

You said "Now I only want you so I don't have to promise"

But tiny children in grown-up clothes whispered all the Crimes of Paris

Chorus: You're not the girl next-door or a girl from France

Or the cigarette-girl in the sizzle hot-pants

All the words of love seem cruel and crass

When you're tough and transparent as armoured glass

You're everywhere girl in an everyday mess

Who'll pay for the Crimes of Paris

I heard that you fell for the "Hell or to Hammersmith Blues"

In the tiny torn up pieces of his mind he's irresistible too

Now it's hard to say now if he's only stupid or smart

When he crawled through the door

And poured out more of his creeping-Jesus heart

Chorus

And it's all here and now

She hit him with that paper-weight Eiffel Tower

And I tried to hold on to you but I don't know how

And I find it hard to swallow good advice

Like going down three times to only come up twice

She's so convenient, he's always stiff as hair-lacquer

It's hard to discover now he's in love with her

It was her way of getting her own back

You never did anything she couldn't do on her own

You're as good as your word and that's no good to her

You'd better leave that kitten alone

Chorus

Quick answers

What this page can answer fast

Who performs "Crimes of Paris"?

Elvis Costello performs "Crimes of Paris", and this lyric page sits inside the Elvis Costello catalog on LyroVerse.

Are there related songs to explore after "Crimes of Paris"?

Yes. The related section below points to All This Useless Beauty and Beautiful with a short reason for opening each page next.

Where can I find more songs by Elvis Costello?

Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Elvis Costello's lyric pages.

Song Room

Interpretations, questions, and corrections for this song

Interpretations, questions, memories, and correction notes live together here. The room stays noindex while the best insights are reviewed.

Open Song Room
0 followers Selected insights only surface after moderation
Listener comments

What people are saying

0 comments
Add a short interpretation or memory

A strong comment here is specific: the phrase you keep hearing, the mood you come back for, or the reason this song stays in rotation.

Sign in to post the first listener note. Reporting stays open to everyone.

No listener comments on Crimes of Paris yet.