Lirik dan Chord Lagu Strict Time - Elvis Costello

Lagu berdurasi 2 menit 40 detik ini diciptakan sendiri olehnya dan pada tahun 1981 melalui label F-Beat Records.

“Strict Time” dimuat sebagai trek kelima dalam album studio kelima Costello yang bertajuk Trust.

Berikut ini lirik dan chord lagu “Strict Time” dari Elvis Costello.

INTRO:
G C G C G C G C

G
There's a hand on a wire that leads to my mouth
I can hear you knocking but I'm not coming out
          C
Don't want to be a puppet or a ventriloquist
                                                                     G
'Cause there's no ventilation on a critical list
D                                                         C
Fingers creeping up my spine are not mine to resist
G
Strict time

CHORUS:
D
Toughen up, toughen up
                                          C
Keep your lip buttoned up
                         G
Strict time

G
Oh the muscles flex and the fingers curl
And a cold sweat breaks out on the sweater girl
Strict time
C
Oh he's all hands, don't touch that dial
The courting cold wars weekend witch trial
G
Strict time
D                                                          C
All the boys are straight laced and the girls are frigid
                                                                                      G
The talk is two-faced and the rules are rigid 'cause it's strict time
Strict time

(Chorus) x2

G
You talk in hushed tones, I talk in lush tones
Try to look Italian through the musical Valium
Strict time
C
Thinking of grand larceny
                                                              D 
Smoking the everlasting cigarette of chastity
Cute assistants staying alive
C                                                    G
More like a hand job than the hand jive
Strict time