Five gears in reverse
For girls looking at the big lift
Somebody send out for the night nurse
Please don`t stick me on the late shift
If you don`t know by now
Nobody`s gonna tell you
If you don`t know by now
The shock will probably kill you
But if your patience is corrupted and you still cannot decide
You`re sitting in the garage contemplating suicide
And you have no motivation you can`t even catch your breath
All of this acceleration is driving you to death
Five gears in reverse
You think I don`t know what I`m doing
Another fashionable first
Like walking down the road to ruin
But if you`re safe and sound
Don`t let me interrupt you
And if you`re gagged and bound
Well how can I corrupt you
For girls looking at the big lift
Somebody send out for the night nurse
Please don`t stick me on the late shift
If you don`t know by now
Nobody`s gonna tell you
If you don`t know by now
The shock will probably kill you
But if your patience is corrupted and you still cannot decide
You`re sitting in the garage contemplating suicide
And you have no motivation you can`t even catch your breath
All of this acceleration is driving you to death
Five gears in reverse
You think I don`t know what I`m doing
Another fashionable first
Like walking down the road to ruin
But if you`re safe and sound
Don`t let me interrupt you
And if you`re gagged and bound
Well how can I corrupt you
Lyrics submitted by Mopnugget, edited by popmattress
5ive Gears in Reverse Lyrics as written by Elvis Costello
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"If you're gagged and bound,
how can I corrupt you?" in other words - if you're doing silly things (maybe while on drugs) how can anyone make you even worse? And "FIVE GEARS IN REVERSE" is perhaps about drugs take you backwards - never forwards. Maybe. I've listened to this song for many years and never thought about it.
I'm a big Elvis fan & have his first 6 or 7 albums on vinyl.
The rest are cassette tape & CD.
I have no better or different observation than yours.
Elvis is clearly an under-rated Wordsmith of the highest skill.
His lyrics always seem to make me think twice or 3 times before I get his meaning..even though sometimes I get it right away and laugh my a$$ off.
And he's quite adept at different genres of music without struggle or contrivance. Simply put: the man's a genius.
If you're self satisfied and comfortable, just fine - the singer wants to break that up and introduce his brand of chaos.