Lyric discussion by moik 

Cover art for The Beat lyrics by Elvis Costello

and "Oh, I don't want to disease you, but I'm no good with machinery" is possibly about condoms? It's hard to tell. <<

Clearly about condoms - absolutely no doubt.

A lot of his early songs, the ones from the first three albums, seem to be about a young man's reaction to getting started with sex, the amazement and the frustrations; the jealousies and the the insecurities. Now EC is 55 and I'm 50 and we're both past all that - but these songs still speak to me - I can so clearly recall those days!