Lyric discussion by cchace 

Cover art for I'll Wear It Proudly lyrics by Elvis Costello

Maybe I have a gruesome imagination, but this seems to be about someone who has just killed his lover. First, the refererence to "this bloody big bed of mine". While this of course could just be mild profanity, if we take it literally then the "white and scarlet billows" could refer to bloodstained sheets. The lover "shivering" while "the room is awfully warm" could be bleeding to death, while the murderer quite naturally feels overheated. And the air turning "blue with fright" could be the flashing lights of a police car.

Have I been reading too much pulp fiction?

Song Meaning

Follow-up to my own post: the murderer has set fire to the room: "flaming curtains", "the room is awfully warm", "the bell rang out" (fire alarm).

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