RADIO RADIO

Original Elvis Costello version

I was tuning in the shine on the light night dial doing anything my radio advised
With every one of those late night stations playing songs bringing tears to my eyes
I was seriously thinking about hiding the receiver when the switch broke 'cause it's old
They're saying things that I can hardly believe, they really think we're getting out of control

Radio is a sound salvation
Radio is cleaning up the nation
They say you better listen to the voice of reason
But they don't give you any choice
'cause they think that it's treason
So you had better do as you are told
You better listen to the radio

I wanna bite the hand that feeds me
I wanna bite that hand so badly
I wanna make them wish they'd never seen me

Some of my friends sit around every evening and they worry about the times ahead
But everybody else is overwhelmed by indifference and the promise of an early bed
You either shut up or get cut out, they don't wanna hear about it, it's only inches on the reel-to-reel
And the radio is in the hands of such a lot of fools tryin' to anaesthetise the way that you feel

Radio is a sound salvation
Radio is cleaning up the nation
They say you better listen to the voice of reason
But they don't give you any choice
'cause they think that it's treason
So you had better do as you are told
You better listen to the radio

Wonderful radio
Marvelous radio
Wonderful radio
Radio, radio
Radio, radio
Radio, radio
Radio, radio
Radio, radio
Radio, radio
Radio, radio
Radio, radio

Info

RADIO RADIO is a song written by Elvis Costello who originally released it on the U.S. version (and on most later reissues) of his 1978 album This Year's Model. The song was also released as a single in October 1978. The above lyrics are for the original Elvis Costello version of RADIO RADIO as released in 1978.

Elvis Costello -- This Year's Model

LP - Columbia (JC 35331) - USA, 1978

Elvis Costello -- "Radio Radio / Tiny Steps"

7" single - Radar (ADA 24)- UK, 1978

Bruce Springsteen's Version

Bruce Springsteen has never performed RADIO RADIO, but Elvis Costello sang a snippet of the song on 25 Sep 2009 at Apollo Theater in New York City, NY, during the taping of "Spectacle: Elvis Costello With Bruce Springsteen". The song was part of a medley that included RADIO SILENCE (snippet, sung by Elvis Costello), followed by RADIO NOWHERE (partial, sung by Bruce Springsteen), followed by RADIO RADIO (snippet, sung by Elvis Costello). See the live 25 Sep 2009 version of RADIO NOWHERE for more details.

Available Versions

List of available versions of RADIO RADIO on this website:

Page last updated: 30 Sep 2013