Man Out of Time

The song “Man Out of Time” by Elvis Costello is widely regarded as one of his most emotionally powerful and lyrically rich works from the album Imperial Bedroom. Costello wrote it while moving away from the more aggressive punk and new wave styles of his earlier work toward more introspective and elaborate compositions. The lyrics paint a fragmented, almost surreal picture of a man who feels disconnected from the world around him, hinting at personal and political turmoil. Elvis himself declared that it was not easy for him to write about politics and hence tried to paint the protagonist in a sympathetic light. The story is about a British politician awash in yet another sex scandal, lamenting the public that has "murdered his love". My...how things have changed.