"Admit You Lied &Bring The Boys Back Home"

On The Today Show last week, Elvis Costello sang The Scarlet Tide with Emmylou Harris and pointedly changed the words. Here are the original lyrics:

Well I recall his parting words
Must I accept his fate?
Or take myself far from this place
I thought I heard a black bell toll
A little bird did sing
Man has no choice
When he wants everything

Chorus:
We'll rise above the scarlet tide
That trickles down through the mountain
And separates the widow from the bride
Man goes beyond his own decision
Gets caught up in the mechanism
Of swindlers who act like kings
And brokers who break everything
The dark of night was swiftly fading
Close to the dawn of the day
Why would I want him
Just to lose him again

For The Today Show performance, Elvis initially sang:

I thought I heard a black bell toll
Up in the highest dome
Admit you're wrong
Just bring the boys back home

The second time he sang:

I thought I heard a black bell toll
Up in the highest dome
Admit you lied
And bring the boys back home

If you have Windows (insert snarky comment here), you can click The Today Show link and (I think) they have the video. For Macsters like myself, click on the pic of E.C. and Emmylou and watch the complete song.

(Thanks to CostelloNews.com for the tip; Lyrics courtesy of The Elvis Costello Home Page)