05 :: Well Heaven Knows What Fills the Heart :: A Slow Drag with "Georgie and Her Rival"

Today's slow drag with "Georgie and Her Rival," from "Mighty Like a Rose," released in 1991. The songwriting is credited to Elvis Costello's birth name.

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Appreciation written, produced, and narrated by Remedy Robinson, MA/MFA

Twitter: @slowdragremedy

Email: [email protected]

Podcast music by https://www.fesliyanstudios.com

Rate this Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/slowdrag

References:

“Georgie and Her Rival”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNg2KGRKu8I 

Elvis Costello Wiki Reference: http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Georgie_And_Her_Rival 

“Mighty Lak’ a Rose”: https://songofamerica.net/song/mighty-lak-a-rose/

Muppet Fan site illustration: https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Mighty_Lak%27_a_Rose

A Petula Clark interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA6tZeX5PKo

Podcast suggestion: Down in the Hole, a Tom Waits Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/down-in-the-hole/id1040064262 

"Georgie and Her Rival" Lyrics

Georgie grew to hate her name, it sounded like a tiny man
And the one she had said "I can't see you, but I'll call you whenever I can"
Sometimes the phone would ring, when she was half-asleep
A voice would drag her down with its suggestions
Though she often felt cheated, she never felt cheap

(chorus):
Well heaven knows what fills the heart
And makes you feel so alive
It's impossible to tear apart
Georgie and her rival

It was half-past February, and he hadn't called since New Year's Day
Maybe he'd found another woman to say those words no chapel girl should say
Her mother would phone and always keep her talking
She'd try to be polite, making faces
But somewhere in the back of her mind, her rival was stalking

(chorus)

Her rival would always wait till the eighth or ninth bell
He'd be desperate anyway and drunk as well
She always liked to hurt him to prove he was prepared
To love her anyway that she wanted
So she could tell which she preferred

He sat up with his address book trying to think what mood he's in
His finger traced past Georgie's name to someone who needed less persuading
She didn't hear through her disguise, he didn't leave her in a rush
Just like the promise that he left on her machine that almost made her blush
The radio plays a lover's symphony
"The number you have dialed has been re-directed"
Now she puts him on the speaker-phone whenever she has company

(chorus)