--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Clowntime is over Time to take cover…" description: "\"Clowntime is over Time to take cover While others just talk and talk Somebody's watching where the others don't walk.\" — Elvis Costello" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/elvis-costello-1931_clown_clowntime-is-over-time-to-take-cover-whi_659457.jpg" --- # Clowntime is over Time to take cover While others just… ![“Clowntime is over Time to take cover While others just talk and talk Somebody's watching where the others don't walk.” quote by Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/elvis-costello-1931_clown_clowntime-is-over-time-to-take-cover-whi_659457.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/elvis-costello-1931_clown_clowntime-is-over-time-to-take-cover-whi_659457.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/elvis-costello-1931_clown_clowntime-is-over-time-to-take-cover-whi_659457.jpg) > “Clowntime is over Time to take cover While others just talk and talk Somebody's watching where the others don't walk.” [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A warning that hidden dangers may appear when people are distracted by endless talk, urging vigilance and self‑protection. **In simple terms:** Be alert when others chatter; danger may be unseen. Key Takeaway Stay aware and protect yourself. Themes vigilance trust danger Mood cautious alert Type advice warning When to use this quote - political rallies - online debates - personal relationships - public speaking Key Concepts perception attention social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Are you listening too much to background noise? - How do you discern real threats from chatter? A Different Perspective It may overstate paranoia, ignoring genuine openness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clown/) [Clowntime Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clowntime-time-5257558/) [Somebody Watching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somebody-watching-714248/) [Talk Somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-somebody-457183/) [Time Cover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-cover-2042943/) [Walks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walks/) [Watching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watching/) ## Related quotes > [We are far more like somebody watching ourselves than somebody in charge of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wiseman/we-are-far-more-like-somebody-watching-ourselves-than-somebody-in/) [Richard Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wiseman/) > [Even when he was just a reality-TV star, Trump was the kind of star who got a cover story in 'Time.' But that wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/even-when-he-was-just-a-reality-tv-star-trump-was-the-kind-of-star/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [How soon will time cover all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/how-soon-will-time-cover-all-things/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [I would like just one time to be on the cover of Italian Vogue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriana-lima/i-would-like-just-one-time-to-be-on-the-cover-of-italian-vogue/) [Adriana Lima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriana-lima/) > [Take more time, cover less ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/take-more-time-cover-less-ground/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [I'm fully aware that every time I do anything, good or bad, somebody's watching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chauncey-billups/i-m-fully-aware-that-every-time-i-do-anything-good-or-bad-somebody-s/) [Chauncey Billups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chauncey-billups/) > [In fact, almost every job you get somebody watching you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-vance/in-fact-almost-every-job-you-get-somebody-watching-you/) [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) > [Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't somebody watching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-carman/just-because-you-re-paranoid-doesn-t-mean-there-isn-t-somebody/) [Patrick Carman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-carman/) > [Always do your best. Somebody is watching you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/always-do-your-best-somebody-is-watching-you/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Sometimes its a form of love just to talk to somebody that you have nothing in common with and still be fascinated by their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-its-a-form-of-love-just-to-talk-to-somebody-that-you-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“back.” “Did you talk to somebody?” “Uh, no, I left a message with my guy over there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/back-did-you-talk-to-somebody-uh-no-i-left-a-message-with-my-guy-over/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [You pick up the phone and you talk to somebody. There's a voice on the other end and you say what you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/you-pick-up-the-phone-and-you-talk-to-somebody-there-s-a-voice-on-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [I like to be able to connect with people. And that's how I connect, right away. I like to really talk to somebody. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dov-davidoff/i-like-to-be-able-to-connect-with-people-and-that-s-how-i-connect/) [Dov Davidoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dov-davidoff/) > [“Communication goes two ways. Somebody has to talk. And somebody has to listen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/communication-goes-two-ways-somebody-has-to-talk-and-somebody-has-to/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [I have nobody. I have surrounded myself with people who are fake just because I need to talk to somebody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-reed/i-have-nobody-i-have-surrounded-myself-with-people-who-are-fake-just/) [Nikki Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-reed/) ## More by Elvis Costello > [Good manners and bad breath will get you nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/good-manners-and-bad-breath-will-get-you-nowhere/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [History repeats the old conceits, the glib replies, the same defeats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/history-repeats-the-old-conceits-the-glib-replies-the-same-defeats/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [People think it is all about country music, and I know a lot of country music has come out of there, but like Blonde…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/people-think-it-is-all-about-country-music-and-i-know-a-lot-of/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [I get very frustrated by this term 'genre exercise.' I mean, what exactly is that? Genre is not really relevant when you are writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/i-get-very-frustrated-by-this-term-genre-exercise-i-mean-what-exactly/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Even in a perfect world where everyone was equal. I'd still own the film rights and be working on the sequel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/even-in-a-perfect-world-where-everyone-was-equal-i-d-still-own-the/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Somebody should clip Sting around the head and tell him to stop using that ridiculous Jamaican accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/somebody-should-clip-sting-around-the-head-and-tell-him-to-stop-using/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [There is something wrong with you if you don't get angry about something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/there-is-something-wrong-with-you-if-you-don-t-get-angry-about/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [“Was it a millionaire who said "imagine no possessions?" A poor little schoolboy who said "we don't need no lessons?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/was-it-a-millionaire-who-said-imagine-no-possessions-a-poor-little/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Though the passion still flutters and flickers, it never got into our knickers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/though-the-passion-still-flutters-and-flickers-it-never-got-into-our/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [My dad's father was a White Star Line trumpet player in the '20s. It shaped the way that I think about music. My grandfather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/my-dad-s-father-was-a-white-star-line-trumpet-player-in-the-20s-it/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Life for me is about movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/life-for-me-is-about-movement/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Maybe I just never learned my harmony part, because what everybody says sounds odd to them sounds perfectly natural to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/maybe-i-just-never-learned-my-harmony-part-because-what-everybody/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [There are a lot of things that you can like at a distance without spending a huge amount of time pondering. It's not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/there-are-a-lot-of-things-that-you-can-like-at-a-distance-without/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Don't wear your heart on your sleeve when your remarks are off the cuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/don-t-wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve-when-your-remarks-are-off-the/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [I'm just the mere shadow of my former selfishness. I crave the silhouette of your kiss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/i-m-just-the-mere-shadow-of-my-former-selfishness-i-crave-the/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) [Explore all 197 Elvis Costello quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) ## More Clown quotes > [“October 3, 2017 The clown, Hagarty said, looked like a cross between Ronald McDonald and that old TV clown, Bozo—or so he thought at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/october-3-2017-the-clown-hagarty-said-looked-like-a-cross-between/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [There are two types of people in this world. People who hate clowns...and clowns. (Bobby Pendragon)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-j-machale-2/there-are-two-types-of-people-in-this-world-people-who-hate-clowns/) [D. J. MacHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-j-machale-2/) > [I wanted to be a clown when I was a kid, so I love interacting and goofing around with kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-stonestreet/i-wanted-to-be-a-clown-when-i-was-a-kid-so-i-love-interacting-and/) [Eric Stonestreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-stonestreet/) > [When fighting clowns, always go for the juggler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/when-fighting-clowns-always-go-for-the-juggler/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [I try to be the clown and court jester and make people laugh. At the same time, you have people in the hospital who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-simmons/i-try-to-be-the-clown-and-court-jester-and-make-people-laugh-at-the/) [Richard Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-simmons/) > [He's fat and a clown, Bill, a fat clown for all to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eamon-dunphy/he-s-fat-and-a-clown-bill-a-fat-clown-for-all-to-see/) [Eamon Dunphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eamon-dunphy/) > [You know, I was the class clown in Catholic school, but I never thought I would make a living out of it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-vergara/you-know-i-was-the-class-clown-in-catholic-school-but-i-never-thought/) [Sofia Vergara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-vergara/) > [You see, this heart, won't settle down; just like a child, running, scared, from a clown. Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/you-see-this-heart-won-t-settle-down-just-like-a-child-running-scared/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [Circus clown. That's a new one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/circus-clown-that-s-a-new-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I first started getting into acting, I was doing improv in acting class, and I had done a serious monologue and everyone was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-teller/when-i-first-started-getting-into-acting-i-was-doing-improv-in-acting/) [Miles Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-teller/) > [Writing is for men who can think and feel, not mindless sensation seekers out of nightclubs and bars. But these are bad times. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/writing-is-for-men-who-can-think-and-feel-not-mindless-sensation/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [“If i'm gonna be described as a clown for my actions, I might aswell be a whole circus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bee/if-i-m-gonna-be-described-as-a-clown-for-my-actions-i-might-aswell-be/) [Bee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bee/) > [I had a dream that a clown named dimples keep leaving the radio on in my room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-that-a-clown-named-dimples-keep-leaving-the-radio-on-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Is that love? It seems like a pale word, too easily tossed about by people who don’t know the meaning of it, who twist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-aguirre/is-that-love-it-seems-like-a-pale-word-too-easily-tossed-about-by/) [Ann Aguirre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-aguirre/) > [I'm an actor, not a clown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/i-m-an-actor-not-a-clown/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) [Browse all 837 Clown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clown/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Clowntime is over Time to take cover While others just talk and talk Somebody's watching where the others don't walk.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elvis Costello" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/clowntime-is-over-time-to-take-cover-while-others-just-talk-and-talk/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clown" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/clowntime-is-over-time-to-take-cover-while-others-just-talk-and-talk/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/elvis-costello-1931_clown_clowntime-is-over-time-to-take-cover-whi_659457.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/elvis-costello-1931_clown_clowntime-is-over-time-to-take-cover-whi_659457.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/elvis-costello-1931_clown_clowntime-is-over-time-to-take-cover-whi_659457.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Clowntime is over Time to take cover While others just talk and talk Somebody's watching where the others…” — Elvis Costello", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Elvis Costello", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Clowntime is over Time to take...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/clowntime-is-over-time-to-take-cover-while-others-just-talk-and-talk/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/clowntime-is-over-time-to-take-cover-while-others-just-talk-and-talk/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```