The Greatest Thing: 20 Must-Hear Elvis Costello Tracks
The Greatest Thing: 20 Must-Hear Elvis Costello Tracks
by John M. Borack and Olivia Frain
As co-producers of the upcoming tribute collection Beyond Belief: A Tribute to Elvis Costello, we are obviously dyed-in-the-wool Costello fanatics. Many a day has been spent burning up the phone lines discussing and spinning Elvis discs, with each of us interjecting a “Listen to this lyric!” or a “How does he DO that?” as we discuss the man’s extensive, varied and always entertaining back catalog. Whether it’s due to his sharp-tongued, witty wordplay, his emotive singing or his knack for penning unforgettable melodies – and more often than not, all three – it’s quite clear that Elvis Costello’s body of work proves him to be one of the greatest songwriters of our generation.
Arriving at our Elvis fanaticism from two very different points (Olivia initially dipping her toe into the water with 1994’s stellar Brutal Youth and working backwards, and John being a follower since the late ‘70s), it makes sense that our choices of must-hear Costello songs are similarly all-over-the-map. Note that what follows is not necessarily a list of the “best” or “greatest” Elvis Costello tunes, but rather a collection of 20 of our personal favorites that was damned near impossible to whittle down. First, here are John’s ten choices, in no particular order:
“Beaten to the Punch” – Get Happy!! (1980)
1:47 of pure soulful sonic fury, led by Bruce Thomas’ hyper-melodic bass runs and Steve Nieve’s roller rink organ, which sit comfortably alongside Elvis’s “chew ‘em up and spit ‘em out” vocals. Like most of the other tunes on the ‘60s soul pastiche Get Happy!!, “Beaten to the Punch” was obviously inspired by, as Costello has claimed, “…a few drinks, a handful of old Stax singles and our copies of Motown Chartbusters, Vol. 3.” There’s more than a bit of punkish energy at play here, too; listen for Elvis’s frenzied screaming towards the end of the tune.
“Human Hands” – Imperial Bedroom (1982)
Only Elvis Costello would write something resembling a love song that includes the lines “Oh darling, how I miss you/ I’m just the mere shadow of my former selfishness” and “You know I love you more than slightly.” “Human Hands” is highlighted by some outstanding keyboard work from the aforementioned Steve Nieve, Pete Thomas’s stylish drumming and Bruce Thomas’s inventive bass work (check out his work on the third verse and prepare for the mind to be blown), with Geoff Emerick’s spacious production giving each instrument room to breathe.
“Tokyo Storm Warning” – Blood and Chocolate (1986)
Certainly one of the most unique songs in Costello’s catalog: it’s a long (6:21), winding, almost Dylanesque stream-of-consciousness tune that happens to rock like mad. Leading off with Pete Thomas’s pounding tom-toms and running through such obscure lyrical touchstones as dead Italian tourists’ bodies, a waitress named Teresa now known as Juanita, and “Japanese Jesus robots telling teenage fortunes,” it’s not unlike the musical equivalent of a crazy funhouse ride. As a bonus, said funhouse ride includes a nice little Costello guitar solo that sounds like it leapt straight off the Beatles’ Revolver. Why a song this…well, this strange…was released as a single remains a relative mystery, but it did manage to scrape its way to number 73 on the UK charts.
“Kinder Murder” – Brutal Youth (1994)
A sinister tale of rape with some typically vivid lyrical imagery (“Jimmy took her down to the perimeter fence/he was back in half an hour, he said he left her senseless”), sung over a relatively sparse backing of a double-tracked electric guitar, bass and drums (Pete Thomas on the skins, Costello on everything else). The biting guitar sound and the snapping snare drum are both very “in-your-face,” helping to put across chilling lyrics such as “She could have kept her knees together/should have kept her mouth shut.”
“She” – Notting Hill Original Soundtrack (1999)
A glorious version of the Charles Aznavour ballad, recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra (and also featuring former Humble Pie member Clem Clempson on guitar), “She” is no doubt the loveliest cover tune Costello has ever committed to tape. His lead vocal exudes just the proper amount of passion, longing and regret without ever turning into schmaltz. It’s certainly a long way from the angry young man of “Radio Radio,” but it proves yet again that Costello can succeed in a variety of genres. Others have attempted this tune – most recently Jeff Lynne on 2012’s Long Wave – but Costello’s heartfelt rendition is the definitive reading.
“Really Mystified” – Sometimes a Great Notion (1984)
Another cover from Costello (this time backed by the Attractions), which first saw release on 1984’s Sometimes A Great Notion benefit LP for the British Deaf Association. It would eventually show up on the 1994 and 2002 reissues of Imperial Bedroom on Rykodisc and Rhino, respectively, and it’s a straightforward reading of the Merseybeats’ 1965 beat music nugget. Costello and the gang sound as if they’re having a ball here and “Really Mystified” again showcases EC as an ace interpreter. Interesting note: Costello and the Attractions covered another tune the Merseybeats recorded in 1965, as “I Stand Accused” was released on Get Happy!!
“(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes” – My Aim is True (1977)
A clarion call that helped open the floodgates for what would become known as “new wave,” the poppy “Red Shoes” was one of the clear highlights from Costello’s debut record and has endured as one of his signature songs. The opening line, “Oh, I used to be disgusted/ and now I try to be amused” could conveniently serve as Costello’s epitaph, and it assisted in establishing his early persona as a nerdy smart aleck. Of course, “I said ‘I’m so happy, I could die.’ She said ‘Drop dead,’ then left with another guy” is just as pointed and even more identifiable as a Costello lament. A true classic.
“From A Whisper to a Scream” – Trust (1981)
A maddeningly catchy little power pop number that finds Costello dueting with Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook, with fantastic results. Costello’s vocal is passionate, the Attractions’ backing is rock solid as usual, and the honey-voiced Tilbrook provides the perfect vocal counterpoint. Released as a single, it inexplicably failed to chart in the UK, although it did receive a fair bit of radio airplay in the US.
“Poor Napoleon” – Blood and Chocolate (1986)
“I can’t lie on this bed anymore, it burns my skin/you can take the truthful things you’ve said to me/and fit them on the head of a pin.” That typical lyrical left hook leads off “Poor Napoleon,” but the tune itself is a different animal; it’s a slightly psychedelic-swirled, Phil Spector-ish confection with tons of echo, some white noise-like weirdness going on after the bridge, and Costello’s then-wife Cait O’Riordan randomly intoning the song’s title a few times. Still, it’s hypnotically catchy and is also notable for a top-notch vocal performance from Costello. And then there’s this: “Bare wires from the socket to the bed where you embrace that girl/did you ever think there’s far too many people in the world?” Wow…
“New Amsterdam” – Get Happy!! (1980)
The only number on Get Happy!! to not include instrumental backing by the Attractions, Costello recorded this charming ditty all by his lonesome in a London demo studio. The pretty melody attempts to mask some devastating lyrical couplets – “You’re sending me tulips mistaken for lilies/you give me your lip after punching me silly” and “Twice shy and dog tired because you’ve been bitten/everything you say now sounds like it was ghost-written” among them – but the overall vibe ends up being both nostalgic and sad.
Olivia’s ten, again in no particular order:
“Rocking Horse Road” – Brutal Youth (1994)
If Brutal Youth can be seen as a musical theme park, with each song a non-stop roller coaster of hooks and melodies, then “Rocking Horse Road” masquerades as a relatively calm, smooth ride, with a sudden, unexpected 65-foot drop towards the end causing your heart to race. Initially, the quiet drums and sensitive vocals coax the listener into a feeling of comfort and security, but gradually the song picks up speed as added vocal layers are stacked upon more intense guitar riffs until the whole thing bursts into a musical climax of exploding drums and a wailing organ that makes your stomach fly into your chest. Such a satisfying adrenaline rush should come with a warning label.
“The Delivery Man” – The Delivery Man (2004)
I’ve always been a sucker for what I call “story songs” such as this one; Elvis’s demand attention and have a way of drawing me in closer to the music. This title track from the EC and the Imposters’ 2004 release is an intriguing tale of two women in small-town America who are captivated by the local delivery man who “looks like Elvis” and “seems like Jesus.” An unexpected liaison catches the scandalmongers by surprise in this five-minute musical soap opera. You’ll come for the bluesy guitar hooks and sharp-tongued melody, but you’ll stay for the lyrical drama and titillation.
“My Mood Swings” – The Big Lebowski: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1998)
It seems a shame that this rough-edged rocker wasn’t released on an Elvis album proper until last year’s In Motion Pictures collection; it’s one of the catchiest, hookiest songs he’s ever recorded. In just over two minutes, the song punches you with Marc Ribot’s jaunty guitar work, Elvis’s skillful, sultry tenor voice, and bass slides that’d fit perfectly in a ‘60s surf song. What’s not to love?
“The Other Side of Summer” – Mighty Like a Rose (1991)
If anyone can make a song about drugs, poverty and madness sound like musical sunshine, it’s Elvis Costello. The catchy chorus and sweet, infectious background vocals belie the fact that the song is about all those nasty things in the city that are best left unspoken when you’re having summertime fun. Steve Nieve’s carousel-like organ work is hypnotic, while Costello’s vocal melody is an instant pop earworm. It’s a toe-tapping, head-bobbing good time, but the lyrics reiterate that “there’s malice and there’s magic in every season.”
“American Gangster Time” – Momofuku (2008)
Costello has explained that the Momofuku album took such little time to slap together that it’s named after the guy who created Ramen noodles (just add water!). One listen to “American Gangster Time” and it’s evident that he and the Imposters wanted to revert to straightforward rock ‘n’ roll; the track sounds like a guitar-heavy cut from the early Attractions days, laden with Nieve’s Vox organ and a disregard for any sort of proper vocal technique on Costello’s part. The lyrics might offend the more patriotic listener, but when has Elvis not been at least slightly controversial?
“Five Small Words” – National Ransom (2010)
This song sounds like riding down a country road with the windows down on a summer day. The driving drum beat and echoing, guttural guitar sound give this song a country- rock feel that this Englishman pulls off surprisingly effortlessly. Mike Compton (the Nashville Bluegrass Band) provides intricate harmonies on lyrics about a forgotten lover confusedly crying five-word phrases: “Don’t you love me anymore?” “Baby, please don’t leave me.” “Why don’t you believe me?” “Why did you deceive me?”
“The Greatest Thing” – Punch the Clock (1983)
A funky, horn-infused tribute to the (lack of) sanctity of marriage, this song is filled with harsh wit and, conversely, an incredibly poppy melody. The TKO Horns were all over Punch the Clock, giving it a distinctive sound that may have turned some fans away, but this song more than holds its own with Pete Thomas’s Bo Diddley-ish drum beat and Bruce Thomas’s quirky bass line. If it doesn’t make you move at least a little, you just might be a zombie.
“Let Him Dangle” – Spike (1989)
Based on the tragic story of Derek Bentley, a teen wrongly hanged for the murder of an English police officer, this is one of Costello’s few “protest” songs. The minor key of the song and Benmont Tench’s plodding piano progressions combine with Elvis’s hauntingly enraged vocals to invoke passion and justice-fueled emotion. Marc Ribot’s jagged guitar solo comes at an instant when it matches the fiery passion that has built over the course of the song. Also, the musical credits denote that an Oldsmobile hubcap was played; as usual, Elvis’s creativity goes unmatched.
“Crimes of Paris” – Blood & Chocolate (1986)
Blood & Chocolate brought the music world a reunion of the Attractions, and what a reunion it was; the album as a whole is incredibly diverse and overflowing with musical genius. “Crimes of Paris” has another stick-in-your-head-all-day chorus with sing-song vocals, a McCartney-esque melody, and Cait O’Riordan lending a sweetness rarely found on Elvis’s albums via her background vocals. Lyrical gems are scattered throughout the album, including a favorite from this song: “She’s so convenient/he’s always stiff as hair lacquer.”
“God Give Me Strength” – Painted From Memory (1998)
To borrow a comment from my collaborative partner in this project, “it’s like listening to someone cry.” Re-released in 2012 on the In Motion Pictures compilation, this song was written with fellow musical genius, Burt Bacharach. The stylings of Bacharach can be heard in the flowing, ‘60s-like horn and string arrangements, while the lyrics are clearly Costello’s: “Maybe I was washed out like a lip print on a shirt/See I’m only human, I want him to hurt.” To drive home the intensely personal lyrics, Elvis delivers heart-melting whispers of falsetto as well as intense cries of pain. Side note: we were both nearly moved to tears when we saw him perform a version of this one live in Los Angeles in 2010; Costello strolled through the audience as he sang, giving everyone a front row seat to his incredible raw talent.
Olivia Frain and John M. Borack serve as co-producers for the upcoming collection Beyond Belief: A Tribute to Elvis Costello, due to be released on Futureman Records later in 2013.