Born in St Mary's Hospital, Paddington in London, Costello is the son of trumpeter, vocalist and band-leader Ronald (“Ross”) MacManus and record store manager Lillian Costello. His family had roots in Merseyside and he moved to Birkenhead at age 16, with his mother, when his parents separated. While he is better known as 'Elvis Costello', a stage name referring to the legendary Elvis Presley suggested by Stiff Records manager Jake Riviera, he has used many other aliases, including 'The Imposter' and 'Napoleon Dynamite'.
In the early 1970s Costello was a participant in London's pub rock scene with the group Flip City. Then in 1977 along with fellow Pub-Rockers Nick Lowe and Ian Dury he made his first releases on the independent label Stiff, tailoring his work towards the burgeoning punk, power pop, and new wave scenes. From 1980's Armed Forces onwards, however, other influences including soul, country, 1960s pop, and classical music began to re-emerge, and he soon became established as a unique and original voice. His output has been wildly diverse: one critic has written that "Costello, the pop encyclopedia, can reinvent the past in his own image".
His prolific and varied 30-year career has been marked by two constants: sharp songwriting and musical restlessness. The latter has seen him dabble in almost every musical form, from country to jazz to orchestral. This stems from the fact that, at heart, Costello is a fan. His desire to work with his musical heroes has attracted collaborators as diverse as Burt Bacharach and Paul McCartney, Anne Sofie von Otter, Allen Toussaint, Aimee Mann, Bill Frisell, and Brian Eno.
But his most successful partners were his long-term band The Attractions. They comprised Steve Nieve (keyboards), Pete Thomas (drums) and Bruce Thomas (bass). Between 1978 and 1983, this outfit produced a peerless series of albums: This Year's Model; Armed Forces; Get Happy!!; Almost Blue; Trust; Imperial Bedroom and Punch the Clock.
These recordings drew on styles spanning soul, country and western and commercial pop. It was only with 1984's Goodbye Cruel World that Costello started to stumble. An album he concedes was one of his worst, it ushered in a period which produced interesting music but lacked the consistent quality of his halcyon days. Interestingly, although he enlisted the other Elvis's band for King of America in 1986, it was a reunion with The Attractions and former producer Nick Lowe that produced his best album of the late 1980s in the form of the scabrous Blood and Chocolate.
The following albums, Spike and Mighty Like a Rose were uncompromising and difficult solo works, as was the string quartet collaboration The Juliet Letters in 1993. It was only reconvening the Attractions for Brutal Youth the following year that gave his fans another glimpse of what first attracted them to him: punchy, angry pop songs, tightly played by an impeccably taut ensemble.
Since then, Costello has become a career dilettante, true to his inner musical quest, but never again returning to heights he scaled in the early 1980s. Maybe the best work of this latter period was 1998's Painted from Memory. This joint effort with Burt Bacharach matched restrained writing from Costello with stately Bacharach arrangements.
Subsequent career nadirs such as the tune-free North (2003), and instrumental orchestral works such as Il Sogno (2004) led many long-term admirers to conclude that Costello had retained his integrity at the expense of his real musical strengths. However, he has given occasional evidence of his former fire. The ballsy bar-room atmosphere of the collaborative The Delivery Man (2004), suggests that he is still capable of giving his fans what they want, in between his more esoteric experiments.
Elvis is married to jazz vocalist Diana Krall and they have twin sons.
*Upon the film's release, it was noted that the name "Napoleon Dynamite" had originally been used by musician Elvis Costello, most visibly on his 1986 album Blood and Chocolate, although he had used the pseudonym on a single B-side as early as 1982. Filmmaker Jared Hess claims that he was not aware of Costello's use of the name until two days before the end of shooting, when he was informed by a teenage extra. He later said, "Had I known that name was used by anybody else prior to shooting the whole film, it definitely would have been changed ... I listen to hip-hop, dude. It's a pretty embarrassing coincidence." Hess claims that "Napoleon Dynamite" was the name of a man he met around the year 2000 on the streets of Cicero, Illinois while doing missionary work for the Mormon Church.
Costello believes that Hess stole the name: "The guy just denies completely that I made the name up... but I invented it. Maybe somebody told him the name and he truly feels that he came about it by chance. But it's two words that you're never going to hear together." To date, Costello has taken no legal action against the film.
Elvis Costello and Elton John to Make a Television 'Spectacle'
Two of the most respected musicians in the world will collaborate on an extraordinary new television series.
"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with..." is hosted by its namesake and produced in conjunction with Sir Elton John's Rocket Pictures. Elton John will be one of the program's Executive Producers.
The series begain airing in 2008 on CTV in Canada, Channel 4 in the UK and Sundance Channel in the US. FremantleMedia Enterprises, will handle sales of the show to the rest of the world.
Conceived to provide a forum for in-depth discussion and performance with the most interesting and influential artists and personalities of our time, the show fuses the best of talk and music television.
"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with..." is an unpredictable and unprecedented television experience. The series of 13 one-hour programs features everything from intimate one-on-ones with legendary performers and notable newcomers to thematic panel discussions, with a variety of performance elements including unique collaborations, acoustic and impromptu "illustrative" demonstrations of the creative process, and some original interpretations of others' songs by Costello.
All These Strangers
Elvis Costello Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Upon freighter running dark out of Algiers
Put tiny grains in children's tears
While taking twenty five percent of all those flashbulbs and mementos
From the mechanized divisions rolling over your frontiers
I saw my baby talking to a man to day
Speaking softly in a confidential way
As a bluebird flew over
Life's is no pleasure
When you doubt the one you love
Who are all these strangers?
I never will, go back again
Go back into the past
The flood is rising fast
You can break a window and look down
Into a muddy glass
It's mirror or lens to burn
There was a deal done in Benghazi and Belgrade
Upon a scimitar or other crooked blade
Ransacks and loots, vacated suits
And a pistol points but never shoots,
Army sitting in a locomotive yard without their boots
Upstairs your man is painting rain out in the street
Imagines woman that he's destined still to meet
He's trying sidetrack, one to count on
Caught somewhere between a countess and a courtesan
And it's only love to feign and then it's gone
Who are all these strangers?
He's a privateer as dusk gets near
A brigand after dark, his victim lined with chalk
A corsair, filled with horsehair to the core
Dashed on eyes of adamantine, you despised his stripling whine
That little smudger and the mouthpiece that he's with
Using his claws just like a practiced fingersmith
I dreamed I took his digit prints
And then I sewed then on a villain's hands
Watched him ransom and demand
And then called the flatfoots in
I never will go back again
Go back into the past
The flood is rising fast
You can break the window and look down
Into the muddy glass
For it's a mirror or lens to burn
Who are all these strangers?
All these strangers
Sat upon a narrow bed
I thought about the things she said
All these strangers
How I wished the night would end
Tried to stop the days ahead
I'd carve her name down in the wood
Some small remembrance if I could
The song "All These Strangers" by Elvis Costello is a complex and enigmatic piece of music that touches upon themes of love, betrayal, loss, and identity. At its core, the song seems to be a meditation upon the nature of human relationships, and how we are often surrounded by people that we do not truly know or understand. The opening lines of the song set the stage for this exploration, as Costello sings "Mistreat me darling and I might just disappear / Upon freighter running dark out of Algiers." These lyrics suggest a sense of isolation and vulnerability, as if the singer is aware of their own impermanence and fears being forgotten or left behind.
As the song continues, Costello touches upon a variety of images and scenarios that reinforce this theme of disconnection and uncertainty. He speaks of children's tears being put under a microscope (an image that suggests the smallness and insignificance of human emotions), of lovers speaking in hushed tones and shadowy figures pulling off gloves, and of a man caught between a countess and a courtesan. Throughout all of these images, there is a sense of ambiguity and unease, as if the singer is struggling to find a sense of groundedness or stability in an unstable world.
Ultimately, the song is a rich and enigmatic exploration of the complexities of human relationships and the unknowability of other people. It suggests that we are all surrounded by strangers, and that the only way to navigate this uncertainty is to seek some small remembrance, some small connection to those we love and have lost.
Line by Line Meaning
Mistreat me darling and I might just disappear
If you mistreat me, I may leave without a trace, just like a freighter leaving Algiers in the middle of the night
Put tiny grains in children's tears
Spread sorrow and pain among the innocent, taking a cut from every moment of sadness like a silent observer
While taking twenty five percent of all those flashbulbs and mementos
Making a profit from capturing and selling memories, stealing a quarter of every snapshot and trinket that people hold dear
From the mechanized divisions rolling over your frontiers
Witnessing an invasion of cold, impersonal machines that rolls over all the boundaries we once held dear
I saw my baby talking to a man today
Feeling the anxiety and worry that comes with suspecting your lover of infidelity, watching them converse secretly with another person
Speaking softly in a confidential way
Whispering words of intimacy and trust in a way that feels like a betrayal
I saw her shadow pull his glove off
Seeing a dark, ominous omen of infidelity and deceit as her shadow undresses the man she's trying to seduce
As a bluebird flew over
As if nature itself is bearing witness and will remember this moment of infidelity forever
Life's no pleasure when you doubt the one you love
Experiencing the painful, joyless feeling of being uncertain and suspicious about the person you love
Who are all these strangers?
Feeling overwhelmed and isolated by the sheer number of strangers and unknown characters that populate our world
I never will go back again
Refusing to return to past mistakes and regrets, including those that are currently looming like an impending flood
Go back into the past
Surrendering oneself to the powerful force of nostalgia, which is often more deceptive than useful
The flood is rising fast
Feeling trapped and helpless as danger encroaches ever closer, making escape impossible
You can break the window and look down into the muddy glass
If you're brave enough to confront the reality of your situation, you'll see a distorted reflection of yourself and your surroundings
For it's a mirror or lens to burn
It can be painful to examine your own reflection, to face your flaws and shortcomings head-on
There was a deal done in Benghazi and Belgrade
Alluding to dark, behind-the-scenes events that take place in the shadows, far away from everyday life
Upon a scimitar or other crooked blade
Suggesting that violence and danger are lurking around every corner, ready to strike at any time
Ransacks and loots, vacated suits
Describing the aftermath of destruction and loss that follows in the wake of chaos and violence
And a pistol points but never shoots, Army sitting in a locomotive yard without their boots
Painting a picture of an ineffectual, powerless army that is unable to keep the peace or prevent chaos from taking over
Upstairs your man is painting rain out in the street
Describing the futile, hopeless attempts of a man to create beauty and happiness in the midst of a bleak, rainy world
Imagines woman that he's destined still to meet
Holding onto the fragile hope that someday he will connect with a woman who will complete him and make his life meaningful
He's trying sidetrack, one to count on
Trying to distract himself from his problems by focusing on a temporary, fleeting romance
Caught somewhere between a countess and a courtesan
Feeling trapped and pulled in different directions by the competing desires and expectations of two very different women
And it's only love to feign and then it's gone
Understanding that sometimes we pretend to love others, or allow ourselves to be fooled by others who pretend to love us, even though this love is fleeting and insincere
He's a privateer as dusk gets near
Painting a picture of a man who is brave and daring, but whose courage is tempered by the reality of darkness and danger
A brigand after dark, his victim lined with chalk
Showing the other side of courage and daring, the darker side of violence and brutality that comes with being a criminal
A corsair, filled with horsehair to the core
Reinforcing the idea of violence and danger, painting a picture of a man who is filled with rage and passion
Dashed on eyes of adamantine, you despised his stripling whine
Showing the disdain and contempt that those who are victims of violence and chaos feel towards their oppressors, who seem weak and pathetic in the eyes of their victims
That little smudger and the mouthpiece that he's with
Introducing the idea of a small-time criminal who is aligned with a more powerful criminal mastermind
Using his claws just like a practiced fingersmith
Showing how the criminal uses his experience and skill to manipulate and deceive those around him
I dreamed I took his digit prints
Projecting a sense of anger and revenge, imagining a scenario in which the singer is able to hold the criminal accountable for his actions
And then I sewed them on a villain's hands
Further emphasizing the desire for revenge and justice, imagining a scenario in which the criminal is finally caught and punished
Watched him ransom and demand
Imagining the criminal's desperate attempts to avoid punishment and seeking to mitigate the consequences of his actions
And then called the flatfoots in
Suggesting that justice will ultimately be served, and that those who commit criminal acts will eventually face the consequences of their actions
Sat upon a narrow bed
Feeling trapped and helpless in a narrow, confined space
I thought about the things she said
Reflecting on the words and actions of the artist's lover, trying to make sense of their feelings and motives
How I wished the night would end
Feeling overwhelmed and exhausted by the emotional toll of the night's events, wishing that the turmoil would come to an end
Tried to stop the days ahead
Attempting to forget the painful memories of the past and brace oneself for the uncertain future
I'd carve her name down in the wood
Hoping to leave a lasting physical reminder of the singer's love and devotion to their lover, even if the relationship comes to an end
Some small remembrance if I could
Desperately trying to hold on to some small shred of hope and positivity in the face of overwhelming pain and sorrow
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: T-BONE BURNETT, DECLAN PATRICK ALOYIUS MACMANUS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind