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.
Basement Kiss
Elvis Costello Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For in Belgravia
Rumors have been whispered and suggestions have been made
Did you sell your friends out when the heat got too intense?
You say you like the danger but it's only a pretense
You say you need the money
When everybody knows you can always fall back on your inheritance
Did you bruise your arms on those false alarms
Only fingertips from forbidden bliss
Did you bruise your lips in this basement kiss?
Who's that sneaking 'round the door?
You can't come here no more
Can't you go home again?
She used to sit alone for hours
Spend her evenings watering dried flowers
When her mother came to stay and finally went to bed
Lucy Grace was in the front room shooting through your head
She tried to take your breath away and give you something else instead
Next year she'll serve her function in that Audrey Hepburn hat
It still won't suit her much but she'll get over that
She'll be pale and feign indifference as they're handling out the prizes
Spilling Daddy's pearls of wisdom
And her ugly sister's tranquillizers
Why were you so tardy putting up your guard?
When you hurt so easily and you try so hard
Did you bruise your arms on those false alarms
Did you bruise your pride on his smile so wide?
Only fingertips from forbidden bliss
Did you bruise your lips in this basement kiss?
The lyrics of Elvis Costello's song "Basement Kiss" depict the story of Lucy Grace, who can't show her face down in the North End Road because of rumors about her selling her friends out when the heat got too intense. The Belgravia is known for whispering rumors, and suggestions have been made. She claims that she likes the danger, but it's only a pretense as she needs the money, although everyone knows she can always fall back on her inheritance. The lines "Did you bruise your arms on those false alarms, did you bruise your pride on his smile so wide" suggest that Lucy Grace might have been physically and mentally hurt by someone whom she enjoyed kissing clandestinely.
The song's lyrics tell the story about Lucy Grace's struggles, and the lyrics are open to interpretation. Elvis Costello has been quoted saying that the song is about a girl who wanted to be Audrey Hepburn but ended up being called "Lucy with the Lopsided Grin" and who found herself in a difficult situation. Some suggest the song may be about the espionage world, as the lyrics contain unusual expressions like "Did you sell your friends out when the heat got too intense?" "Basement Kiss was one of Costello's songs considered for a Bond film, and the noteworthy filmmaker, Martin Scorsese, directed the music video.
Line by Line Meaning
Lucy Grace can't show her face down in the North End Road
Lucy Grace is ashamed to be seen in North End Road due to rumors swirling in Belgravia about her.
For in Belgravia
The rumors about Lucy Grace are centered in the Belgravia section of London.
Rumors have been whispered and suggestions have been made
People are talking behind Lucy Grace's back and making insinuations about her past actions.
Did you sell your friends out when the heat got too intense?
Did Lucy Grace betray her friends when things got difficult for her?
You say you like the danger but it's only a pretense
Lucy Grace claims to enjoy living dangerously, but it's just a facade.
You say you need the money
Lucy Grace justifies her risky behavior by claiming she needs the money.
When everybody knows you can always fall back on your inheritance
Despite her claims of needing money, it's widely known that Lucy Grace has a wealthy family and could rely on her inheritance.
Did you bruise your arms on those false alarms
Lucy Grace hurt herself trying to escape false danger or drama.
Did you bruise your pride on his smile so wide?
Lucy Grace was embarrassed or humiliated by someone's insincere or smug smile.
Only fingertips from forbidden bliss
Lucy Grace came very close to experiencing a forbidden, exciting pleasure.
Did you bruise your lips in this basement kiss?
Lucy Grace hurt her lips while engaging in a secret romantic encounter in a basement.
Who's that sneaking 'round the door?
Someone is stealthily approaching or trying to enter the room.
You can't come here no more
Whoever is sneaking around the room is no longer welcome there.
Can't you go home again?
The sneaky visitor is being told to leave and not come back.
She used to sit alone for hours
Lucy Grace was once very lonely and spent hours by herself.
Spend her evenings watering dried flowers
To occupy herself, Lucy Grace would spend her evenings tending to dead or dying plants.
When her mother came to stay and finally went to bed
Lucy Grace's mother came for a visit and eventually went to sleep.
Lucy Grace was in the front room shooting through your head
Lucy Grace was in another room thinking about the person she's involved with, rather than spending time with her mother.
She tried to take your breath away and give you something else instead
Lucy Grace tried to make the person she's with feel overwhelmed with passion or excitement and forget their worries.
Next year she'll serve her function in that Audrey Hepburn hat
Lucy Grace will attend a formal event or function next year wearing an Audrey Hepburn-style hat.
It still won't suit her much but she'll get over that
Lucy Grace knows she won't look great in the hat, but she'll cope with it.
She'll be pale and feign indifference as they're handling out the prizes
Lucy Grace will act as if she doesn't care when prizes or awards are being given out, and will look pale or nervous.
Spilling Daddy's pearls of wisdom
Lucy Grace's father will share his wise advice with others.
And her ugly sister's tranquillizers
Lucy Grace's unattractive sister will offer people tranquilizers or sedatives to calm their nerves.
Why were you so tardy putting up your guard?
Why didn't you protect yourself sooner?
When you hurt so easily and you try so hard
You're easily hurt but you worked so hard to protect yourself.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CAIT O'RIORDAN, ELVIS COSTELLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind