Elvis Costello (born Declan Patrick MacManus on 25 August 1954) is an inter… Read Full Bio ↴Elvis Costello (born Declan Patrick MacManus on 25 August 1954) is an internationally known English singer-songwriter. Gaining prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-70s, he burst into fame with his critically acclaimed 1977 debut 'My Aim Is True', still one of the most successful debuts of all time. He soon did much work in the genres of punk rock, power pop, and New Wave after he formed Elvis Costello & The Attractions. In a long and successful career, Costello has released over thirty studio albums on his own and with the Attractions, the Imposters, and other collaborations, praised by many critics for his literate, witty songwriting.
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.
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.
Blues Keep Calling
Elvis Costello Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Elvis Costello:
(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea photographs of fancy tricks to get your kicks at sixty-six h…
(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes Oh I used to be disgusted and now I try to…
.....And In Every Home You turn to the sinister when you get the boot Sliding…
...Dust If dust could only talk What would we hear it say? Before…
...This Town... That Charlie Sedarka was a-playing the piano Like he was paw…
05 Big Boys I am starting to function In the usual way Everything is s…
05 Green Shirt There's a smart young woman on a light blue screen Who…
08 Watching The Detectives Nice girls, not one with a defect Cellophane shrink-wrapped…
13 my little blue window This is a calling card Maybe it will be a farewell…
15 Petals Fifteen petals One for every year I spent with you Jewels an…
16 Pump It Up I've been on tenderhooks, ending in dirty looks List'ning to…
20% Amnesia What is your destiny? the police woman said....(20% amnesia)…
45 Bells are chiming for victory There's a page back in history…
48 Too Far Gone I know that somewhere there's someone You love more than me…
5ive Gears In Reverse Five gears in reverse For girls looking at the big lift Some…
A Good Year for the Roses I can hardly bear the sight of lipstick on the…
A Matter of Time Speak softly, don't wake the baby Come and hold me once…
A Slow Drag With Josephine The snitch, the snoop, the tattletale Lead a threadbare up …
A Town Called A Big Nothing Big nothing. He stood in the road outside of town…
A Voice In The Dark You can read right through a book of matches But that…
Accident's Will Happen Oh, I just don't know where to begin Though he says…
Accidents Will Happen Oh I just don't know where to begin Though he says…
Adieu Paris Adieu, Paris Mon, ancien amour Could I have loved you much l…
Adrian Adrian, don't you understand? Fools like us are always dream…
After the Fall In an anonymous rendezvous Where the forbidden lovers repair…
Alibi You did it 'cause you wanted, alibi, alibi And you took…
Álibi You did it 'cause you wanted Alibi, alibi And you took it…
Alison Oh, it's so funny to be seeing you after so…
All Grown Up "I`m trouble" she said Spread out on the floor of her…
All the Rage One, two, three, two, two, three The twitching impulses to s…
All These Strangers "Mistreat me darling and I might just disappear" Upon freigh…
All These Things The touch of your lips next to mine Gets me excited,…
All This Us It's at times such as this, she'd be tempted to…
All You Need Is Love Love, love, love Love, love, love Love, love, love There's …
Almost Blue Almost blue Almost doing things we used to do There's a girl…
Almost ideal eyes Here she comes with her almost ideal eyes And her…
American Gangster Time One, two, three, four Somewhere downtown a pretty girl knee…
American Without Tears Outside in New Orleans the heat was almost frightening But m…
American Without Tears No 2 December 1965 in Caracas When Arnie LaFlamme(?) took his pie…
And In Every Home You turn to the sinister when you get the boot Sliding…
Any King's Shilling You're a fine one, oh yes you are You're a fine…
Anyone Who Had a Heart Anyone who ever loved could look at me And know that…
Are You Alright? Who do you see when you turn your eyes down? Who…
Ascension Day Not a soul was stirring Not a bird was singing, at…
B Movie I found America hiding in the corner of my wallet It`s…
Baby It's You (Sha, la, la, la...) It's not the way you look that…
Baby Plays Around It's not open to discussion anymore He's out again tonight …
Baby's Got A Brand New Hairdo Baby's got a brand new hairdo, but doesn't she look…
Baby's in Black Oh dear, what can I do? Baby's in black And I'm feeling…
Bama Lama Bama Loo Bama Lama Bama Loo Gotta girl named Lucinda They call her …
Basement Kiss Lucy Grace can't show her face down in the North…
Battered Old Bird The landlady`s husband came up to town today Since he left…
Beaten to the Punch You say that you can and then you run to…
Beautiful She was a part-time waitress with a dream of greatness That…
Bedlam I've got this phosphorescent portrait of gentle Jesus meek a…
Beyond Belief History repeats the old conceits The glib replies the same d…
Big Boys I am starting to function In the usual way Everything is so…
Big Sister Sheep to the slaughter, oh I thought this must be…
Big Tears Everyone is busy with the regular routine The sniper just ta…
Birds Will Still Be Singing Summertime withers as the sun descends He wants to kiss you,…
Black And White World I was looking at the black and white world It seemed…
Black Sails In The Sunset Vain boys are gonna have to swallow their pride this…
Blame It on Cain Once upon a time, I had a little money Government burglars…
Blue Chair Now it's just you and me, my blue friend And you…
Boy With A Problem I feel like a boy with a problem I can't believe…
Brilliant Disguise I hold you in my arms As the band plays What are…
Brilliant Mistake He thought he was the King of America Where they pour…
Broken Every night you`ll find me in the only world I…
Broken Bicycles . Junk Broken Bicycles Broken bicycles, old busted chains Rust…
Broken Promise Land There's a place Where words mean nothing or much less Such…
Brown To Blue We stood there in the courthouse room so close but…
Bullets For The New-Born King No one looks in this place for motive or any…
Burnt Sugar Is So Bitter She says what has her daddy done That you want him…
Busy Bodies So you think that you have seen her When you're lying…
But Not For Me Old man sunshine listen you Never tell me dreams come true …
Button My Lip Don't want to talk about the government Don't want to talk…
Call On Me Everyday seem like Sunday It must be something that I have…
Can You Be True Can you be true? Can this possibly be real? I knew quite…
Changing Partners We were dancing together to a dreamy melody When they calle…
Charm School Men made out of monkeys Men made into mice Happy days are…
Cheap Reward Oh, well, I feel so loose tonight I might fall…
Chelsea Photographs of fancy tricks to get your kicks at sixty-six H…
Chemistry Class She throws back her hair [hands] and she shows you…
Chewing Gum With their cardboard hands by their sides, Here`s a naked ma…
Church Underground She stood spotlit in a plain print dress Came howling out…
Clean Money Payday`s coming and we wash it away Clean money, clean mone…
Clown Strike She`ll fix you with an iron cross And cover you up…
Clowntime Is Over Tears on your blackmail Written to ransom A point of the fin…
Clowntime Is Over No. 2 Tears on your blackmail Written to ransom A point of the f…
Clubland With a handful of backhanders and a bevy of beauty Going…
Coal-Train Robberies Yesterday's coal train came to rest in the bitter cutting A…
colour of the blues Up above me are the skies Like the twinkle in your…
Complicated Shadows Well you know your time has come and you're sorry…
Costello: Deliver Us Don't cry Oh honey, please, don't be that way Clouds in th…
Costello: For Other Eyes I don't know what I would do If this letter…
Costello: Romeo's Seance Is anyone there I can talk to? Give us a sign…
Costello: The Birds Will Still Be Singing Summertime withers as the sun descends He wants to kiss you,…
Couldn't Call It Unexpected I saw a girl who'd found her consolation She said "one…
Country Darkness This tattered document A mystery you can solve Some burnt ou…
Crawling To The U.S.A. I thought I would go to the sea and shrink…
Crimes Of Paris I thought it was you and your optimist`s view of…
Cry Cry Cry Everybody knows where you go when the sun goes down They…
Daddy Can I Turn This There is a button and there's a switch There is a…
Damnation's Cellar Did anybody notice, over marmalade and eggs In between the …
Darling You Know I Wouldn't Lie Here I am late again for the last time And…
Days You can run all you like from the classroom or…
Dear Sweet Filthy World Dear sweet filthy world, my wife or whoever reads this I…
Deep Dark One day you're going to have to face A deep dark…
Different Finger Please put your rings on a diff'rent finger if you…
Dissolve Sugar cube drop into a yellow cup What makes the world…
Distorted Angel Strange things seem to occur, somewhere behind the nursery d…
Don't Get Above Your Raising Well, I got a gal that's sweet to me She just…
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood Baby can you understand me now Sometimes I feel a little…
Don't Look Back If it's love that you're running from, there's no hiding…
Don't Look Now Don't look now, don't you dare I'm not decent, go sit…
Doomsday The man in the corner of this picture has a…
Down Among the Wines and Spirits Down among the wines and spirits Where a man gets what…
Dr. Luther's Assistant Everything seems so tranquil Home movies with no subtitles …
Dr. Watson I Presume I sat in a motel room with the doctor Just before…
Drum And Bone Maybe we're nothing but skin and bone Blare and rubber Eye…
Dust If only dust could talk What would we hear it say? Before…
Dust 2 If dust could only talk What would we hear it say? Before…
Eisenhower Blues Hey everybody I'm a talking to you I ain't telling you…
Either Side Of The Same Town Nothing will ever be the same All of the promises we…
End of the World The man from the television crawled into the train I wonder…
Episode Of Blonde I spy for the "Spirit of Curiosity" All the scandals of…
Every Day I Write The Book Don't tell me you don't know what love is When you're…
Everybody's Crying Mercy I can't believe the things I've seen I wonder bout some…
Everyday I Write The Book Don't tell me you don't know what love is When you're…
Fallen All the leaves are turning yellow, red and brown Soon they'l…
Favourite Hour Figure hanging on a leather band Cog consults the watch…
First To Leave I should open with a kiss For if you`re reading this You…
Fish 'n' Chip Paper When Sunday morning dandruff turns out to be confetti And th…
Five Small Words Maybe you'll recognize in time Maybe one day you will discov…
Flutter And Wow Last rays of sunlight die Full moon begins to rise Reflected…
For Other Eyes I don't know what I would do If this letter…
For The Stars The stars were so much brighter then They dim and die So…
Forgive Her Anything Oh, a TV went off like three day old milk…
Freedom For The Stallion Freedom for the stallion Freedom for the mare and her colt F…
From a Whisper To A Scream Oh it's not easy to resist temptation Walking around lookin…
From Head To Toe Oh, well, now you're the girl I'm simply mad about. Oh…
Full Force Gale Like a full force gale I was lifted up again I was…
Georgie and Her Rival Georgie grew to hate her name It sounded like a tiny…
Get Yourself Another Fool At last I've awakened to see what you've done. All I…
Getting Mighty Crowded I`m packing up my memories And I`m gonna move all out…
Ghost Train Maureen and Stan were looking for a job They got songs…
Girls Talk There are some things you can`t cover up with lipstick…
Glitter Gulch Enter Madam X painted in a shocking pink spangled dress Her…
Gloomy Sunday Sunday is gloomy, my hours are slumberless Dearest, the shad…
Go Away Are we rolling? One, two, one, two, three, four Here in my…
Go Leave Go, leave She's better than me Or at least she…
God Give Me Strenght Now I have nothing, so God give me strength 'Cause I'm…
God's Comic I wish you'd known me when I was alive, I…
Good Year For The Roses I can hardly bear the sight of lipstick on the…
Goon Squad Mother, Father, I'm here in the zoo I can't come home…
Green Shirt There's a smart young woman on a light blue screen Who…
Hand In Hand No, don't ask me to apologize I won't ask you to…
Harpies Bizarre He selects the plainest face form a spiteful row of…
Harry Worth I met them first on their wedding night Faces were flushed…
He'll Have To Go Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone. Let's…
and many more tracks by Elvis Costello.
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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Jake G.
Wow! Now this is a treat...I have always wanted to hear early Elvis singing the blues. The closest we got was Eisenhower Blues from King of America which, though enjoyable, was a tad slick. This, on the other hand, is really right up my alley. Actually, it sounds to my ears closer to jazz-blues than straight blues when I listen to it again. Is this a cut from the Almost Blue sessions? If so, then Sherrill would be the producer. I know that he gets ragged on for having a Henry Ford Assembly Line approach to cutting records, but really it could be a whole lot worse. I think that Almost Blue has aged very, very well, and this is (in part) due to his production work. Give credit where credit is due. Question: who would be playing the pedal steel on this track? John McFee is my guess. I was lucky enough to see McFee play with Elvis and the lads at a Royal Albert Hall performance with the London Philharmonic. This would have been in the early '80's, maybe 1982 or 1983. My recollection of the show is a bit hazy because it was so long ago, but I seem to remember that they did 2 sets: the first was just Elvis and the Attractions with McFee, the second with the orchestra. My mind has a memory of Elvis and the band running onto the stage just as the lights were cut, and then launching into a BLISTERING version of Big Tears. Do not know how I got onto this topic when the thread is about Blues Keep Calling, I seem to be rambling! Forgive me! Much gratitude Elvis for all of these wonderful nuggets you are releasing to your faithful fans. On behalf of all of your followers, thank you. May 2021 bring serenity and good will to you and yours! From Boston, Peace Out!!!
Sergio I. Fernández
Only Elvis Costello can play rock, pop, punk, jazz, country, blues...and so. The real king.
DOCTV33
Love it . Always do . Love ur music . It's real man just to real. Don't stop
The Mind Expansion Centre
Quality Elvis👌
The Blueberries
good stuff!
Robbert J.A. Bax
Wow!!!
Jo
My high school crush, Elvis Costello. Sigh.
Lisa Millington
Love you darling, so sorry I was Sick over you .. I was 4!! Parents friends. Take care always Lisa xx
Rose Daddona
Sorry about your Mum passing. She must have been a grand lady.
Mr Me
Old Birkenhead Streets Inc Price & St Anne Street Late 60s