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.
Episode Of Blonde
Elvis Costello Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the scandals of each vain monstrosity
I gossip and I pry and I insinuate
If the failure is great, then it tends to fascinate
A tornado dropped a funnel cloud with twenty tons of rain
Though she had the attention span of warm cellophane
Her lovers fell like skittles in a tenpin bowling lane
So you jumped back with alarm
Every Elvis has his army, every rattlesnake its charm
Can you still hear me, am I coming through just fine?
Your memory was buried in a simple box of pine
Did her green eyes seduce you and make you get so weak?
Was there fire engine red that she left upon your cheek?
It's such a shame you had to break the heart
You could have counted on but the last thing you need
Is another episode of blonde
Revolving like a jeweler's figure on a music box
Spangled curtain parted and a night-club scene unlocks
Pinned and fixed and fastened in a follow spot
Arms thrown out to everyone, she's giving all she's got
To the last gasp of a wounded bandeon
A tiny man imploring to the ceiling fan this stolen feeling
Amplified up through a busted speaker, blaring and blasting
Advertising, distorted beyond reason
Into the street where petty crime-coats shadow panic drunkards
Half out of the taxi cab the barker seized my elbow
He thought I was another lonely, likely pilgrim looking for St.Elmo
Did her green eyes seduce you and make you get so weak?
Was there fire engine red that she left upon your cheek?
It's such a shame you had to break the heart
You could have counted on but the last thing you need
Is another episode of blonde
I tried to keep a straight face but you know it never pays
He would stare into those eyes and then vacation in her gaze
She was a cute little ruin that he pulled out of the rubble
Now they are both living in a soft soap bubble
The film producer's contemplating, entertaining suicide
The picture crumpled in his fist, his runaway child bride
The timepiece stretched across a wrist, she couldn't care less, cast aside
The scent that so repelled him that he swore "insecticide"
And there's a farewell note to mother
That will conclude "Your loving Son"
"Oh, tell your other children not to do as I have done"
Did her green eyes seduce you and make you get so weak?
Or was there fire engine red that she left upon your cheek?
It's such a shame, it's such a shame, shame, shame
Shame that you break the heart you could have counted on
But the last thing you need, yes, the last thing you want
Is another episode of blonde
It's another episode of blonde, oh
It's another episode of blonde
So an artist drags a toothbrush across the first thing that he sees
And names the painting "Christ's Last Exit into Purgatory"
Receiving secret messages from an alien intelligence
And paying off his stalker, it's a legitimate expense
So paste up pictures of those shrill and hollow girls with puckered lips
She's a trophy on your arm, a magnet for your money clip
The moral of this story is the sorry tale to say
They're pieced with links of chains so they can never run away
The song "Episode of Blonde" by Elvis Costello is a somewhat cynical look at the scandalous world of fame and celebrity. The lyrics describe the singer's interest in celebrity gossip and their fascination with scandal and failure. The first verse references a tornado and a woman whose lovers fell like skittles, but nothing could compare to the explosion of fame. As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer is observing this world from the outside, with lines like "Every Elvis has his army, every rattlesnake its charm," and "So paste up pictures of those shrill and hollow girls with puckered lips, she's a trophy on your arm, a magnet for your money clip."
The song is filled with vivid imagery, such as "Revolving like a jeweler's figure on a music box," "arms thrown out to everyone, she's giving all she's got," and "a tiny man imploring to the ceiling fan this stolen feeling."
The chorus repeats the line "Did her green eyes seduce you and make you get so weak?" and asks if there was fire engine red left on the listener's cheek. This suggests that the singer is speaking to someone who has been caught up in a scandal involving a blonde woman with green eyes.
Overall, "Episode of Blonde" is a commentary on the allure and dangers of fame, the shallow nature of celebrity, and the toll it can take on those involved.
Line by Line Meaning
I spy for the "Spirit of Curiosity"
I am curious and like to seek information.
All the scandals of each vain monstrosity
I like to know about all the wrongdoings of people who are excessively proud and ugly in character.
I gossip and I pry and I insinuate
I talk about people behind their backs and try to get information from them without being direct.
If the failure is great, then it tends to fascinate
If someone failed badly, I tend to find it interesting.
A tornado dropped a funnel cloud with twenty tons of rain
A tornado occurred with heavy rain.
Though she had the attention span of warm cellophane
She had a very short attention span.
Her lovers fell like skittles in a tenpin bowling lane
She had many lovers, who came and went like bowling pins.
But nothing could compare with that explosion of fame
Her rise to fame was unmatched by other events in her life.
So you jumped back with alarm
You were startled and taken aback by something.
Every Elvis has his army, every rattlesnake its charm
Just as every Elvis has fans, every dangerous thing has its appeal.
Can you still hear me, am I coming through just fine?
Are you able to hear me clearly?
Your memory was buried in a simple box of pine
I remember you and your life even though you have died, and your body has been buried in a simple wooden box.
Did her green eyes seduce you and make you get so weak?
Did her attractive and mesmerizing green eyes make you feel so vulnerable and powerless?
Was there fire engine red that she left upon your cheek?
Did she leave a noticeable red lipstick mark on your cheek?
It's such a shame you had to break the heart
It's regrettable that you hurt someone's emotions.
You could have counted on but the last thing you need is another episode of blonde
You could have relied on that person, but you don't need another situation with someone like her who dyes her hair blond.
Revolving like a jeweler's figure on a music box
Moving in a repetitive circular motion like a figurine on a music box.
Spangled curtain parted and a night-club scene unlocks
The glittery curtain opened, and a setting that resembles a nightclub was revealed.
Pinned and fixed and fastened in a follow spot
The spotlight was focused on her and held her in its glare.
Arms thrown out to everyone, she's giving all she's got
She extended her arms to the audience, giving it her all.
To the last gasp of a wounded bandeon
To the final notes of a melodramatic and sorrowful bandeon tune.
A tiny man imploring to the ceiling fan this stolen feeling
A small man pleaded with the ceiling fan about his feeling that had been taken away.
Amplified up through a busted speaker, blaring and blasting
The broken and loud speaker magnified the sound.
Advertising, distorted beyond reason
The advertisement was distorted and didn't make sense.
Into the street where petty crime-coats shadow panic drunkards
Outside, people wearing shady clothes are lurking and frightening intoxicated individuals.
Half out of the taxi cab the barker seized my elbow
As I was getting out of the cab, someone called to me and grabbed my arm.
He thought I was another lonely, likely pilgrim looking for St.Elmo
He assumed that I was another out-of-place person searching for something elusive or imaginary.
I tried to keep a straight face but you know it never pays
I attempted to appear uninterested and calm, but it didn't work in my favor.
He would stare into those eyes and then vacation in her gaze
He was entranced by her eyes and would seemingly lose himself in their depth.
She was a cute little ruin that he pulled out of the rubble
She was a charming but damaged person whom he rescued from a difficult situation.
Now they are both living in a soft soap bubble
Now they are living in a romanticized and unrealistically happy environment.
The film producer's contemplating, entertaining suicide
The film producer is thinking about and considering ending his own life.
The picture crumpled in his fist, his runaway child bride
He holds the crumpled photo of his eloped child bride in his hand.
The timepiece stretched across a wrist, she couldn't care less, cast aside
The watch is on someone's wrist, but they are ignoring it and casting it aside.
The scent that so repelled him that he swore "insecticide"
He despised a particular odor so much that he expressed his hatred using strong language.
And there's a farewell note to mother
There is a message someone wrote before their presumed death to their mother to express their last words.
That will conclude "Your loving Son"
The note ends with: "Your loving Son."
"Oh, tell your other children not to do as I have done"
"I do not want my siblings to repeat my mistakes that led to my unfortunate outcome."
So paste up pictures of those shrill and hollow girls with puckered lips
Putting up images of loud and vacuous girls with exaggerated lips.
She's a trophy on your arm, a magnet for your money clip
She is a symbol of your wealth and success, attracting attention and money.
The moral of this story is the sorry tale to say
The lesson from this story is unfortunate to tell.
They're pieced with links of chains so they can never run away
These 'trophy girls' have been tied down with chains so they will never be able to leave.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Elvis Costello
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dan Neumann
ive been listening to Elvis since 82. The version of this song on my flame burns blue is perhaps the the song by any artist ive ever heard live. this is good though. I think Elvis is the most versatile and best song writer ever. Who else after 40 years is still making great new music?
sam torres
He nails every lyric. Such an amazing song.
Barrie Evans
One of those guys who doesn't have a great voice but knows how to sing. I love that about him. And that he can still write lines like, "Every Elvis has his army/ Every rattlesnake his charm." So glad he's still eager to create.
Eduardo Costa
I can't help but keep coming back to this video. One of my favorite Costello tunes. Any chance you can post more videos from the same DVD?
taylor hannah
what a slick song!! I luv the audience right at the stage!!!!!!.........
Megan Hamilton
"She was a cute little ruin that he pulled out of the rubble. Now they're both living in a soft soap bubble." I love that line!
M M
La melodia del estribillo es inmensa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jonathan Holleb
That is just about the best thing ever!
Jorge Farah
SO good.
320 Parks
one of the few decent couplings of rap & melody