Internationally, the band is perhaps best known for popular rock hits such as "Oliver's Army" and "Pump It Up", both featuring expressive yet sardonic vocals from Costello. He reconvened the band for one-off albums and tours over the following decade, particularly from 1994 through 1996. He has also enlisted Nieve, and to a lesser extent Pete Thomas, for other recordings and performances, and this continues to the present day. Costello and Bruce Thomas have had a notoriously stormy relationship, documented in Thomas' 1990 autobiographical novel 'The Big Wheel'. The original Attractions reunited for the 'Brutal Youth & All This Useless Beauty' sessions despite Costello and Thomas' differences. Pete Thomas and Steve Nieve, along with Bruce Thomas' replacement Davey Faragher, have been a part of Costello's other most well known backing band, The Imposters.
Together, Costello and the Attractions, based out of London, England, recorded ten albums. Most of which are critically regarded as among Costello's finest. They are: 'This Year's Model' (1978); 'Armed Forces' (1979); 'Get Happy' (1980); 'Trust' (1981); 'Almost Blue' (1981); 'Imperial Bedroom' (1982); 'Punch The Clock' (1983); 'Goodbye Cruel World' (1984); 'Blood and Chocolate' (1986), and 'All This Useless Beauty' (1996). The full band plays on some, but not all, tracks on the 1994 release 'Brutal Youth', which is credited to Costello alone. In addition, The Attractions also recorded an album without Costello, titled 'Mad About the Wrong Boy', which they released in 1980.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions most recently appeared together, although they didn't play, when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. The band's work has continued to receive much airplay and sell quite well over the years. 'Mad About the Wrong Boy', while obscure, has been a collectors item for many new wave and power pop fans.
Brown To Blue
Elvis Costello & The Attractions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You brought along the lawyer and I brought a broken heart
The judge pronounced the words the way you wanted him to do
You changed your name from Brown to Jones and mine from Brown to Blue
I couldn't help my tears from falling on the courtroom floor
My love, they took away my right to love you anymore
My world just seemed to stop as I stood there so close to you
The judge forgot to tell me how I`d live my life alone
What I would do without you after loving you so long
He didn't seem to care that I`m still in love with you
You changed your name from Brown to Jones and mine from Brown to Blue
I couldn't help my tears from falling on the courtroom floor
My love, they took away my right to love you anymore
My world just seemed to stop as I stood there so close to you
You changed your name from Brown to Jones and mine from Brown to Blue
The song "Brown to Blue" by Elvis Costello & The Attractions is about a man who stands in a courthouse room with his lover, who has brought a lawyer, and has gained the judge's permission to change their names from Brown to Jones. The man is heartbroken as he realizes that this signifies the end of their relationship since they were both Browns before and now they will have different last names. The chorus repeats the lines "My love, they took away my right to love you anymore/My world just seemed to stop as I stood there so close to you/You changed your name from Brown to Jones and mine from Brown to Blue," which captures the devastation of the singer.
The lyrics could also be interpreted in a broader sense as a commentary on the legal system's ability to separate individuals from one another. The judge, who is supposed to make decisions in the interest of justice, does not take into account the emotional impact of his ruling on people's lives. The singer's tears "falling on the courtroom floor" symbolizes the emotional weight of the legal proceedings, which can often feel cold and detached. In the end, the singer is left to live on without his lover, uncertain of how he will manage without her.
Line by Line Meaning
We stood there in the courthouse room so close but far apart
We were physically close to each other in the courtroom, but emotionally far apart.
You brought along the lawyer and I brought a broken heart
You were prepared with legal support, while I was grieving over our relationship.
The judge pronounced the words the way you wanted him to do
The judge ruled in your favor and approved the name change you wanted.
You changed your name from Brown to Jones and mine from Brown to Blue
You were able to change your last name, while I was unable to keep the same last name as you.
I couldn't help my tears from falling on the courtroom floor
I was overcome with emotion and cried openly in the courtroom.
My love, they took away my right to love you anymore
The name change ruling effectively separated us and ended our relationship.
My world just seemed to stop as I stood there so close to you
Everything in my life was turned upside down as I stood near you in the courtroom.
The judge forgot to tell me how I'd live my life alone
The judge did not consider the emotional impact of the ruling on me and how I would cope with being alone.
What I would do without you after loving you so long
I was suddenly faced with the daunting task of moving on from a long-term relationship.
He didn't seem to care that I'm still in love with you
The judge showed little empathy for my emotional turmoil and the loss of my relationship.
You changed your name from Brown to Jones and mine from Brown to Blue
The name change had a significant impact on both of us, but especially on me since I was unable to keep my original last name.
Lyrics © GLAD MUSIC CO.
Written by: G. JONES, J. MATHIS, V. FRANKS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind