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.
Indoor Fireworks
Elvis Costello & The Attractions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We play at make-believe
When we get to the part where I say that I'm going to leave
Everybody loves a happy ending but we don't even try
We go straight past pretending
To the part where everybody loves to cry
Indoor fireworks
Indoor fireworks
We swore we were safe as houses
They're not so spectacular, they don't burn up in the sky
But they can dazzle or delight
Or bring a tear
When the smoke gets in your eyes
You were the spice of life
The gin in my vermouth
And though the sparks would fly
I thought our love was fireproof
Sometimes we'd fight in public, darling
With very little cause
But different kinds of sparks would fly
When we got on our own behind closed doors
Indoor fireworks
Can still burn your fingers
Indoor fireworks
We swore we were safe as houses
They're not so spectacular, they don't burn up in the sky
But they can dazzle or delight
Or bring a tear
When the smoke gets in your eyes
It's time to tell the truth
These things have to be faced
My fuse is burning out
And all that powder's gone to waste
Don't think for a moment, dear, that we'll ever be through
I'll build a bonfire of my dreams
And burn a broken effigy of me and you
Indoor fireworks
Can still burn your fingers
Indoor fireworks
We swore we were safe as houses
They're not so spectacular
They don't burn up in the sky
But they can dazzle or delight
Or bring a tear
When the smoke gets in your eyes
When the smoke gets in your eyes
When the smoke gets in your eyes
Elvis Costello’s Indoor Fireworks is a song about a couple who are on the brink of breaking up. They play “parlour games,” or games that require a small group of players and little equipment, and pretend that everything is okay. When the singer mentions leaving, however, they realize they cannot pretend anymore. They know they are heading towards a sad ending, and they cannot pretend to be happy anymore; they cannot even pretend to try. In the chorus, the phrase “indoor fireworks” is used as a metaphor for love that burns out quickly and can still hurt you, despite being less spectacular than real fireworks.
The verse “You were the spice of life, the gin in my vermouth” refers to the couple’s relationship being compared to a cocktail that has lost its sparkle. The sparks that once flew between the two have now died down, and they cannot even pretend to love each other anymore. The line “My fuse is burning out and all that powder's gone to waste” reflects the singer’s frustration and disappointment at how their relationship has ended. In the final verse, the singer decides to move on and let go of the relationship by “building a bonfire of my dreams” and burning a broken effigy of “me and you.”
Line by Line Meaning
We play these parlour games
We engage in superficial and pretend activities
We play at make-believe
We pretend and imagine things that are not true
When we get to the part where I say that I'm going to leave
When it comes to the point where I express my wish to depart
Everybody loves a happy ending but we don't even try
Most people prefer things to end well, but we don't even attempt to achieve this
We go straight past pretending
We skip the act of pretending
To the part where everybody loves to cry
To the section where everyone enjoys feeling emotional pain
Indoor fireworks
Intense emotional experiences that happen behind closed doors
Can still burn your fingers
Can still cause significant and long-lasting damage
We swore we were safe as houses
We thought we were completely secure and protected
They're not so spectacular, they don't burn up in the sky
They may not be grandiose or impressive, not drawing a lot of attention
But they can dazzle or delight
But they can still captivate or please
Or bring a tear
Or evoke a strong emotional response
When the smoke gets in your eyes
When sentiment clouds your judgment
You were the spice of life
You brought exciting variety to my existence
The gin in my vermouth
You were the extra element that made my life more interesting
And though the sparks would fly
Despite our frequent emotional outbursts
I thought our love was fireproof
I believed our love could withstand anything
Sometimes we'd fight in public, darling
Occasionally we would argue in front of others, my love
With very little cause
Without a good or apparent reason
But different kinds of sparks would fly
However, different kinds of intense emotional reactions would occur
When we got on our own behind closed doors
When we were alone together in private
It's time to tell the truth
It's time to be frank and honest
These things have to be faced
We can't avoid confronting these issues anymore
My fuse is burning out
I am reaching the end of my rope
And all that powder's gone to waste
And all the potential for a bright future between us is lost
Don't think for a moment, dear, that we'll ever be through
Don't ever believe that we will completely end our relationship, my love
I'll build a bonfire of my dreams
I'll create a vivid and fantastic scenario in my mind
And burn a broken effigy of me and you
And destroy a symbolic representation of our shattered relationship
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ELVIS COSTELLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind