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.
Less Than Zero
Elvis Costello & The Attractions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There is a vacancy waiting in the English voodoo
Carving "v" for vandal on the guilty boy's head
When he's had enough of that, maybe you'll take him to bed
To teach him he's alive before he wishes he was dead
Turn up the TV, no one listening will suspect
Even your mother won't detect it so your father won't know
Everything means less than zero
Hey, oh hey
Hey, oh hey
Oswald and his sister are doing it again
They've got the finest home movies that you have ever seen
They've got a thousand variations, every service with a smile
They're gonna take a little break, and they'll be back after a while
Well, I hear that South America is coming into style
Turn up the TV, no one listening will suspect
Even your mother won't detect it so your father won't know
They think that I've got no respect, but
Everything means less than zero
Hey, oh hey
Hey, oh hey
A pistol was still smoking, a man lay on the floor
Mister Oswald said he had an understanding with the law
He said he heard about a couple living in the USA
He said they traded in their baby for a Chevrolet
Let's talk about the future now we've put the past away
Turn up the TV, no one listening will suspect
Even your mother won't detect it so your father won't know
They think that I've got no respect, but
Everything means less than zero
Hey, oh hey
Hey, oh hey
Hey, oh hey
Hey, oh hey
Hey, oh hey
Hey, oh hey
Hey, hey
Hey, oh hey
Elvis Costello's Less Than Zero is a scorching condemnation of the state of British society in the late 1970s. The song specifically targets the growing spread of fascism and white nationalism in England at that time. The song begins with a reference to a man with a swastika tattoo, whom the singer calls upon to help him fulfill some kind of nefarious purpose. The lyrics then proceed to describe a pair of siblings, Oswald and his sister, who are involved in some kind of depravity. The final verse of the song tells a story about a couple trading their baby for a car. Through these different lyrics, the song seems to be highlighting the absurdity of British society - people are engaging in terrible behavior without any real consequences. Costello seems to be pointing out that these people are acting in a way that is "less than zero."
Throughout the song, Costello uses "turn up the TV" as a refrain. This repetition underscores the idea that people are willfully ignoring the problems that are occurring around them. Whether it's to drown out bad news reports or simply as a form of escapism, people are choosing to tune out. The song concludes with the lines "Let's talk about the future now we've put the past away," which seems to suggest that perhaps it's time to start paying attention and addressing the issues at hand. If people continue to ignore the problems that are plaguing society, things will only continue to get worse.
Line by Line Meaning
Calling Mister Oswald with the swastika tattoo
Addressing a man named Oswald with a tattoo of the Nazi swastika
There is a vacancy waiting in the English voodoo
There's a space available in a mysterious practice called English voodoo
Carving 'v' for vandal on the guilty boy's head
Etching the letter 'v' into the head of a culpable young man to shame him
When he's had enough of that, maybe you'll take him to bed
Perhaps after torturing him long enough he'll be willing to sleep with you
To teach him he's alive before he wishes he was dead
By making him suffer, you teach him to value his life
Turn up the TV, no one listening will suspect
Increase the volume of the television, no one will notice
Even your mother won't detect it so your father won't know
Not even your mother will notice, so you can keep it from your father
They think that I've got no respect, but
People believe I don't have any manners or morals, yet
Everything means less than zero
Nothing actually matters
Hey, oh hey
A repeated exclamation, perhaps indicating sarcasm or disinterest
Oswald and his sister are doing it again
Oswald is repeatedly engaging in taboo behavior with his sister
They've got the finest home movies that you have ever seen
They possess high-quality recordings of themselves doing unsavory things
They've got a thousand variations, every service with a smile
They have a vast collection of different recordings, each one more twisted than the last
They're gonna take a little break, and they'll be back after a while
They need to rest for a bit, but plan to continue their depraved behavior
Well, I hear that South America is coming into style
The idea of immoral behavior becoming more accepted globally is gaining popularity
A pistol was still smoking, a man lay on the floor
There's evidence of gun violence, with a victim lying on the ground
Mister Oswald said he had an understanding with the law
Oswald claimed to have a favorable relationship with the police
He said he heard about a couple living in the USA
Oswald shared information he learned about an American couple
He said they traded in their baby for a Chevrolet
According to Oswald, the couple swapped their infant for a car
Let's talk about the future now we've put the past away
Now that we've hidden our wrongdoings, let's focus on what comes next
Hey, hey
A repeated exclamation, similar to 'hey, oh hey'
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: ELVIS COSTELLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
RedGoldGreen-Dub1975
Great song 😎🤙🏻
H Mackie
Elvis is what I admire most...a wordsmith
John Abbott
Brilliant!
Jim McGuy
From My Aim Is True to Look Now. Elvis still going strong
Meme Lor
How did you feel about Spanish Model and A Boy Named If?
Suh Synched
If a songwriter like Elvis ever existed no songwriter can ever really think of themselves as being cerebral.
Shayne Corritori
Hahaha!!!!! Come on, these modern-day youngsters just call themselves that because they think it makes them sound sophisticated and introspective. Truth is, they don’t even know the official definition🤣🤣🤣
Steve Kountz
Lorne Michaels still has long sleepless nights, thinking about how he never got to hear this song live.
Seamos
Greatest bops of all time
ForTheLove OfIvy
WOW !! Great song