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.
Luxembourg
Elvis Costello & The Attractions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Butter wouldn't melt on your paws
If this is a dog's life
Then you're the cat's clothes
They hire out your sons
Hire out your daughters
The man from abroad says he's already bought her
And now you look like a lover but you're only a tourist
You're either talking or yawning
You didn't listen to a thing you heard
Don't start your morning moaning or you might wake up in Luxembourg
You get over, you get over
You're worried by her body
She's worryin' about her bodily odor
You pull off
The pull over
You say that you love her when you really loathe her
Serves you right now she wants you to feed her and clothe her
You're either talking or yawning
You didn't listen to a thing you heard
Don't start your morning moaning or you might wake up in Luxembourg
They're smiling sweetly while they're looking daggers
Kick you where it really matters
Send all your friends to Coventry
And look for your name in last night's obituaries
If you've got the Deutschmarks
If you've got the yen, then
You get the shirt off her back and the clock off Big Ben
Somebody's soft touch
Struck all these bargains
In the drinking clubs with the council men making
Plans to put lead back in their pencils again
You're either talking or yawning
You didn't listen to a thing you heard
Don't start your morning moaning or you might wake up in Luxembourg, well
Well, well, well,
Well, well, well,
Well, well, well,
Ooo,
Well, oh, well, well, well, Luxembourg
The song "Luxembourg" by Elvis Costello is a satirical take on the relationship between Luxembourg and other European countries in the late 1970s, particularly around the issues of tax evasion and exploitation of their labour force. The lyrics are sharply critical of the way Luxembourg's people are treated as cheap labour, with their sons and daughters being hired out, and then sold off to foreign investors. The singer in the song is a tourist who has apparently come to Luxembourg for a romantic fling, but is soon revealed to be something of a hypocrite, as he claims to love the woman in question while secretly loathing her. By the end of the song, it is suggested that the tourist may have fallen victim to the same kind of exploitation that the Luxembourgers experience on a daily basis.
Throughout the song, Costello's use of metaphor is particularly striking. The opening line, "Dressed up like a dog's dinner / Butter wouldn't melt on your paws", suggests a sense of hypocrisy and insincerity, with the person in question putting on an act in order to deceive others. Similarly, the repeated refrain - "You're either talking or yawning / You didn't listen to a thing you heard" - suggests that this person is simply going through the motions, and is ultimately disconnected from the reality of the situation in Luxembourg. In contrast, the reference to "looking for your name in last night's obituaries" invokes a sense of danger and violence, and suggests that those who try to take advantage of the people of Luxembourg may quickly find themselves in deeper trouble than they anticipated.
Line by Line Meaning
Dressed up like a dog's dinner
You are dressed flamboyantly
Butter wouldn't melt on your paws
You are playing innocent
If this is a dog's life
If this is what life is like
Then you're the cat's clothes
Then you are someone who is out of place
They hire out your sons
They sell your sons for profit
Hire out your daughters
They sell your daughters for money
The man from abroad says he's already bought her
A foreign man claims to have bought her
And now you look like a lover but you're only a tourist
You seem like a lover but you are just a tourist
You're either talking or yawning
You are either talking or disinterested
You didn't listen to a thing you heard
You are not paying attention
Don't start your morning moaning or you might wake up in Luxembourg
Do not complain, or you might end up unhappy like being in Luxembourg
You get over, you get over
You move on
You're worried by her body
You are worried about her physical appearance
She's worryin' about her bodily odor
She is worried about her smell
You pull off
You drive away
The pull over
You park on the side of the road
You say that you love her when you really loathe her
You do not love her, despite what you say
Serves you right now she wants you to feed her and clothe her
You deserve what is happening, as now she wants you to take care of her
They're smiling sweetly while they're looking daggers
They are pretending to be nice while they secretly hate you
Kick you where it really matters
Hurt you where it will hurt the most
Send all your friends to Coventry
Ignore and avoid you and your friends
And look for your name in last night's obituaries
Hope that you are dead
If you've got the Deutschmarks
If you have German currency
If you've got the yen, then
If you have Japanese currency
You get the shirt off her back and the clock off Big Ben
You get everything you want, even unrealistic things
Somebody's soft touch
Someone who is easy to trick
Struck all these bargains
Made a deal for all of these things
In the drinking clubs with the council men making
In clubs where the town councilors are meeting
Plans to put lead back in their pencils again
Planning to gain power or influence again
Well, well, well
An expression of surprise
Ooo
A sound of surprise or delight
Luxembourg
The title of the song
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ELVIS COSTELLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind