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.
Wednesday Week
Elvis Costello & The Attractions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the TV saves on sight
We met in a head-on collision
So I would say our chances would be slight
You can lead and I will follow
See us dancing cheek to cheek
You'll remember me tomorrow
But you won't give a damn by Wednesday Week
Say you love me until you do so
Joso singing just like Caruso
Three little words roll off your tongue
Somehow your face just doesn't look so young
You say you want to strike a bargain
Now there is no need to speak
You say you want to learn the jargon
But you won't give a damn by Wednesday Week
You start acting like a zombie
Someone wants your piece of cake
You think you want to jump up on me
But you won't give a damn by Wednesday Week
Oh what a letdown when the battle was finally won
One little breakdown and then it was over and done
I wish I had your confidence
It's love and not coincidence
Do you say these words to everyone?
You're fantastic, you're terrific
Your excellence is almost scientific
You took the words out of my mouth
You put the tongue into my cheek
But I'd better lose my memory by Wednesday Week
The song "Wednesday Week" by Elvis Costello & The Attractions is a lamentation of a failed relationship that is doomed from the start. The opening lines suggest the lack of communication and emotional intimacy that characterizes modern relationships as people turn to movies and television to spare them from having to converse with each other. The singer then describes how he met his partner in a head-on collision, which is symbolic of how different their personalities and desires are. The use of the idiom "chances would be slight" indicates that the singer understands that their relationship is unlikely to succeed. The lines "You'll remember me tomorrow/But you won't give a damn by Wednesday Week" indicate that their relationship is fleeting and will be forgotten shortly.
The song then describes how the couple attempts to find common ground but ultimately fails. The reference to Joso singing like Caruso suggests that the singer's partner is trying to impress him by showcasing their cultural knowledge. However, the singer is unimpressed and feels that their partner's face no longer looks young. The reference to wanting to strike a bargain and learn the jargon is again symbolic of how the couple is trying to communicate with each other, but they are speaking different languages. The line "but you won't give a damn by Wednesday Week" repeats to emphasize that despite their best intentions, the relationship is doomed.
The final verse describes the singer's frustration with his partner's unfocused behavior. The singer accuses his partner of acting like a zombie, suggesting that they are unresponsive and lack attention span. The line "you think you want to jump up on me" suggests that his partner is sexually aggressive, but the singer is not interested. The lines "I wish I had your confidence/It's love and not coincidence" suggest that the singer understands that relationships require confidence and trust. However, he concludes that he has to forget his partner by Wednesday Week, indicating that he has given up on the relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
The movies save on conversation
Watching movies replaces the need for talking.
And the TV saves on sight
Watching television replaces the need for visual stimulation.
We met in a head-on collision
We met in an unexpected and unavoidable meeting.
So I would say our chances would be slight
I do not think we have a good chance of succeeding.
You can lead and I will follow
I will let you take charge while I follow your lead.
See us dancing cheek to cheek
Imagine us dancing with our faces close together.
You'll remember me tomorrow
You will remember me in the future.
But you won't give a damn by Wednesday Week
However, you will no longer care about me after a short period of time.
Say you love me until you do so
Please only say you love me when you actually mean it.
Joso singing just like Caruso
Joso sings just like Caruso did.
Three little words roll off your tongue
You say 'I love you' with ease.
Somehow your face just doesn't look so young
However, your appearance does not look as youthful as it once did.
You say you want to strike a bargain
You claim that you want to make a deal.
Now there is no need to speak
There is no longer a need for words to be exchanged.
You say you want to learn the jargon
You want to understand the language used in this situation.
But you won't give a damn by Wednesday Week
However, you will not care about this situation in a short time period.
You start acting like a zombie
You are beginning to behave in a robotic and emotionless manner.
Someone wants your piece of cake
Someone else wants a share of what you have.
You think you want to jump up on me
You believe that you want to attack me with physical force.
But you won't give a damn by Wednesday Week
However, you will not care about this feeling in a short time period.
Oh what a letdown when the battle was finally won
It was disappointing when the fight was finally over.
One little breakdown and then it was over and done
A small mistake led to the end of it all.
I wish I had your confidence
I want to have the same level of self-assurance that you possess.
It's love and not coincidence
Our meeting was fate rather than chance.
Do you say these words to everyone?
Do you express these same words to everyone you meet?
You're fantastic, you're terrific
You are amazing and fantastic.
Your excellence is almost scientific
Your level of excellence is so high that it may as well be a science.
You took the words out of my mouth
You said something that I was about to say.
You put the tongue into my cheek
You made a humorous or sarcastic comment.
But I'd better lose my memory by Wednesday Week
However, I would rather forget about this moment in time in a short time period.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ELVIS COSTELLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind