The Song Fight Bulletin Board

What is your favorite Elvis Costello song?

I have to admit I'm not very familiar with his music, but of the songs of him I know, I like "Accidents Will Happen" best.

I'm also not very familiar with him, but I like "Alison".

Watching the Detectives. Pump it up always gets me pumped up too.

It's gotta be Radio Radio. I want to bite the hand that feeds me.

noma wrote:I have to admit I'm not very familiar with his music, but of the songs of him I know, I like "Accidents Will Happen" best.

Based on your music, I'll go out on a limb and say you'll probably like Elvis Costello a lot if you get into him. My personal favorite album of his is All This Useless Beauty, but a better starting place might be My Aim is True or Imperial Bedroom.



I have a lot of love for Elvis Costello (it seems some people who were big fans of Billy Joel in their youth find Costello to be a logical next step to "graduate" to—I'm squarely in that camp, for sure).

I love every song that's been mentioned so far, plus I have a great fondness for many of the hits that are still likely to get mentioned, but the one and only true favorite song has got to be "I Want You." The dynamic range is mostly very soft, but it's one of the angriest songs I know of, and Costello delivers his vocals with this sizzling creepiness that never fails to make me shiver.

There's also an amazing cover version by the Art of Time Ensemble with Steven Page singing:

I'm waiting for Glenn Case to weigh in on this thread.

What's so funny (about peace, love and understanding)?

(Yeah, I know that's actually a Nick Lowe song, but whatever)

Elvis is awesome! Back in the day when all the Beatles needed was a John Lennon replacement, Lee would say Elvis Costello was the best man for the job.
Every song mentioned is excellent. I love the Attractions they're so tight and quirky. My pick has a lot to do with the band.

My favorite is Chelsea ( I Don't Want to go to).

"The Invisible Man"

Not one of his more famous pieces, and I have no idea why not.

Never mind, there's a good film showing tonight,
Where they hang everybody who can read and write.
Well, that could never happen here.
But then again, it might.

With the Attractions: No Action
without: King of America

Honorable mention to "(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea" and "Veronica".

My favorite is the entire Painted From Memory album by Elvis Costello & Burt Bacharach. It gives me chills with every listen. If I have to pick a song from that album, I would pick God Give Me Strength with an honorable mention to "I Still Have That Other Girl".

glennny wrote:Back in the day when all the Beatles needed was a John Lennon replacement, Lee would say Elvis Costello was the best man for the job.

Interesting idea. A 1980's vintage Beatles with Elvis as John. They wouldn't be "The Beatles" - but they could have been very interesting.

It's a good pub question. "Who should have replaced John in a 1980 reformed Beatles?"
How about Joe Strummer? Lou Reed?

Caravan Ray wrote:

glennny wrote:Back in the day when all the Beatles needed was a John Lennon replacement, Lee would say Elvis Costello was the best man for the job.

Interesting idea. A 1980's vintage Beatles with Elvis as John. They wouldn't be "The Beatles" - but they could have been very interesting.

It's a good pub question. "Who should have replaced John in a 1980 reformed Beatles?"
How about Joe Strummer? Lou Reed?

Billy Preston.

Elvis did a few collabs with the later McCartney, one of which (You want Her Too) was not too bad.

Tokyo Storm Warning. Or his version of Shipbuilding. I love him more as he gets older and leftier and angrier.