Always a favorite of mine. He handles this interview like a true professional. He is obviously far ahead of his interviewer in brains and insight. A classic Costello tune and album. Thanks E.
One of the best songs ever written. Elvis' voice is like a beautiful crystal vase teetering on the edge of a mantle. You want to reach out to save it from falling, but it never falls! In 2022, this song could be just as well about Putin, and all autocrats of all time. 💔😡
Amazing. Saw him perform this at Glastonbury in 1985 before bringing the Attractions on stage for a reunion and to "cheer everybody up after all this doom and gloom." I fled England soon after, never to return, but people like Elvis gave us some hope through some truly dark times.
Brilliantly written...hummed it all day today..but she did the damage so many years ago..and even worse is happening today,.there are few songwriters now who will ever be able to express such distaste and revulsion ..so beautifully....and it has taken many years for it to be to in 'context', but let's not waste energy dancing on the grave of a long-dead soul; Tories are still destroying society..
Nine months on and it now seems like a false dawn, the powers that be are using every dirty trick in the book to keep the status quo but we'll keep fighting for real change from this corrupt pseudo-democracy.
@@peskyquietman7593 I know it's been 6 years since you wrote that but I just wanted to say how much I agree. I'm tired of hearing the word 'democracy' being bandied about totally out of context and not even making sense in any way other than a handy word being used by politicians to gain one-upmanship on each other. Do these people wake up in the morning, look out or their windows and muse about how democratic the weather is today? No. Of course they don't but that's how ridiculously this word is being used by politicians today. What sort of democracy allows folk to vote people in on false promises and lies who then demonstrate their real agenda to crucify their voters and non voters alike, who have no power to hit the off switch and vote them out when they go on to use the powers they've been given by us to destroy us? They're supposed to be our servants not our jailors, and we should have the power to vote them out within a couple of months probationary period.
Yes - thanks for posting. I remember seeing this on TV when it was broadcast and it was important to me - I suppose a lot of people felt the same way at the time. It's good to see it again. Great perfomance - I prefer this simple version to the more orchestrated one on the album - the starkness is part of the message. I like the way he's bathed in blue light.
Elvis' most brilliant moment, it still has the power to invoke strong emotions - as does his subject matter. Let's give her a state funeral, but only if we can bury her alive.
The phrase that Trevelyan used about the Irish Famine being the work of “an all-wise and merciful providence” smacks so much of Thatcher and the Protestant thing that good works don’t matter, only faith, or, in her case, fanatical conviction. I can’t help also thinking, though, that the miners’ strike could not be similarly policed today, with all the camera phones.
I lived through Thatcher - and I will be jumping up and down with Elvis at the appropriate moment! I remember the spg, I remember Nelson Mandela being described as a terrorist - I'm posting this cos I will forget shortly! I remember milk snatcher and things don't change - all the people banging on about austerity don't understand the word.
Remember seeing this on BBC2 more years ago than I care to remember. Got to be one of my favourtite UA-cam clips. Can't be long now Elvis! Who's in charge of hiring the band at her grave and who's starting the campaign to make this number one the week she dies?
You're dead right. Thanks for the reply. It just goes to show how little good came out of the battles that she decided to start. I think the whole country is starting to see that now. Here's hoping for those positive outcomes!
Costello starts with the image of a child and Thatcher's portrayal of compassion in the photo op. Isn't she precious, isn't she wonderful: the irony is magnificent.
"when they finally put you in the ground, we'll stand there laughing and tramp the dirt down"...for the miners, the neglected working people, and for the millions of youths both in the 80s, 90s and today with no future but anger and the dole queue.
There can be nothing better to do with ones energy but to dance on that bastard's grave. She lives on in the spirit of Blair, Brown, Cameron, Osborne, Clegg and all the rest. So let's just "REJOICE AT THAT NEWS. REJOICE"!!
Awesome. Where's this kind of passion, anger and eloquence now? This country's going nowhere but down. What Thatcher started is still rotting this land of ours. Ours - not theirs. One thing she did well was convince us that politics was for politicians; nothing to do with us. Just ask anyone under 40. Where are our Costellos? Who will speak for us? A choice of two equally rotten parties isn't a democracy; it's a veiled dictatorship.Long life to Elvis.The grave yawns and yearns for Maggie.
I remember seeing this interview and performance, and maybe it's my imagination of the time, or modern interpretation of what's now a very different era, or maybe it's some detail lost in the encoding, but what I've remembered for 20 years is the fact that he was spitting the words out The slightly self-concious movements of his eyes were nothing compared to the venom and the physical force that was apparent in the performance, especialy given the standards of the time
I like that interviewer, like her randy newman interview from around the same time too get intelligent, articulate people, and let them talk, not that hard is it? great stuff all round
I think it was intentional. Costello´s subtle irony. Besides, Elvis loves to borrow little pieces of music, lyrics or arrangement and put them into his own work. There are lots of examples: "Take a good look at my face" is from one of Costello fave songs, TRACK OF MY TEARS, and appears on TOWN CRYER; BIG SISTER (the fast version of big sister´s clothes) has an accelerated beat copied from the bass line of UNDER MY THUMB, from rolling stones, and so on...
@italiamia1000 The thatcher years intorduced the self centered capatalistic cancer that has ravaged our society ever since she came into power. We now live in a greed fueled society where the rich are applauded and the poor are ignored. The 1970s were troubled times but unemployment was higher under thatcher and the gap between the rich and poor dramatically widened. You may talk about the economy to measure success I prefer to use our morality and ethics which were lost in 1979
Yes I take your point, in saying it was a non-event I just meant that this is not a political victory for the left. I accept that it is a political moment. And I also accept (as other commenters have pointed out) that maybe once the hangovers have worn off the solidarity of the celebration will linger on and it may lead to positive political activity and outcomes. It's always interesting to watch how the effects of chance and inevitability impact ideology.
If it were a non-political event Cameron would not be leading today's pantomime in Parliament, hoping for all the world to harvest some of the cheap admiration washing about in the fragments of British society that still hold tight to her kind of self-centred smugness.
@italiamia1000 Every capitalist country has a fair whack of state intervention (e.g. keep the population educated & fit for work) & market control (complete free market results in monopolies). The communist state may have been terrible under Stalin, but the collective decision to move to communism was after the experience Russian had under the Tsar. Same in France (e.g."Let them eat cake"). Last sentence is laughable (read Whoops by John Lanchester). You've been educated to love money, not life.
Elvis at his most cruel and unforgiving. Absolutely brilliant!
"Tramp the dirt down"
When Elvis sang this song
He had Margaret in mind
But I'm sending it to Rishi Sunak in Downing Street tonight
Always a favorite of mine. He handles this interview like a true professional. He is obviously far ahead of his interviewer in brains and insight. A classic Costello tune and album. Thanks E.
Thatcher destroyed Britain and at least elvis Costello stood up to it
One of the best songs ever written. Elvis' voice is like a beautiful crystal vase teetering on the edge of a mantle. You want to reach out to save it from falling, but it never falls!
In 2022, this song could be just as well about Putin, and all autocrats of all time. 💔😡
The anger on his face is superb.
Brilliant song, riveting performance - mad respect for EC.
Amazing. Saw him perform this at Glastonbury in 1985 before bringing the Attractions on stage for a reunion and to "cheer everybody up after all this doom and gloom." I fled England soon after, never to return, but people like Elvis gave us some hope through some truly dark times.
Brilliantly written...hummed it all day today..but she did the damage so many years ago..and even worse is happening today,.there are few songwriters now who will ever be able to express such distaste and revulsion ..so beautifully....and it has taken many years for it to be to in 'context', but let's not waste energy dancing on the grave of a long-dead soul; Tories are still destroying society..
Excellent Elvis, my sentiments exactly
The real Elvis is not dead. God save the Elvis. There's still real hope for a new democracy in England in 2015.
Nine months on and it now seems like a false dawn, the powers that be are using every dirty trick in the book to keep the status quo but we'll keep fighting for real change from this corrupt pseudo-democracy.
@@peskyquietman7593 I know it's been 6 years since you wrote that but I just wanted to say how much I agree.
I'm tired of hearing the word 'democracy' being bandied about totally out of context and not even making sense in any way other than a handy word being used by politicians to gain one-upmanship on each other.
Do these people wake up in the morning, look out or their windows and muse about how democratic the weather is today? No. Of course they don't but that's how ridiculously this word is being used by politicians today.
What sort of democracy allows folk to vote people in on false promises and lies who then demonstrate their real agenda to crucify their voters and non voters alike, who have no power to hit the off switch and vote them out when they go on to use the powers they've been given by us to destroy us?
They're supposed to be our servants not our jailors, and we should have the power to vote them out within a couple of months probationary period.
Sadly it got even worse after 2012.... Hard to believe.
Thank god you put this up! I remembered at the time that I'd never seen such venom in a performance. So pleased to see it again.
can't think why this song is on my mind today
He wrote it in 10 minutes in his head! What a talent.
Yes - thanks for posting. I remember seeing this on TV when it was broadcast and it was important to me - I suppose a lot of people felt the same way at the time. It's good to see it again. Great perfomance - I prefer this simple version to the more orchestrated one on the album - the starkness is part of the message.
I like the way he's bathed in blue light.
Brilliant song and he did live long enough to carry out this joyous task. Much better song than Ding Dong but the sentiment is the same.
Elvis' most brilliant moment, it still has the power to invoke strong emotions - as does his subject matter. Let's give her a state funeral, but only if we can bury her alive.
Her little babies are everywhere....doing her proud....
Are you on this planet
That woman has no idea how lucky she is
The phrase that Trevelyan used about the Irish Famine being the work of “an all-wise and merciful providence” smacks so much of Thatcher and the Protestant thing that good works don’t matter, only faith, or, in her case, fanatical conviction. I can’t help also thinking, though, that the miners’ strike could not be similarly policed today, with all the camera phones.
I lived through Thatcher - and I will be jumping up and down with Elvis at the appropriate moment! I remember the spg, I remember Nelson Mandela being described as a terrorist - I'm posting this cos I will forget shortly! I remember milk snatcher and things don't change - all the people banging on about austerity don't understand the word.
Remember seeing this on BBC2 more years ago than I care to remember. Got to be one of my favourtite UA-cam clips. Can't be long now Elvis! Who's in charge of hiring the band at her grave and who's starting the campaign to make this number one the week she dies?
You're dead right. Thanks for the reply. It just goes to show how little good came out of the battles that she decided to start. I think the whole country is starting to see that now. Here's hoping for those positive outcomes!
Costello starts with the image of a child and Thatcher's portrayal of compassion in the photo op.
Isn't she precious, isn't she wonderful: the irony is magnificent.
"when they finally put you in the ground, we'll stand there laughing and tramp the dirt down"...for the miners, the neglected working people, and for the millions of youths both in the 80s, 90s and today with no future but anger and the dole queue.
There can be nothing better to do with ones energy but to dance on that bastard's grave. She lives on in the spirit of Blair, Brown, Cameron, Osborne, Clegg and all the rest. So let's just "REJOICE AT THAT NEWS. REJOICE"!!
An artist soul sent to lead in the way they do best.
Awesome. Where's this kind of passion, anger and eloquence now? This country's going nowhere but down. What Thatcher started is still rotting this land of ours. Ours - not theirs. One thing she did well was convince us that politics was for politicians; nothing to do with us. Just ask anyone under 40. Where are our Costellos? Who will speak for us? A choice of two equally rotten parties isn't a democracy; it's a veiled dictatorship.Long life to Elvis.The grave yawns and yearns for Maggie.
This is just magnificent, he speaks for the working classes, she was a putrid abomination. I hate her so much.
I remember seeing this interview and performance, and maybe it's my imagination of the time, or modern interpretation of what's now a very different era, or maybe it's some detail lost in the encoding, but what I've remembered for 20 years is the fact that he was spitting the words out
The slightly self-concious movements of his eyes were nothing compared to the venom and the physical force that was apparent in the performance, especialy given the standards of the time
.shared this via Google+
I'm installing itunes just to buy this in the vain hopes it might chart.
that's it ! i was trying to think what the bell was i could hear...perhaps the funeral bells ringing out across the north come the day : )
I like that interviewer, like her randy newman interview from around the same time too
get intelligent, articulate people, and let them talk, not that hard is it?
great stuff all round
Savage 💥
But true....
My utter lack of concern for any suffering she may have endured is my tribute to her way of life.
And yours, were you married to her , you know married
I know what you mean , karma. If there s a n after life she wi get a telling from god
I think it was intentional. Costello´s subtle irony. Besides, Elvis loves to borrow little pieces of music, lyrics or arrangement and put them into his own work. There are lots of examples: "Take a good look at my face" is from one of Costello fave songs, TRACK OF MY TEARS, and appears on TOWN CRYER; BIG SISTER (the fast version of big sister´s clothes) has an accelerated beat copied from the bass line of UNDER MY THUMB, from rolling stones, and so on...
This Video is more Emotional that the Funeral at St. Pauls
I dedicate this song to Rush Limbaugh.
No, his song is "Thank You Very Much" from Scrooge. ua-cam.com/video/Dkq7WZTzkLQ/v-deo.html
Long time ago ....
Hope he hands his OBE back! What British Empire?
I'd have done it for nowt,just to make sure!!
I look forward to tramping the dirt down. The trouble is, Thatcher's grave will be so covered in piss that the dirt will be muddy.
why aren't there more intelligent musicians out there.
For anyone listening to Front Row on R4 tonight!
first like
@italiamia1000 The thatcher years intorduced the self centered capatalistic cancer that has ravaged our society ever since she came into power. We now live in a greed fueled society where the rich are applauded and the poor are ignored. The 1970s were troubled times but unemployment was higher under thatcher and the gap between the rich and poor dramatically widened. You may talk about the economy to measure success I prefer to use our morality and ethics which were lost in 1979
Interview with who?
Which British programme?
Ding Dong the witch is dead
Hooray, where's my spade?
Yes I take your point, in saying it was a non-event I just meant that this is not a political victory for the left. I accept that it is a political moment. And I also accept (as other commenters have pointed out) that maybe once the hangovers have worn off the solidarity of the celebration will linger on and it may lead to positive political activity and outcomes. It's always interesting to watch how the effects of chance and inevitability impact ideology.
Do I get the impression that he didn't particularly like Mrs Thatcher?
No he does nt
where did you get that idea?
Where are the Strong?
Who are the Trusted ?
Well, it's really a 1 party system at this point.
Bill Hicks on Marketing - You Tube!
the witch is dead
This song make me really angry and he deserves the Nobel prize for literature for this song (stupid prize though, it is.)
JFT96 YNWA.
her grave will become a public urinal for all time, and i grantee i will be one of the first
It´s ironic that the melody reminds us of "ISN´T SHE LOVELY?"...
Yes - a "state" funeral would be a contadiction wouldn't it!
I think it was intentional? Or do you know that and are just pointing out the irony?
birkenheads pride
If it were a non-political event Cameron would not be leading today's pantomime in Parliament, hoping for all the world to harvest some of the cheap admiration washing about in the fragments of British society that still hold tight to her kind of self-centred smugness.
Yes, Mr C, but then you accepted an OBE from them.
I take it he doesn't vote Tory.
@italiamia1000 Every capitalist country has a fair whack of state intervention (e.g. keep the population educated & fit for work) & market control (complete free market results in monopolies). The communist state may have been terrible under Stalin, but the collective decision to move to communism was after the experience Russian had under the Tsar. Same in France (e.g."Let them eat cake"). Last sentence is laughable (read Whoops by John Lanchester). You've been educated to love money, not life.
Likewise the assassination.
He didn't care much for Mrs T 😆😆
Elvis canceled his two upcoming gigs in Israel and joined the boycott.
Good fucking riddance.
There's room in the cat's litter box. Sort of...
I like Elvis but sometimes I wonder what all those protest singers in the 80's would've done for a living without Thatcher.
the great myth of liberal democracy perfectly summed up