The quality of Costello's lyrics - and the bullet speed with which he delivered them - in many ways is similar to hip-hop. But the ideas behind them are on the level of Bob Dylan and Donald Fagen (Steely Dan).
Elvis should be held in the pantheon of legends like Mozart! Absolutely phenomenal not to mention the human metronome Pete Thomas and Steve Neieve on keys! It’s a shame Bruce lost his work ethic and had to go.
@kidcharlemagne76 I don't remember how many he had, about 20 or 30 when I signed on. At first I didn't know why I clicked on it, since I don't like most analyses videos. But Fil was different, a really nice guy. And he has such an interest in music and the people that there is a reason he is so in demand.
I don't know, Fil, his accent sounds very British to my 'Murican ear. Very similar to early Joe Jackson (not surprising), also a sneer in the voice that one hears in many older British Punk bands.
Thanks so much for analyzing this suggestion of mine Fil. Such a great performance, love the "Space Invader" impression Elvis does in the mid section. The Attractions are also soo in sync as a band here. Costello has covered so many different styles of music during his lengthy career . The only other artist that has taken a similar path would be Joe Jackson. I need to search for a clip !
As a study in the sublime, almost unbearable "coolness" of a slow reggae-style song, Listen to "Watching the Detectives", followed by "Quarter of a Man" by David Lindley and El Rayo X, then "Walking on the Moon" by the police, winding up with "Dem Belly Full (but we hungry)" by Bob Marley. PS, Quarter of a Man in particular is a tour-de-force, one of my favorite songs of all time......
Elvis Costello and the Attractions ruled back in the 70s, especially for those of us who refused to jump on the Disco bandwagon. He set the tone for the 80s before the 80s even happened! Yeah I'm old. I still listen to Elvis Costello's 70s angry young dude stuff (Pump it Up, Radio Radio, I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down, Oliver's Army....must I go on?). Great video Fil! Greetings from Southern California 🌴
Love Elvis Costello. I first heard him in the 80s. Loved the way he dressed and was so interesting. Great songwriter. My boyfriend dressed up like him for Halloween one year. So funny.
One of the great song writers and has a great variety in his songs. I loved when he did his show Spectacle. A great mix of music. I also agree with your view of listen to everything. A writing teach taught us that you should read everything not just the type you will write. Mystery, Science Fiction, etc. You will learn something from it you may want to use. Happily I grew up listening to a lot of different styles of music.
EC is phenomenal. Latest album is another gem. He went from angry young man to cantankerous old sod with nothing in between. Seen him live 4 times. All different experiences and all enjoyable in their own way.
Elvis Costello now! I liked his first lp ' My Aim Is True' with Alison and Watching The Detectives. Blame it On Cain was a fun one with pointed lyrics. After that all round good album I liked various songs. 'Lip Service', 'Peace Love and Understanding.' 'Getting might crowded.' etc... Elvis is a varitable encyclopedia of Rock and Pop music. Wanting to sound like The Supremes he bought a whole stack of records to write one song. Amazing. Who else would brother? Fil I will check some of these songs out you mentioned. Chocolates. Almost blue. ( Corrected comments and sp.)
He Picked Up His Creative MOJO With KINGS OF AMERICA and the declaration of MACMANUS stepped forth (don't get me started on the falling out of the album) You cover all the great details THE OTHER SIDE OF SUMMER (spike). Elvis has always found a ways to make very interesting albums. but my favorite albums of his were with THE ATTRACTIONS - and - THE IMPOSTERS.
I once read a review of Elvis which said something to the effect that he had the BEST singing voice of all the "Literate non-singers" (IE Bob Dylan Lou Reed Leonard Cohen)...Every imperfection in his voice is made up for how he utilizes it...as you said...very unique voice indeed. I always loved when he would do his own backing vocals on many of his studio tracks...to me, they always enhanced the acidic wit in his songs.
Elvis C. has written such brilliant songs over the years and those unique vocals! I still remember buying 'My Aim is True' and being blown away by the unique sound. It did very well in Canada going Top Ten here. Was lucky enough to see him live in '80. Great live with alot of unexpected twists ! Have followed his career throughout the years. Brilliant talented guy. Thanks again Fil for a great review!😎🎼🎵🎶🍔
The reason Elvis Was banned from SNL was NBC, who hosted SNL was owned by General Electric who owned a ton of commercial radio stations and “Radio, Radio” was a rant against commercial radio with lines like “You either shut up or get cut out; they don't wanna hear about it. It's only inches on the reel-to-reel. And the radio is in the hands of such a lot of fools tryin' to anaesthetise the way that you feel”
You truly are a fantastic example of someone who shows deep appreciation for all good music - regardless of the era. I'm an American who lived in London for a few years and I remember being shocked that no one in my age group knew who the Small Faces were, or had any idea who Steve Marriott was. Dear god people, one of the greatest singers in the history of rock, pop, or R&B was from East London! Cliff Richard seems an exception, for reasons that remain elusive to me.
Fame often has nothing to do with talent or genuine achievement, as you should know. In the 1950s, Cliff and the Shadows were early influential rock n rollers in the UK though. Cliff just lost his way in terms of musical credibility after that- but he had lots of hit singles. Cliff Richard is the 1960s/1970s/1980s version of Robbie Williams, a celebrity singer who has hits written for them and that type will always be more well known.
The Attractions are fantastic....Steve and Bruce are so strong in this band. This was when Steve played mainly organ, instead of piano. "They call her Natasha when she looks like Else" hilarious. I can only imagine that the girls in Chelsea are not too happy about that line. Get Happy and Trust are my favorite albums by him, but any of the first 5 or 6 are fantastic. Painted From Memory is such a great album, also.
Phenomenal performance & fantastic analyses... That smile says so much! 😊 Love Elvis & his unique style❤️ Veronica is an amazing song, brilliant & extremely deep. I adore so much of his music. Someone else mentioned Joe Jackson, another musician I absolutely LOVE & who I thought of while watching Elvis. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I don't know why... Possibly because their careers were started around the same time. Speaking of Joe, I love his song Got The Time & Anthrax 's cover of it, lol.
My first introduction to Elvis (Costello) was hearing, "Pump It Up". So many years later, I can't stop appreciating his songwriting talents. 🙂 The fact that he's a Liverpudlian (like my favorite group) doesn't hurt. 😉 I remember when he was banned from SNL for awhile because he was supposed to sing a particular song and stopped his set to sing a different one (I think it was about radio). What daring. 😂 Thanks for this, Fil. 🙂 Edited: I wrote this before I saw your whole video, so sorry for the redundancy. 🙃
Cool, I always liked his voice, his look, and his band's sound with the keyboard thing but his only song my friends and I ever really liked was Peace, Love and..which he didnt write, I know. Too bad he didnt do Is She Really Going Out with Him!
One song isn't enough - that'd be his best but it is still lightweight fluff that becomes irritating quickly with repeated play. Correction - Alison would be his best in my books.
I was stunned by him.....loved him.....named my firstborn Alison.....because of his song....and he can sing a Country Western song like he was born in the South.....still love him..
Elvis Costello was my music hero. He is no doubt the godfather of British New Wave. No one sounded like him, and his song writing was incredible. The attractions were a great band. Elvis made it cool to look like a dork with attitude who made music, Harold Lloyd glasses etc. My buds and I in high school were kinda punk dorks, so took to Costello immediately. His first 3 albums are masterpieces.
Such great talent came out of that Brit punk / new wave scene period. Elvis Costello. Ian Dury. Joe Strummer. Paul Weller. Wilko Johnson. Lee Brilleaux. The list is endless.
Yep, good choice . I tell you what, he was menacingly edgey at the time . Watching The Detectives disturbed me when I first heard it / saw it on Top of the Pops . But I really liked it !! Never saw him live . Oliver's Army ... ' London is full of Arabs ' 🎶😃 . You Fil are an advocate of the whole archive of music . I am the same . For me , my trawler nets are flung way out there . Down the decades. I even love Noel Coward. Rock !! Let's misbehave . ☎️🍒🍒🍒🎙🎶🎶🎶
We need to start a GoFundMe or similar campaign to get Fil over to the United States for a couple weeks. East Coast would be a good start. Think how many clubs would welcome him for an open mic night as well as various forums to meet and greet and answer questions. With 90k subscribers certainly someone in the Atlanta area knows Rick Beato and could get the two linked up for an extended chat and video. Others definitely know some cool venues and radio stations that would welcome him. Think of the cost of taking She Who Must be Obeyed and any family members to a concert these days. It is really expensive. Yet for a fraction of that cost one could contribute and help get Fil on a speaking tour here. Anyone agree? If so, I would be happy to be among the first contributors as would a number of my friends from the 80's who like the sound of that decade that Fil is preserving in his own writing/performing.
Neal: somebody is a Rumpole fan! The reference might not have been obvious to most folk on this side of the pond; but my mom had a "She Who Must Be Obeyed" shirt that we had gotten her.....
Brilliant analysis once again Wings of Pegasus! I loved Elvis Costello during his "Angry Young Man"/"New Wave" phase (1977-1979). His albums, "My aim is true", "This Years Model" and "Armed Forces " cannot be topped in my opinion. I have listened to all his other albums over the years, but nothing compares to his first 3. I appreciate the fact that he became eclectic, but those early records have something very special about them. In my mind, they capture his true essence. The lyrics, the melodies and the attitude were very unique. I feel that a lot of his other work sounds forced where he is trying to incorporate earlier British and American musical styles in order to appear credible and relevant as a songwriter. Instead of being the voice of my generation, he became what I would call "old people's music". There is no doubt that lot of his later material is musically very sophisticated, but I feel that his musical delivery became very contrived, especially his habit of deliberately singing "behind the beat" and the over-affected vibrato in his voice. I preferred his puns, acerbic wit, wordplay and natural style of singing on those early records. You could hear the anger and sarcasm in his voice and you knew he meant it. I think that true fans would know exactly what I mean. Keep up the great work man. I love your channel!
The other side of summer- “Was it a millionaire who said "imagine no possessions"? A poor little schoolboy who said "we don't need no lessons"?” So much wicked lyrical genius!
Fil, Patti Smith then The Cars, now Elvis Costello After Neil Diamond and a little after Van Morrison. Quite eclectic. Good for your kind of show. Mission statement- 'Ill listen to any semi good to great performance of a great artist.
More great late 70s memories. Great choice and analysis, Fil. Keep 'em coming! Joe Jackson would be a great choice. Joe Strummer, too. Someone named Joe! Or, Hey Joe by Jimi...
His early sound with the Attractions was like stepping into a time machine visiting a place vague and familiar somewhere near the cusp of pre-psychedelia...strange and distant, yet recognizable with certain forgotten elements. It was cheery and staggering from measure to measure, bar to bar...
*Ok, this is going to sound strange but, please trust me. Check out Buffy ST. Marie singing Cripple Creek on Sesame Street almost acapella, with the exception of a small homemade instrument.* Or if not that one, something by her please.
I appreciate you analyzing this song because for some reason I missed it back when, Elvis Costello along with the whole band are just flat-out wonderful.
Great analysis, as always. Pete Thomas, when learning Elvis's songs, would ask for the lyrics. His drumming cleverly complements the vocal lines. Elvis's work with the Brodsky Quartet deserves mention - he worked with them longer than the Attractions.
What a great band! These complicated arrangements in jazz or rock, can go off the rails really quickly if the bass or drummer aren't "spot on" as you always say. Really top notch live performance. BTW, he also managed to get the beautiful and talented jazz singer and pianist Diana Krall to marry him! Now that's talent.
Thanks Fil!!...I love Elvis Costello! Veronica and Everyday I Write The Book are the hits I remember as a child of MTV! I know he's married to Diana Krall who is a fabulous musician/vocalist! I went back on a little Trek into his early years, so much about his career I didn't know....✌❤🤘
Here in the States, Costello's 1st LP record initially did not included "Watching the Detectives", it was only found on the British record release (or maybe as a B-side on one of the 45rpm singles, "Allison" perhaps? Can't quite remember....). Which was frustrating; I remember hearing "Watching the Detectives" on the radio at some point but you couldn't easily buy it.
good 'un 👍 Back then in 78’ I just got the 45 single for “Allison”... not totally sure if that was his first US single. Later in the 90s I got the Reissued CD of ‘My Aim Is True’ with the country songs that they wouldn’t let him release back in the 70s...
ARMED FORCES - 1979 .... amazing album with so many great and quick songs... exceedingly SHAKESPEARE in his own ways. The first album was the band CLOVER (I think) and then THIS YEARS MODEL - 1978 which was claustrophobic raging intensity (please make sure you listen to ALL the songs that never originally made it to the album that it was recorded for. There might be something like (25) some odd songs over the first four albums that show other facets of the PROGRESSIVE album PUNK style....one of my FOUR FAVORITE male artists (singers songwriters) I saw the RADIO RADIO live experience...IMPERIAL BEDROOM (1982) as an amazing album. GEOF EMERICK may have engineered but NICK LOWE produced (stiff records) his first three or four albums.
I meant Cole Porter . But you get where I am coming from . I love Let's Misbehave . It is almost as thrilling as hearing the intro to The Sex Pistols .. Pretty Vacant . Or any thing else by the Pistols. God save the queen! Maybe I have had past lives . 🤔🤣🍸🧞♂️🧞♂️🧞♂️🧝♂️🎸Every ers has its naughty ground breaking sounds.
Many thanks for so much info, you mentioned Linda Ronstadt and David Letterman , he had Linda Emmylou and Dolly on his show singing Neil Young’s After The Goldrush, from their Trio ll album, Dennis James was playing a Glass Armonica designed by Benjamin Franklin when here at Cambridge , he got Marianne Davies to play it, later he went to Paris with Marianne, she taught Marie Antoinette to play the Glass Armonica, Elvis once said Love Hurts by Gram Parsons and Emmylou was one of the best duets ever, he got to sing it with Emmy at The Grand Ole Opry, 2005/6, Gram passed away 36 years ago yesterday , Elvis was pictured with MOLLY TUTTLE this week, he gets everywhere 🎸🎸🎸
6:24 His singing accent reminds me of the fake blend of Brooklyn, Bronx, and northern New Jersey accents that the perpetrators always used on 1970s American detective shows like Canon, Barnaby Jones, Starsky & Hutch, etc. The use of that type of accent was a bit odd, since most of those shows were set in LA, but the writers and producers must have grown up in NYC and just thought of that as "the bad guy accent".
Elvis is a great songwriter, thanks for covering him. OMG I've just come across an incredible talent. Check out Tash Sultana, I guarantee you will love this performance. ua-cam.com/video/joq114XAPM8/v-deo.html
Elvis Costello is far more than the British Dylan ... he could spit lyrics like a hip-hop star, but they had the sly sophistication of Donald Fagen (Steely Dan). I saw him live in New York around 1980 for a 90-minute show. They took no breaks, it was intense. It shortchanged him to lump him in with the other "new wave" artists as "punk". By 1982, he became even more artistic.
It would have been nice if Elvis’ collaboration with Brian Eno had been mentioned (“My Dark Life,” off of the “Songs in the Key of X” album). It has seemed clear for decades that anything that includes Eno is going to be interesting, whether you like it or not. Apart from all of its technical details, “My Dark Life” has an unsettling mood that I don’t know how to put into words, though Elvis’ deadpan vocal delivery is definitely a major part of the song’s impact.
Fire! Indeed, one *is* unique by default by simply doing what comes naturally to them. An artist friend of mine made the very same point many years ago, which I have always remembered. New wave musicians tended to be very underrated due to their admirable aversion to ass-wanking, and these guys were certainly among the best, and could go toe-to-toe with any band in any genre at this time. And Elvis himself has kept getting better and better as a guitarist and even keyboard player (see Roy Orbison's Black and White Night).
I'm not sure Bruce Thomas is simplifying the bassline he's playing in unison with the keyboard. If he is it would be for creative reasons rather than technical constraints; he's a pretty nifty player (check out "Lipstick Vogue" or "B Movie").
An original. Talented and intelligent. In the 1980s he recorded a wonderful aural riot called The Other Side of Summer which should have been a monster hit. Watching this makes me wish I'd heard him and The Attractions live in the 70s/80s.
New subscriber and glad to be here. 58 year old singer songwriter from Miles City Montana. I've stumbled across your videos from time to time, and always dug your positive outlook. So tonight I'm watching one of your tracks and hit the sub button, I was so happy to find you had a search engine! I typed in my guy Elvis and had about the best 20 mins I had in a while.....sometimes you rivet heads get it right!
13:00 I got the impression that the people at SNL were pressuring him to play "Less Than Zero", a song about Oswald Mosley, an English neo-n-z leader, because it had been his latest single at the time. But he hated the idea of doing the song for an American audience, since they would have had no idea who Mosley was and would be led to all sorts of false assumptions involving Lee Harvey Oswald, to whom the song was totally unrelated. I can see how he felt; he would have been facing all kinds of stupid questions about the song for years.
I watch and comment a lot on your channel and being an old old school punk rock an roller I've appreciated Elvis Costello for at least being ahead of the curve for new music (so to speak) in the 70's. Once again great research and back story. Big fan of you both. Keep on doing your videos.
Another unique performer! I remember seeing him on SNL years ago. Great analysis! Have you ever done one on The Talking Heads? ua-cam.com/video/TGofoH9RDEA/v-deo.html
I meant to say era . Fil , it is so good you are out there doing this. You are bringing all sorts of people and music styles together . As Cole Porter said ...Anything Goes . 🎙🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🍸🍸🤣
Ahh the new wave! Any chance of a Joe Jackson analysis while you're doing the awsome UK bands of the late 70s? What a band that was: ua-cam.com/video/el66jnuItYc/v-deo.html
I am glad he made it in the US ,he seems to be a right good guy along with his music that really did great here..He was never negative or political ..I think he was being lumped in with the Punk Rockers at first and it did not fit his image ...Elvis Presley died about the same time he was getting noticed and that name just caught a lot of attention ..It timed just right for him.
Allison Young Buddy Holly fans, I wonder if Elvis' father went to a Buddy Holly concert or two, along with Elvis....probably, that's cool. Both Elvis' rock.
Darla Tidwell Elvis was only 4 1/2 when Buddy died in February of 1959, and only like 3 during (what I believe was) his only tour of the UK, so I’m pretty sure he never saw him live. Because Holly died so early in his musical career, not many people could say the saw him.
We can automatically see how much you love this song Fil🤙
Can't wipe the smile off your face 👌
our Fil has that smile on his dial every song he covers...yep, he's into his music alrighty...real good ..
is this the first video you watched? every video is like that
His passion is so genuine and sort of , obvious. 🎵
I saw Squeeze open for Elvis Costello. Elvis was very good but Squeeze was exceptionally great.
"Pulling mussels" my fave from them. 👍
@Ann It really war. I went in not ever even hearing Squeeze. Came out a fan for life.
Squeeze...love their song "Tempted"
Wow great show!
NuclearGrizzly jealous!
Hi Fil. So glad you featured Elvis Costello. Another really skilled and clever songwriter. So many dimensions to this first-rate musician ~ Thanks.
seen EC and the attractions 1978 nyc, wow what a band live. thanks Fil.
The quality of Costello's lyrics - and the bullet speed with which he delivered them - in many ways is similar to hip-hop. But the ideas behind them are on the level of Bob Dylan and Donald Fagen (Steely Dan).
Little Hands of Concrete. What a brilliant writer and singer.
Elvis should be held in the pantheon of legends like Mozart! Absolutely phenomenal not to mention the human metronome Pete Thomas and Steve Neieve on keys! It’s a shame Bruce lost his work ethic and had to go.
Elvis is one of the greatest song writers/arrangers and brilliant minds in rock and roll. And his band members have always been top notch.
Elvis C. and Bruce S. are my 2 favorite song writers.
Congrats on 90K subs❣️ You will be at 100 in no time. Thanks, Fil, for this analysis on Elvis. He is so unique and in a league of his own!
@kidcharlemagne76 I don't remember how many he had, about 20 or 30 when I signed on. At first I didn't know why I clicked on it, since I don't like most analyses videos. But Fil was different, a really nice guy. And he has such an interest in music and the people that there is a reason he is so in demand.
@@christophersmith2544 He is doing a great service to music too, the aesthetics of it all, what makes a song/artist great. SO sorely needed now!
Thanks!
kidcharlemagne76 , have a listen to Amy Speace “ The Ghost of Charlemagne “ she war here in u k at the Long Road Festival recently
@@christophersmith2544 Exactly, very eloquent in so few words. I tend to drone on!! LOL. If you feel something, then it worked!!!
Please analyze Squeeze and the amazing guitar playing of Glenn Tilbrook.
Pulling Muscles from a Shell
Black Coffee in Bed.
@@johnm3152 Squeezes best.
Gifford & Tilbrook, the two most underrated songwriters, possibly of all time.
Oh yes! Cool for Cats!
There should be a channel that just delves into Elvis's lyrics. The man is a master wordsmith and quite dark.
Bravo. Excellent analysis as per usual.
Elvis and the Attractions are so underrated. Just an amazing band backing one of the greatest songwriters of all-time!
YEAHHHHHH Elvis Costello!! Now you're talking Fil !!! 👍👍👍👍
I don't know, Fil, his accent sounds very British to my 'Murican ear. Very similar to early Joe Jackson (not surprising), also a sneer in the voice that one hears in many older British Punk bands.
👌👌👌👌🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧90k subscribers! You have to be so proud!!!!
It's cool!
Thanks so much for analyzing this suggestion of mine Fil. Such a great performance, love the "Space Invader" impression Elvis does in the mid section. The Attractions are also soo in sync as a band here.
Costello has covered so many different styles of music during his lengthy career . The only other artist that has taken a similar path would be Joe Jackson. I need to search for a clip !
Very cool. Watching The Detectives and Allison, him playing a Jazzmaster, one of my all time fave axes as a kid.
As a study in the sublime, almost unbearable "coolness" of a slow reggae-style song, Listen to "Watching the Detectives", followed by "Quarter of a Man" by David Lindley and El Rayo X, then "Walking on the Moon" by the police, winding up with "Dem Belly Full (but we hungry)" by Bob Marley. PS, Quarter of a Man in particular is a tour-de-force, one of my favorite songs of all time......
Elvis Costello and the Attractions ruled back in the 70s, especially for those of us who refused to jump on the Disco bandwagon. He set the tone for the 80s before the 80s even happened! Yeah I'm old. I still listen to Elvis Costello's 70s angry young dude stuff (Pump it Up, Radio Radio, I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down, Oliver's Army....must I go on?). Great video Fil! Greetings from Southern California 🌴
Love Elvis Costello. I first heard him in the 80s. Loved the way he dressed and was so interesting. Great songwriter. My boyfriend dressed up like him for Halloween one year. So funny.
One of the great song writers and has a great variety in his songs.
I loved when he did his show Spectacle. A great mix of music.
I also agree with your view of listen to everything. A writing teach taught us that you should read everything not just the type you will write. Mystery, Science Fiction, etc. You will learn something from it you may want to use. Happily I grew up listening to a lot of different styles of music.
EC is phenomenal. Latest album is another gem. He went from angry young man to cantankerous old sod with nothing in between. Seen him live 4 times. All different experiences and all enjoyable in their own way.
Love Elvis!
Elvis Costello now! I liked his first lp ' My Aim Is True' with Alison and Watching The Detectives. Blame it On Cain was a fun one with pointed lyrics. After that all round good album I liked various songs. 'Lip Service', 'Peace Love and Understanding.' 'Getting might crowded.' etc... Elvis is a varitable encyclopedia of Rock and Pop music. Wanting to sound like The Supremes he bought a whole stack of records to write one song. Amazing. Who else would brother? Fil I will check some of these songs out you mentioned. Chocolates. Almost blue. ( Corrected comments and sp.)
Elvis Costello was the first concert I went to alone (Armed Forces1979.)
He Picked Up His Creative MOJO With KINGS OF AMERICA and the declaration of MACMANUS stepped forth (don't get me started on the falling out of the album) You cover all the great details THE OTHER SIDE OF SUMMER (spike). Elvis has always found a ways to make very interesting albums. but my favorite albums of his were with THE ATTRACTIONS - and - THE IMPOSTERS.
I once read a review of Elvis which said something to the effect that he had the BEST singing voice of all the "Literate non-singers" (IE Bob Dylan Lou Reed Leonard Cohen)...Every imperfection in his voice is made up for how he utilizes it...as you said...very unique voice indeed. I always loved when he would do his own backing vocals on many of his studio tracks...to me, they always enhanced the acidic wit in his songs.
Great point. His vocal overdubbing is cool on many of his songs
Elvis C. has written such brilliant songs over the years and those unique vocals! I still remember buying 'My Aim is True' and being blown away by the unique sound. It did very well in Canada going Top Ten here. Was lucky enough to see him live in '80. Great live with alot of unexpected twists ! Have followed his career throughout the years. Brilliant talented guy. Thanks again Fil for a great review!😎🎼🎵🎶🍔
He's just so cool great guitar player great singer a real icon he made wearing glasses cool as well
Take a look at a at John Martyn I don't think anyone could copy him what a player he was
The reason Elvis Was banned from SNL was NBC, who hosted SNL was owned by General Electric who owned a ton of commercial radio stations and “Radio, Radio” was a rant against commercial radio with lines like “You either shut up or get cut out;
they don't wanna hear about it.
It's only inches on the reel-to-reel.
And the radio is in the hands of such a lot of fools
tryin' to anaesthetise the way that you feel”
Ann, nah. It was definitely flipping the metaphorical bird at one of General Electric’s moneymakers, commercial radio.
Thank you Fil you analyze Elvis Costello was perfect. Of course I did learn a lot. 🤟
You truly are a fantastic example of someone who shows deep appreciation for all good music - regardless of the era. I'm an American who lived in London for a few years and I remember being shocked that no one in my age group knew who the Small Faces were, or had any idea who Steve Marriott was. Dear god people, one of the greatest singers in the history of rock, pop, or R&B was from East London! Cliff Richard seems an exception, for reasons that remain elusive to me.
Fame often has nothing to do with talent or genuine achievement, as you should know.
In the 1950s, Cliff and the Shadows were early influential rock n rollers in the UK though. Cliff just lost his way in terms of musical credibility after that- but he had lots of hit singles.
Cliff Richard is the 1960s/1970s/1980s version of Robbie Williams, a celebrity singer who has hits written for them and that type will always be more well known.
Confession, my brother loved Elvis Costello’s music so much we spread some of his ashes at an Elvis concert in Asbury Park, NJ.
The Attractions are fantastic....Steve and Bruce are so strong in this band. This was when Steve played mainly organ, instead of piano. "They call her Natasha when she looks like Else" hilarious. I can only imagine that the girls in Chelsea are not too happy about that line. Get Happy and Trust are my favorite albums by him, but any of the first 5 or 6 are fantastic. Painted From Memory is such a great album, also.
Phenomenal performance & fantastic analyses... That smile says so much! 😊
Love Elvis & his unique style❤️ Veronica is an amazing song, brilliant & extremely deep.
I adore so much of his music.
Someone else mentioned Joe Jackson, another musician I absolutely LOVE & who I thought of while watching Elvis. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I don't know why... Possibly because their careers were started around the same time.
Speaking of Joe, I love his song Got The Time & Anthrax 's cover of it, lol.
one more note into disco's demise, Great one Fil, 120, 000 subs by 2020, Jeff in LA USA
Haha I don't think so, that's only a few months away! Maybe by the end of 2020!
My first introduction to Elvis (Costello) was hearing, "Pump It Up". So many years later, I can't stop appreciating his songwriting talents. 🙂 The fact that he's a Liverpudlian (like my favorite group) doesn't hurt. 😉 I remember when he was banned from SNL for awhile because he was supposed to sing a particular song and stopped his set to sing a different one (I think it was about radio). What daring. 😂 Thanks for this, Fil. 🙂 Edited: I wrote this before I saw your whole video, so sorry for the redundancy. 🙃
Cool, I always liked his voice, his look, and his band's sound with the keyboard thing but his only song my friends and I ever really liked was Peace, Love and..which he didnt write, I know. Too bad he didnt do Is She Really Going Out with Him!
Every day I write the book..understated coolness is Elvis Costello..thanks Fil.
One song isn't enough - that'd be his best but it is still lightweight fluff that becomes irritating quickly with repeated play. Correction - Alison would be his best in my books.
@@annemickelson2621 Agreed! ( came along at the perfect time 2 be sung 2 in my early college yrs! Yeah, sometimes it worked!😜
Mark Evrard One of my fun favs from him...😀
I read that EDIWtB was a response song to John Hyatt’s “Book Lovers”. So there’s another level to the “fluff” of the song.
His collaboration with Burt Bacharach was also amazing!
I was stunned by him.....loved him.....named my firstborn Alison.....because of his song....and he can sing a Country Western song like he was born in the South.....still love him..
I also like Elvis's later work as guitarist and vocals for Diana Krall, his wife. He does Jazz well.
And, Elvis Costello had a
heart for the late Chet Baker, Jazz legend! What
a guy.
Elvis Costello was my music hero. He is no doubt the godfather of British New Wave. No one sounded like him, and his song writing was incredible. The attractions were a great band. Elvis made it cool to look like a dork with attitude who made music, Harold Lloyd glasses etc. My buds and I in high school were kinda punk dorks, so took to Costello immediately. His first 3 albums are masterpieces.
Songwriting, arrangement, and production: Elvis is, in many ways, deserving of the Jimmy Page Award For Musical Entirety.
Such great talent came out of that Brit punk / new wave scene period.
Elvis Costello.
Ian Dury.
Joe Strummer.
Paul Weller.
Wilko Johnson.
Lee Brilleaux.
The list is endless.
Joe Jackson.
GRAHAM F'N PARKER The " Best kept secret in the west ! "
Oh, you did do a Declan MacManus analysis!
Yep, good choice . I tell you what, he was menacingly edgey at the time . Watching The Detectives disturbed me when I first heard it / saw it on Top of the Pops . But I really liked it !! Never saw him live .
Oliver's Army ... ' London is full of Arabs ' 🎶😃 . You Fil are an advocate of the whole archive of music . I am the same . For me , my trawler nets are flung way out there . Down the decades. I even love Noel Coward. Rock !! Let's misbehave . ☎️🍒🍒🍒🎙🎶🎶🎶
We need to start a GoFundMe or similar campaign to get Fil over to the United States for a couple weeks. East Coast would be a good start. Think how many clubs would welcome him for an open mic night as well as various forums to meet and greet and answer questions.
With 90k subscribers certainly someone in the Atlanta area knows Rick Beato and could get the two linked up for an extended chat and video. Others definitely know some cool venues and radio stations that would welcome him.
Think of the cost of taking She Who Must be Obeyed and any family members to a concert these days. It is really expensive. Yet for a fraction of that cost one could contribute and help get Fil on a speaking tour here.
Anyone agree? If so, I would be happy to be among the first contributors as would a number of my friends from the 80's who like the sound of that decade that Fil is preserving in his own writing/performing.
Neal: somebody is a Rumpole fan! The reference might not have been obvious to most folk on this side of the pond; but my mom had a "She Who Must Be Obeyed" shirt that we had gotten her.....
@@goodun2974 Good catch as that's it indeed! From Rumpole. A perfectly fitting term I have learned 😂
Thanks Neal! I do have a Patreon page which is helping me a lot, it's www.patreon.com/wingsofpegasus ☺
Brilliant analysis once again Wings of Pegasus! I loved Elvis Costello during his "Angry Young Man"/"New Wave" phase (1977-1979). His albums, "My aim is true", "This Years Model" and "Armed Forces " cannot be topped in my opinion. I have listened to all his other albums over the years, but nothing compares to his first 3. I appreciate the fact that he became eclectic, but those early records have something very special about them. In my mind, they capture his true essence. The lyrics, the melodies and the attitude were very unique. I feel that a lot of his other work sounds forced where he is trying to incorporate earlier British and American musical styles in order to appear credible and relevant as a songwriter. Instead of being the voice of my generation, he became what I would call "old people's music". There is no doubt that lot of his later material is musically very sophisticated, but I feel that his musical delivery became very contrived, especially his habit of deliberately singing "behind the beat" and the over-affected vibrato in his voice. I preferred his puns, acerbic wit, wordplay and natural style of singing on those early records. You could hear the anger and sarcasm in his voice and you knew he meant it. I think that true fans would know exactly what I mean. Keep up the great work man. I love your channel!
Thanks!
Loved his ("What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding".
Elvis's version of that Nick Lowe song is the best!
@@barbarazeee490 Truth
It’s on my top 10 all time list of pop/rock music songs.
Elvis Costello another singer/writer. He was a poet. 😎😎💖Great band.🤣 Loved Elvis.he was no dummy.😎
Another Liverpudlian made good. Loved his early stuff (King of America album).
The other side of summer- “Was it a millionaire who said "imagine no possessions"?
A poor little schoolboy who said "we don't need no lessons"?”
So much wicked lyrical genius!
This and so many others...pure genius
Elvis is great, reminds me of Graham Parker. Could you do Dave Mason.?
Fil, Patti Smith then The Cars, now Elvis Costello After Neil Diamond and a little after Van Morrison. Quite eclectic. Good for your kind of show. Mission statement- 'Ill listen to any semi good to great performance of a great artist.
Thanks for showcasing Elvis. You're on your way to getting a silver play button from youtube 🧤
More great late 70s memories. Great choice and analysis, Fil. Keep 'em coming! Joe Jackson would be a great choice. Joe Strummer, too. Someone named Joe! Or, Hey Joe by Jimi...
There was a live CD of performances he did with just his keyboard player. There were 5 CDs in it recorded in 5 different cities.
His early sound with the Attractions was like stepping into a time machine visiting a place vague and familiar somewhere near the cusp of pre-psychedelia...strange and distant, yet recognizable with certain forgotten elements. It was cheery and staggering from measure to measure, bar to bar...
*Ok, this is going to sound strange but, please trust me. Check out Buffy ST. Marie singing Cripple Creek on Sesame Street almost acapella, with the exception of a small homemade instrument.* Or if not that one, something by her please.
I appreciate you analyzing this song because for some reason I missed it back when, Elvis Costello along with the whole band are just flat-out wonderful.
Great analysis, as always. Pete Thomas, when learning Elvis's songs, would ask for the lyrics. His drumming cleverly complements the vocal lines. Elvis's work with the Brodsky Quartet deserves mention - he worked with them longer than the Attractions.
What a great band! These complicated arrangements in jazz or rock, can go off the rails really quickly if the bass or drummer aren't "spot on" as you always say. Really top notch live performance. BTW, he also managed to get the beautiful and talented jazz singer and pianist Diana Krall to marry him! Now that's talent.
I don't want to wear a 1978 suit in a room that hot.
Thanks Fil!!...I love Elvis Costello! Veronica and Everyday I Write The Book are the hits I remember as a child of MTV! I know he's married to Diana Krall who is a fabulous musician/vocalist! I went back on a little Trek into his early years, so much about his career I didn't know....✌❤🤘
I remember buying his first record back in the day...
Here in the States, Costello's 1st LP record initially did not included "Watching the Detectives", it was only found on the British record release (or maybe as a B-side on one of the 45rpm singles, "Allison" perhaps? Can't quite remember....). Which was frustrating; I remember hearing "Watching the Detectives" on the radio at some point but you couldn't easily buy it.
good 'un 👍 Back then in 78’ I just got the 45 single for “Allison”... not totally sure if that was his first US single. Later in the 90s I got the Reissued CD of ‘My Aim Is True’ with the country songs that they wouldn’t let him release back in the 70s...
ARMED FORCES - 1979 .... amazing album with so many great and quick songs... exceedingly SHAKESPEARE in his own ways. The first album was the band CLOVER (I think) and then THIS YEARS MODEL - 1978 which was claustrophobic raging intensity (please make sure you listen to ALL the songs that never originally made it to the album that it was recorded for. There might be something like (25) some odd songs over the first four albums that show other facets of the PROGRESSIVE album PUNK style....one of my FOUR FAVORITE male artists (singers songwriters) I saw the RADIO RADIO live experience...IMPERIAL BEDROOM (1982) as an amazing album. GEOF EMERICK may have engineered but NICK LOWE produced (stiff records) his first three or four albums.
Wow, what an analysis!! That was crazy informative, amazing. You're so dreamy, Fil 😍
The one person that reminds me of Elvis Costello is Anthony Kiedis from Red Hot Chilli Peppers
I meant Cole Porter . But you get where I am coming from . I love Let's Misbehave . It is almost as thrilling as hearing the intro to The Sex Pistols .. Pretty Vacant . Or any thing else by the Pistols. God save the queen! Maybe I have had past lives . 🤔🤣🍸🧞♂️🧞♂️🧞♂️🧝♂️🎸Every ers has its naughty ground breaking sounds.
Many thanks for so much info, you mentioned Linda Ronstadt and David Letterman , he had Linda Emmylou and Dolly on his show singing Neil Young’s After The Goldrush, from their Trio ll album, Dennis James was playing a Glass Armonica designed by Benjamin Franklin when here at Cambridge , he got Marianne Davies to play it, later he went to Paris with Marianne, she taught Marie Antoinette to play the Glass Armonica, Elvis once said Love Hurts by Gram Parsons and Emmylou was one of the best duets ever, he got to sing it with Emmy at The Grand Ole Opry, 2005/6, Gram passed away 36 years ago yesterday , Elvis was pictured with MOLLY TUTTLE this week, he gets everywhere 🎸🎸🎸
How about an analysis on Lyle Lovett.
6:24 His singing accent reminds me of the fake blend of Brooklyn, Bronx, and northern New Jersey accents that the perpetrators always used on 1970s American detective shows like Canon, Barnaby Jones, Starsky & Hutch, etc. The use of that type of accent was a bit odd, since most of those shows were set in LA, but the writers and producers must have grown up in NYC and just thought of that as "the bad guy accent".
Elvis is a great songwriter, thanks for covering him. OMG I've just come across an incredible talent. Check out Tash Sultana, I guarantee you will love this performance.
ua-cam.com/video/joq114XAPM8/v-deo.html
Elvis Costello is far more than the British Dylan ... he could spit lyrics like a hip-hop star, but they had the sly sophistication of Donald Fagen (Steely Dan). I saw him live in New York around 1980 for a 90-minute show. They took no breaks, it was intense. It shortchanged him to lump him in with the other "new wave" artists as "punk". By 1982, he became even more artistic.
Hi Fil....addicted to your channel....very informative analysis! Check out Roy Harpers video “One Man Rock and Roll Band”
It would have been nice if Elvis’ collaboration with Brian Eno had been mentioned (“My Dark Life,” off of the “Songs in the Key of X” album). It has seemed clear for decades that anything that includes Eno is going to be interesting, whether you like it or not. Apart from all of its technical details, “My Dark Life” has an unsettling mood that I don’t know how to put into words, though Elvis’ deadpan vocal delivery is definitely a major part of the song’s impact.
Fire! Indeed, one *is* unique by default by simply doing what comes naturally to them. An artist friend of mine made the very same point many years ago, which I have always remembered. New wave musicians tended to be very underrated due to their admirable aversion to ass-wanking, and these guys were certainly among the best, and could go toe-to-toe with any band in any genre at this time. And Elvis himself has kept getting better and better as a guitarist and even keyboard player (see Roy Orbison's Black and White Night).
Brutal Youth in 1994 was one of his best records. Between that, Imperial Bedroom, and Armed Forces are his top 3.. IMO.
Excellent, but you've neglected to credit Imposture bassman and vocalist, Davey Faragher.
I'm not sure Bruce Thomas is simplifying the bassline he's playing in unison with the keyboard. If he is it would be for creative reasons rather than technical constraints; he's a pretty nifty player (check out "Lipstick Vogue" or "B Movie").
An original. Talented and intelligent. In the 1980s he recorded a wonderful aural riot called The Other Side of Summer which should have been a monster hit. Watching this makes me wish I'd heard him and The Attractions live in the 70s/80s.
New subscriber and glad to be here. 58 year old singer songwriter from Miles City Montana. I've stumbled across your videos from time to time, and always dug your positive outlook. So tonight I'm watching one of your tracks and hit the sub button, I was so happy to find you had a search engine! I typed in my guy Elvis and had about the best 20 mins I had in a while.....sometimes you rivet heads get it right!
"Alison" from his debut album is one of my favorite songs of all time. What a talented song writer.
13:00 I got the impression that the people at SNL were pressuring him to play "Less Than Zero", a song about Oswald Mosley, an English neo-n-z leader, because it had been his latest single at the time. But he hated the idea of doing the song for an American audience, since they would have had no idea who Mosley was and would be led to all sorts of false assumptions involving Lee Harvey Oswald, to whom the song was totally unrelated. I can see how he felt; he would have been facing all kinds of stupid questions about the song for years.
Elvis C is so cool he got Diane Krall. Now she would be a great analysis to cover and she does have a great guitarist.
😎👍🏾🎶🔥♥️🔥🎶
Brutal Youth. Ftw.
I watch and comment a lot on your channel and being an old old school punk rock an roller I've appreciated Elvis Costello for at least being ahead of the curve for new music (so to speak) in the 70's. Once again great research and back story. Big fan of you both. Keep on doing your videos.
Way cool Fil, seen EC and the attractions in 78 nyc palladium. always thought british bands were so tight. great songs and a maximum volume, cheers.
Another unique performer! I remember seeing him on SNL years ago. Great analysis! Have you ever done one on The Talking Heads? ua-cam.com/video/TGofoH9RDEA/v-deo.html
STIFF Records! I have a t-shirt of theirs. Their motto was "If it ain't STIFF it ain't worth a fU^k" .
My mother didn't like that shirt. lol
I was just about to request Elvis and I found this video!! My all time favorite artist!! Thank you for doing Elvis!!
Loved Elvis Costello back in the day..still do! I like his later stuff too..but nothing better than cranking up "pump it up" !
That's funny. I used to say Elvis Costello has an Elvis Costello accent. I'd forgotten.
I meant to say era . Fil , it is so good you are out there doing this. You are bringing all sorts of people and music styles together . As Cole Porter said ...Anything Goes . 🎙🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🍸🍸🤣
Ahh the new wave! Any chance of a Joe Jackson analysis while you're doing the awsome UK bands of the late 70s? What a band that was: ua-cam.com/video/el66jnuItYc/v-deo.html
I am glad he made it in the US ,he seems to be a right good guy along with his music that really did great here..He was never negative or political ..I think he was being lumped in with the Punk Rockers at first and it did not fit his image ...Elvis Presley died about the same time he was getting noticed and that name just caught a lot of attention ..It timed just right for him.
One thing my ex could do was pick out music I would love. He brought me an Elvis C and Robert Gordon album. (The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes!)
Wow Elvis Costello. It's been awhile since I've heard this. (He looks like a computer guy. ) Thanks again Fil and once again great job!
His dad was a musician who also sported this Buddy Holly look✌
Allison Young Buddy Holly fans, I wonder if Elvis' father went to a Buddy Holly concert or two, along with Elvis....probably, that's cool. Both Elvis' rock.
Darla Tidwell Elvis was only 4 1/2 when Buddy died in February of 1959, and only like 3 during (what I believe was) his only tour of the UK, so I’m pretty sure he never saw him live. Because Holly died so early in his musical career, not many people could say the saw him.
Darla Tidwell When Elvis’ dad gave concerts, I’m sure Elvis got to see some of them.
I said a Buddy Holly concert or two along with Elvis Presley. I did not say he took Elvis to concerts.