Elvis Costello Fan Forum

Is it just me, or does this song remind you a little of "The Sharpest Thorn"?

Happy Birthday to Elvis, and Jeff Tweedy (Wilco) !!! I just found out that 2 of my favorite artists shared a birthday. The stange part is that I put on, to celebrate his birthday, an Elvis compilation CD I made; and then randomly put on a Wilco compilation CD of mine, not knowing until a few minutes...

All this Useless Beauty has such an "end-of-an-era" feeling, it hard not to treat it as such.
It was definety the end of The Attractions.
And, of course Elvis was threatening retirement (which he now does after every album it seems)

Off the top of my head, I'd choose "All This Useless Beauty"

A couple of my favorite, more poetic lines:

"Well you seem to be shivering dear, and the room is awfully warm.
In the white and scarlet billows that subside beyond the storm"

"Would our kids grow stubborn or grow strong.
Would their limbs bronze insult to the sun"

Maybe he'll release an album as one, continuous track, like Paul Westerberg did with "49:00". But, now that I have a decent turntable, I wouldn't mind if he just released on vinyl and download - no CD. Or, if he does release a CD, have it high resolution (24-bit) - SACD or "Code".

Am I the only one, or does "Secret, Profane, and Sugarcane" remind anyone a little of The Pogue's "Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash"? (More than just the obvious similarity in titles.) Songs like "She Was No Good" especially have a Pogues feel; with an American, Southern accent.

I like the mustache. It fits into this Southern gentleman look that befits the album perfectly.

Since he lost some weight, he looks a little more like Dylan.

I like it when Elvis changes his appearance to fit an album's theme. Mighty Like a Rose being a great example.

There were a couple of lost opportunities for great covers in Elvis' career. I believe he was planning to do a duet with Tom Waits of "A Day in the Life" on a charity, various artists, cover of the Beatles' Sgt. Peppers album (in the 80's). But, the scheduling fell through. I could imagine...

I love Secret, Profane, and Sugarcane. But, i wish Elvis had included the wonderful 3 tracks left off of the album. I have included them in my own version, with the following track listing: 1 Down Among the Wines and Spirits 2 Complicated Shadows 3 I Felt the Chill Before the Winter Came 4 My All Ti...

It is amazing how you can tell that these various music reviewers only listen to an album once; and then it seems like they are not even concentrating on the album during that first listen. They pick out the most "accessible" songs, and seem to ignore the great tracks that need multiple li...

After hearing some songs on Secrets, Profane, and Sugarcane, like "She Handed Me a Mirror", I could imagine them doing songs from The Juliet Letters.

With "I Dreamed of My Old Lover", I they could even see them do something in a Renaissance vain, like John Dowland.

At first listen, I have to say the album is pretty great. I think I am most impressed with "I Felt the Chill" (co-written with Loretta Lynn) and "She Handed Me a Mirror". It is amazing how flexible the ensemble is. Country, Bluegrass, Irish Folk, and even Classical on the Secret ...

I think it would be great to have some musical artists that you would not associate with Elvis; like Eric Clapton, David Bryne, or Peter Gabriel. If anyone could get Peter Gabriel out of his shell in an interview, it would be Elvis. James Taylor may not have been the most exciting guest, but I would...

I think that the Stephen Colbert and Elvis duet of "There Are Much Worse Things to Believe In" is fantastic. What a terrific song. It is so hard to believe that EC did not have a hand in writing it. The lyrics remind me of "St. Stephen's Day Murders", or "Put you Big Toe in ...

Some thoughts on the James Taylor episode: You realize what a great harmony singer Elvis is in the off-the-cuff duet of "I Think She Still Cares" However, Elvis overpowers James Taylor in "Crying in the Rain". He should have backed off the mic a little. Granted, he would have to ...

Having just seen the Tony Bennett episode, I must say I was disappointed that Elvis and he did not do a duet. I was also a little annoyed that at least twice, granted in a joking manner, Tony seemed to insult Elvis as a singer. This right after Elvis did a stunningly beautiful cover of Hank Williams...

What's wierd is that I have much of the music in my iTunes that is listed in the playlists already posted. Yet, they did not appear on my Genius playlist. 1 No Hiding Place - Elvis Costello & The Imposters 2 Love You Again - John Hiatt 3 How Am I To Be - The Watson Twins 4 GfC - Albert Hammond, ...

I would like to defend the video for the Other Side of Summer. I thought it was a terrific spin on Randy Newman's "I Love L.A." video, with some serious overtones. (When Elvis sings "the unwanted birthday", the video shows an abandoned baby in the street.) Besides, I loved the be...

I share a birthday with Bobby Darin and David Byrne. It is interesting to try and compare them.

Best Short Song: New Amsterdam Best Long Song: When I Was Cruel No.2 Best Pop Single: Everyday I Write the Book Best Pop Song: Oliver's Army Best Rocker: I Hope You're Happy Now Best Ballad: All This Useless Beauty Best Music Video: I Wanna Be Loved Best Duet: They'll Never Take Her Love From Me (w/...

My Desert Island CD's: Kind of Blue - Miles Davis King of America - Elvis Costello A Boot and a Shoe - Sam Phillips Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys Time Out of Mind - Bob Dylan Exile on Main Street - The Rolling Stones Beatles For Sale - The Beatles (what can I say, my favorite Beatles album) Summerteet...

My Favorite Albums so far this year (2008): Langhorne Slim - Langhorne Slim Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend Neil Diamond - Home Before Dark Sam Phillips - Don't Do Anything Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! The Kills - Midnight Boom Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs Beck - Moder...

First attempt at re-making Momofuku: 1. Turpentine 2. Beautiful 3. Mr. Feathers 4. Don't Throw Your Love Away 5. Flutter And Wow 6. My Three Sons 7. Song With Rose 8. Ring of Fire 9. Pardon Me Madam, My Name Is Eve 10. Stella Hurt 11. American Gangster Time 12. Harry Worth 13. No Hiding Place 14. Go...

I used to not care for "Almost Ideal Eyes", until I heard the live version on My Flame Burns Blue. It works so much better with the jazz orchestra. I am still waiting for Elvis to release his original demo of this song from the early 90's; when he wrote it for David Crosby to cover. I can'...