Top 50 Elvis songs of all time

Post by **BlueChair** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 2:38 pm

I think it's time all of us got together and collaboratively vote for what the Elvis's Top 50 songs are.

Please PM me with your Top 15 (please, only 15) in order from favourite to least favourite.

I will then take the results and try to formulate a Top 50 based on rankings and how often a song is voted for. The more people that participate, the more representative this list will be!

10 · Post by 10 » Wed Jan 07, 2004 3:08 am

How 'bout posting a list of all (at least) album songs...so we can pick and choose without going through the collection? Just an idea.

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 8:07 am

I used the list that JohnE provided at...

http://www.elviscostello.info...click on the lyrics tab at the top, and select all songs...voila!

cbartal · Post by **cbartal** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:13 am

An impossible task, but I'll give it a throw:

BTW - These are in order of the album, not favorite, and this is Soooo unfair and wrong, but whatever. And my picks might seem a bit obvious, but I'm just trying to look at things from my own perspective mixed with an objective look at critical and universal appeal.

Alison
Chelsea
King Horse
Clubland
Beyond Belief
Man Out of Time
Pidgin English
Pills and Soap
American Without Tears
Jack of All Parades
I Want You
Could 'nt Call It Unexected #4
All The Rage
The Other End of The Telescope
When It Sings

kimmy · Post by **kimmy** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 9:20 pm

OK, I'd like to try as well...

1. Oliver's Army
2. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
3. Man Out of Time
4. I Hope You're Happy Now
5. Welcome to the Working Week
6. Everyday I Write the Book
7. Radio Radio
8. PL & U
9. Big Tears
10. Pills and Soap
11. 45
12. The Other Side of Summer
13. High Fidelity
14. The Long Honeymoon
15. 13 Steps Lead Down

There you have it. I'd like to see if or how my list compares with others.
Thanks, BlueChair!

HungupStrungup · Post by **HungupStrungup** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 12:04 am

I'm not ready to post my list yet, since it has 24 entries. I'm having trouble winnowing it any further, dammit.

Just to give you an idea how hard this is, cbartal and kimmy each posted an excellent list, and I like all their selections; however, of their 28 songs, only 5 are on my list as it now stands.

Misha · Post by **Misha** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 1:56 am

This is impossible....I'm pming you, but only after hacking my list down from 27......

(wounded emoticon here)

Mr. Average · Post by **Mr. Average** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 1:06 pm

First absolute "Can't live without" list was 34.

Top 15, effective January 09, 2004 at 12:01 am. This list expires January 10, 2004 at 12:01 am. This game of "Costello Roulette" is too heavily influenced by where I am in the world (not geographically) at the time it is compiled.

I like more songs that begin with the letter "L" than any other. Fascinating.

Beyond Belief
Lipstick Vogue
(I Don't Want to go to) Chelsea
Episode of Blonde
Watching the Detectives
No Action
Little Savage
I Hope You're Happy Now
Love for Tender
Complicated Shadows
Mystery Dance
I Still Have that Other Girl
Uncomplicated
20% Amnesia
This House is Empty Now

Post by **BlueChair** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 1:13 pm

Thanks to everyone for the entries I've recieved.

If you're curious how this will work, I will base final rankings on two things... where they appear on the lists, and how many times a song appears.

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 6:07 pm

Blue...can you post individuals rankings as well please (if you can be bothered with the typing

), that might be interesting to see them all together!

I just realised the anagram of Bluechair is HAIL BRUCE!!!!!

LessThanZero · Post by **LessThanZero** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 11:28 pm

I PM'd you Blue!!

Alpal · Post by **Alpal** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 4:22 am

1. For The Stars (just kidding!)

1. Man Out of Time
2. The Beat
3. Lipstick Vogue
4. Everyday I Write the Book
5. I Stand Accused
6. Love For Tender
7. Alison
8. I Want You
9. Shipbuilding
10. Beyond Belief
11. I Hope You're Happy Now
12. High Fidelity
13. Human Hands
14. Home Truth
15. Doll Revolution

Almost all pre-Spike; oh well, it couldn't be helped really.

Post by **BlueChair** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 5:56 pm

Just an update....

So far we have 125 songs that have been voted for, and 15 contributed Top 15 lists.

Keep 'em coming! The more lists we get, the more accurate a list this will be. I'm thinking of formatting it much like the Uncut Top whatever lists and maybe putting it on a seperate website that we can link from here.

EarlManchester · Post by **EarlManchester** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 4:27 pm

This would have been easier if it were top 25...

1. Radio, Radio
2. Lipstick Vogue
3. Possession
4. Mystery Dance
5. Alison
6. Blame It On Cain
7. Brilliant Mistake
8. Temptation
9. You Belong To Me
10. God Give Me Strength
11. This House Is Empty Now
12. Beyond Belief
13. Everyday I write The Book
14. Oliver's Army
15. Pump It Up

Jackson Doofster · Post by **Jackson Doofster** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 6:10 pm

My original list was 42 songs.
Alpal may be interested to know that 'For The Stars' was on it - no kidding. I happen to think that No Wonder and For the Stars are great songs. The latter is very autobiographical (IMHO)

Top 15

Upon A Veil Of Midnight Blue
King Horse
Who Do You Think You Are?
The Beat
Jack Of All Parades
Man Out Of Time
My Little Blue Window
Green Song
Men Called Uncle
Hand In Hand
Town Cryer
Temptation
Hoover Factory
When it Sings
The Birds Will Still Be Singing

Bubbling under

All The Rage
Brilliant Mistake
Distorted Angel
How To Be Dumb
Human Hands
I'll Wear It Proudly
Lipstick Vogue
London's Brilliant Parade
Sleep Of The Just
Two Little Hitlers
White Knuckles
You Tripped At Every Step
Kid About it
You’ll Never be a Man
The Invisible Man
Watch your Step

Post by **BlueChair** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 6:26 pm

Just to let everyone know:

I was hoping to receive these lists as PM's (as I specified in my original post), so that other people's lists wouldn't influence people in making their own lists.

I might delete posts from this thread as I log the lists into my excel spreadsheet.

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 7:11 pm

Hmm...good point, I wont put mine up then.

Post by **BlueChair** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 5:45 pm

This is really shaping up to be an interesting. We have 20 lists so far, so it's becoming clear which songs are popular choices.

We could use another 10 to 15 lists, so if you haven't submitted one yet, get your PM to me!

PlaythingOrPet · Post by **PlaythingOrPet** » Thu Jan 15, 2004 8:52 am

Wait for me, Blue, I only just saw the thread! Need to think and plan this out carefully....

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Thu Jan 15, 2004 3:18 pm

Here's my guess as to the top ten.

I want You
Lipstick Vogue
Almost Blue
Boyond Belief
King Horse
Man Out Of Time
Clubland
The Other Side Of Summer
Radio Radio
Possession

Post by **BlueChair** » Thu Jan 15, 2004 3:22 pm

Some of those songs will definitely be up there, so lack.. but a few of those songs have only received two or three nods so far.

Jackson Doofster · Post by **Jackson Doofster** » Fri Jan 16, 2004 3:07 pm

my guess at the top 10:

watching the detectives (yawn)
alison (yawn)
chelsea
shipbuilding (yawn)
kinghorse
man out of time
all the rage
i want you (yawn)
beyong belief
lipstick vogue

Post by **BlueChair** » Fri Jan 16, 2004 3:09 pm

Actually, at this stage only a few of those will be in the Top 10.

btw, chelsea makes me yawn a lot more than Shipbuilding, which is in my own personal Top 10

Jackson Doofster · Post by **Jackson Doofster** » Fri Jan 16, 2004 7:50 pm

its not that the yawn songs (above) are boring - of course they're not. Perhaps a little overplayed, but not boring.

He doesn't seem to do Chelsea live very often.

The one song that i never need to hear Elvis do live again as an encore is 'Pump it Up'.

It's like a once favourite dessert that you've had way too much.

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Sat Jan 17, 2004 6:52 am

How can you yawn at I Want You......that song is raw naked emotion, genius!

I saw EC do a really reggaed up version of Chelsea at the Edinburgh festival in 2002...woz excellent!!