Elvis' less appreciated gems: a new series

ice nine · Post by **ice nine** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:01 pm

Honey, R U Str8 Or R U Blind? - Look at me; I'm Prince

pophead2k · Post by **pophead2k** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:44 pm

AlexV- I'd be willing to bet EC picked his version of Gloomy Sunday off of Billie Holiday- the arrangement and delivery are similar in a lot of ways. Great choice, BTW.

Fishfinger king · Post by **Fishfinger king** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 8:29 pm

[quote="pophead2k")I'd nominate Starting to Come to Me for this list as well.[/quote]
Good call. Starting to come to me always makes me grin. So many think EC is too serious and to me it's the grin-worthy tracks that do it.
Others in this bracket: Sweetest Punch, Really mystified (Peel version, not leaden IP out-take), Five gears in reverse, Big tears, Tears before bedtime and most conclusively My mood swings.

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 11:16 pm

Opportunity

Fish and Chip Papers

From a Whisper to a Scream

Two Little Hitlers

Little Triggers

Every one of those songs is amazing, and I never see them on greatest hits collections. The chorus to Fish & Chip Papers is so infectious. And "Born in the middle of the second big baby boom" is one of my favorite opening lines in a Costello tune. I adore the way EC's voice blends with the dude from Squeeze on Whisper to a Scream. I dig the way EC nicked the guitar part from Rebel Rebel for Two Little Hitlers. And Little Triggers is the most unexpected thing to find its way onto This Year's Model. In the middle of all that bombast, it's positively disconserting. And beautiful.

lostdog · Post by **lostdog** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 5:01 am

pophead2k wrote:AlexV- I'd be willing to bet EC picked his version of Gloomy Sunday off of Billie Holiday- the arrangement and delivery are similar in a lot of ways. Great choice, BTW.

And surely he learned True Love Ways from the Buddy Holly record, not the Everlys....

alexv · Post by **alexv** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 11:38 am

Always get the Everylys and Buddy confused, Lost Dog. Maybe that's why our wedding band screwed up the song. I probably told them to do the Everlys version.

El Vez · Post by **El Vez** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 8:36 am

The Tricky remix of "Distorted Angel" still stands as my fave EC song. WIWC2 is another one that I think is absolutely brilliant. Let's see...."The Bridge I Burned" was called Elvis' "least essential song" by The Onion's A.V. Club (who, other than that, are responsible for some incredibly intelligent pop criticism) but I love it and I think "That's How You Got Killed Before" is on the short list for his best ever cover.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 7:34 am

Neil. wrote:And Withered is unbearably sad, with that beautiful melancholy vocal. Amazing stuff.

Great choice as well. This is a beautiful version. I saw Elvis play this live and solo once in 1984. I used to love it whn Elvis would be playing band shows and then play a few acoustic songs.

El Vez - "The Tricky remix of "Distorted Angel" still stands as my fave EC song." STILL stands? Are you pulling my leg?

SweetPear · Post by **SweetPear** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 1:29 am

invisible Pole wrote:I have always loved Suffering Face. It's one of Elvis' best vocal performances (didn't he say he was drunk when recording it ? ) and I've never quite understood why it was left off King Of America. The combination of gorgeous melody and unashamedly sentimental lyrics ("Once I was the jewel of your heart, now I'm only semi-precious" always makes me smile) knocks me off my feet every time I hear it.

Oh, IP, I just love this song too and that same quote.....Once I was the jewel of your heart, now I'm only semi-precious.
Kid About It has always been one of my top five of all time. I've never heard anything like that vocal. I could listen to it a thousand times in a row.
Inch by Inch is another gem you never hear. It's a great tune, very catchy. It stays with you. I love it.

SweetPear · Post by **SweetPear** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 1:35 am

Little Triggers
Big Tears
Tears Before Bedtime
Distorted Angel (NOT the Tricky Mixx)

Four biggies I couldn't live without. Esp, Little Triggers.....just incredible.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 6:33 am

SweetPear wrote:Kid About It has always been one of my top five of all time. I've never heard anything like that vocal. I could listen to it a thousand times in a row.

When I hear my favourite line "You gave me the kiss of my life" I always think of Mrs VG.

And you've just reminded me of it

dan dirty ape · Post by **dan dirty ape** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 9:25 am

There's so much on 'Get Happy!!' that's comparitively overlooked because there's such a lot on there. I definitely agree on 'Secondary Modern' and 'Opportunity' (especially the 'compliment collector/funeral director' couplet), and I've also been playing 'Motel Matches' and the cover of Joe Cammileri's 'So Young' on the bonus disc to death recently.

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 10:34 am

"You Stole My Bell" from the Family Man soundtrack. One of my favourite EC songs. Great lyrics, great tune, and great vocal.

You can download it from Itunes.

pophead2k · Post by **pophead2k** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 8:14 pm

God, I love that song. I'm so sad it hasn't been included on any reissues. That's a perfect addition to the thread. Maybe there needs to be a CD of EC's movie contributions: Big Nothing, She, You Stole My Bell, My Mood Swings, Unwanted Number, God Give Me Strength, Party Party, etc.

The imposter · Post by **The imposter** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 2:20 pm

20 fantastic songs never to appear (at least on a Costello release)
1. Unwanted Number
2. Passionate fight
3. No Wonder
4. Suspect my tears
5. Burnt Sugar is so bitter
6. You Stole My Bell
7. I'll watch out for you
8. Real Emotional Girl
9. When That I Was and a Little Tiny Boy.
10. Warm & Beautiful
11. Long Journey Home
12. Let's Misbehave.
13. You'll Never Walk Alone.
14. Egypt
15. Windows of the world (the version with Ron Sexsmith)
16. Crying Time
17. Love Hurts
18. Meet me on the corner
19. omie wise
20. Butcher's boy

These are just off the top of my head There's certainly more. Would make a more than decent album. Haven't heard crazy or Los Lobos number. Unwanted No. & Long Journey home are particular Favourites. An opportunity was recently lost with the juliet letters for some of this great Brodsky material.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 4:56 pm

The imposter wrote:20 fantastic songs never to appear (at least on a Costello release)

Not that it's fantastic but it's a hassle that North is not on North as I only had it on my old hard disc (RIP). And a lot of people didn't get Impatience or She's Pulling Out The Pin. Many of these are obviously crying out for box set treatment.

The imposter · Post by **The imposter** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 12:40 pm

pophead2k wrote:Maybe there needs to be a CD of EC's movie contributions: Big Nothing, She, You Stole My Bell, My Mood Swings, Unwanted Number, God Give Me Strength, Party Party, etc.

Yeah, and we could call it "Elvis at the Movies"

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 10:27 am

The imposter wrote:20 fantastic songs never to appear (at least on a Costello release)

2. Passionate fight

Not sure I'd put this one in the "fantastic " category.

I'd love to see the original version of Baby Pictures which starts "You find an unfamiliar portrait in a jumble of possessions", Elvis' version of I Throw My Toys Around (which must exist) and a "proper" version of Dark End of the Street released.

But I digress...

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 10:47 am

verbal gymnastics wrote:
The imposter wrote:20 fantastic songs never to appear (at least on a Costello release)

2. Passionate fight
Not sure I'd put this one in the "fantastic " category.

Properly recorded, like Ute Lemper's version, you might!

dan dirty ape · Post by **dan dirty ape** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 2:00 pm

Battered Old Bird seems to have been given fairly short shrift in the overviews of Elvis' work I've read (and I'm reasonably new to his stuff, got into him last year through his performance of 'Delivery Man' tracks on 'Later with Jools Holland', so I'm at that exciting stage when you start to become obsessed by someone's work, you've made your way through the key stuff but you know there's still tons more to discover) but I love that song. That line '..and it is always Christmas in a cupboard at the top of the stairs' conjures up all kinds of jarring images. He explains it in the 'Blood and Chocolate' liner notes but the first time I heard that it made my brain dance.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 2:45 pm

My Science Fiction Twin has been rated quite low in polls it seems to me. I'm guessing because it may be perceived by some as too sexist because they don't get enough of the humour. Mutually exclusive to that, perhaps it also manages to speak much more to the male sex generally, I dunno. It is a finely crafted comical gem treating the subject of the ego with great insight and humour.

Consider the vocal and lyrical delivery of:

My science fiction twin
Escorted by his lovely nieces
Filled up his purse dictating verse
While painting masterpieces
His almost universal excellence
Is starting to disturb me
They asked how in the world he does all these things
And he answered "Superbly"
He's trapped in his own parallel dimension
That's why I'm so forgiving
But how could I possibly forget to mention those fifty-foot women
Who put the fascination back into my science fiction twin

What, but a brilliant and twisted mind, could come up with that. Love the spooky key effects and the dumb bass and the perfect sense of absurdity. I like the way EC delivers "he's trapped in his own parallel dimension" and "and they were gently gathered by reporters" in particular.

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 5:06 pm

Has anyone mentioned "You Little Fool"? I think its always overlooked when talking about Imperial Bedroom. I love the phased part especially.

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 5:08 pm

As far as Battered Old Bird goes, I love the bit where it goes all weird around "peices of him are already scattered in the attic". A great spot of Nick Lowe production magic.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 7:50 pm

Mike Boom wrote:As far as Battered Old Bird goes, I love the bit where it goes all weird around "peices of him are already scattered in the attic". A great spot of Nick Lowe production magic.

Devised to mask the fact that it was two takes joined together! So he is suddenly energized and spouts out the words like he is recalling a vivid dream... brilliant. Never been one to underappreciate Battered Old Bird, always been a steadfast favourite from B&C. Can't really stomach the fast version though, no comparison.

oldhamer · Post by **oldhamer** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 7:18 pm

I'm beginning to like Battered Old Bird, now that I'm a little older, more patient, and realise that some good songs last longer than three minutes.

I think it was verbal gymnastics who mentioned "Baby Pictures". I'm not familiar with the other version you were talking about, but I LOVE the version on the Punch the Clock reissue. I like the tempo of the band, the vocal delivery (it sounds like EC's laughing as he sings) everything.

I too love Science Fiction twin. The bit, "and the pain is so sweet/as he stamps his little feet" is one of the best bits of Brutal Youth. Uplifting, and always makes me smile. You Little Fool is another great pop song.

Does anyone else think that "So Young" is one of Elvis' best covers?