your five favourite elvis costello tracks

King Hoarse · Post by **King Hoarse** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 8:17 pm

Nice to see y'all again, but what a toothgrinder to come back to.

At first I thought that it's kinda tragic that none of my faves are from the years I've actually been an EC fan (ie the last ten or so) but then again, Burnt Sugar, Suspect My Tears etc are still to be released i hope.

1) Riot Act
2) New Lace Sleeves
3) Beyond Belief
4) Couldn't Call It Unexpected #4
5) Blue Chair (7" version)

Robert Wyatt's Shipbuilding is still the best recording ever, though.

Mr. Average · Post by **Mr. Average** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 10:23 pm

Lipstick Vogue
Episode of Blonde
I Hope Your Happy Now
From a Whisper to a Scream
Beyond Belief

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 12:36 pm

nice to see you back kh

Post by **spooky girlfriend** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 6:57 pm

Sorry to be so late - At the urging of SoLack, here goes:

Suit of Lights
American Without Tears
Brilliant Mistake
Man Out of Time
This House is Empty Now

alexv · Post by **alexv** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:54 pm

I think we've done top 10 EC, top 30 EC, so why not top 5, So Lack?

1. Can You Be True?
2. What's Her Name Today?
3. Who Do You Think You Are?
4. Honey Are You Straight or Are You Blind?
5. Couldn't Call It Unexpected No. 4.

Watching_Detectives · Tue Feb 06, 2007 11:13 pm

Easy.

01.Watching the Detectives
02.You'll Never Be a Man
03.All The Rage
04.I Hope You're Happy Now
05.I Want You

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:14 pm

only a few days left, any more voters?

oldhamer · Post by **oldhamer** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 9:41 pm

Right, first five that come into my head:

Oliver's Army (yep it's predictable, sorry guys, but it's so freakin' good! reminds me of being very small again

)

Alison (ditto)

Country Darkness

God's Comic

Shipbuilding

Neil. · Post by **Neil.** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:08 am

This is far too hard, but these pop into my head immediately

1) King Horse
2) Pump It Up
3) Next Time Round
4) Blue Chair
5) Man Out of Time

Tim(e) · Post by **Tim(e)** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 6:57 am

There are way too many to pick 5 favourites, so my list represents this particular moment in time:

So Like Candy
God Give Me Strength
Let Him Dangle
Shipbuilding
Angels Want to Wear My Red Shoes

legman open to offers · Tue Feb 13, 2007 8:02 am

not so easy:

CCIU#4
The Other Side Of Summer
The Other End(Of The Telescope)
Suit Of Lights
I Hope You're Happy Now

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:41 pm

thanks. so far 51 voters have voted for a total of 101 tracks. man out of time still leads the way.

3 days left to vote.

sweetest punch · Post by **sweetest punch** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 2:32 pm

His recent albums are my favourites these days:

1. My flame burns blue (Blood Count) - Live with Metropole Orkest
2. I still have that other girl
3. Either side of the same town
4. Let me tell you about her
5. Six fingered man

SkaDan · Post by **SkaDan** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 4:13 pm

1. Red Shoes
2. Indoor Fireworks
3. Radio Radio
4. Olivers Army
5. Home Is Where You Hang Your Head

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 5:10 pm

ok, voting now closed. 53 voters altogether, thanks one and all. 107 tracks were nominated.

the scoring system I used was 5pts 4pts 3pts 2pts 1pt plus one point for each vote (so effectively 6, 5, 4, 3, 2)

here is the complete list, sorry if it's messy, but I've just pasted it from excel. track, followed by points followed by number of votes.

below that is the qf draw. i intend to do some analysis over the next few days, so all statto's stay tuned.

Track GT votes
man out of time 57 12
couldn't call it unexpected no. 4 49 12
new lace sleeves 41 9
riot act 37 9
sleep of the just 37 8
beyond belief 35 9
lipstick vogue 34 7
I hope you're happy now 30 8
king horse 26 6
american without tears 24 5
red shoes (the angels wanna wear my) 22 6
so like candy 21 5
clubland 21 4
accidents will happen 20 5
episode of blonde 20 5
human hands 19 4
oliver's army 19 4
you tripped at every step 19 4
god give me strength 18 4
i want you 16 4
suit of lights 16 4
jack of all parades 15 4
monkey to man 13 4
blue chair 12 4
alison 12 3
motel matches 12 3
the other end of the telescope 11 4
i'll wear it proudly 11 3
you'll never be a man 11 2
country darkness 10 3
all the rage 10 2
indoor fireworks 10 2
kid about it 10 2
party girl 10 2
radio, radio 10 2
why can't a man stand alone 9 3
men called uncle 9 2
possession 9 2
brilliant mistake 8 2
less than zero 8 2
that day is done 8 2
the other side of summer 8 2
shipbuilding 7 3
all this useless beauty 7 2
town cryer 7 2
two little hitlers 7 2
chelsea (i don't want to go to) 6 2
next time round 6 2
when I was cruel no.2 6 2
battered old bird 6 1
busy bodies 6 1
can you be true? 6 1
favourite hour 6 1
watching the detectives 6 1
wednesday week 6 1
my flame burns blue (blood count) 6 1
god's comic 5 2
watch your step 5 2
deep dark truthful mirror 5 1
high fidelity 5 1
in the darkest place 5 1
just about glad 5 1
lover's walk 5 1
pump it up 5 1
the delivery man 5 1
tramp the dirt down 5 1
what's her name today? 5 1
you little fool 5 1
i still have that other girl 5 1
chemistry class 4 2
and in every home 4 1
charm school 4 1
get yourself another fool 4 1
jacksons monk & rowe 4 1
let him dangle 4 1
new amsterdam 4 1
still 4 1
this year's girl 4 1
who do you think you are? 4 1
either side of the same town 4 1
boy with a problem 3 1
expert rites 3 1
from a whisper to a scream 3 1
honey are you straight or are you blind 3 1
our little angel 3 1
shabby doll 3 1
soul for hire 3 1
the beat 3 1
this sad burlesque 3 1
withered and died 3 1
you belong to me 3 1
let me tell you about her 3 1
big boys 2 1
big sister's clothes 2 1
big tears 2 1
clowntime is over 2 1
hand in hand 2 1
heathen town 2 1
no action 2 1
poisoned rose 2 1
the birds will still be singing 2 1
there's a story in your voice 2 1
this house is empty now 2 1
welcome to the working week 2 1
when did I stop dreaming? 2 1
six fingered man 2 1
home is anywhere you hang your head 2 1

quarter final draw:

man out of time v I hope you're happy now
couldn't call it unexpected no. 4 v lipstick vogue
new lace sleeves v beyond belief
riot act v sleep of the just

these will be posted in individual threads with voting options and will stay open for two weeks, i will have the casting vote on any ties (no overtime!)

Mr. Average · Post by **Mr. Average** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 5:42 pm

Unlike American politics, there is one clear, worthy candidate to take this entire contest, going away.

If Beyond Belief does not win, then I charge So Lackluster with malfeasance, voting thread fraud, and tampering. I think a simple ANOVA will reveal the true winner.

Beyond Belief in '07.

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 5:52 pm

the voter with the top 5 most resembling the final result was probably goody2shoes, who voted as follows:
1. I Hope You're Happy Now
2. Man Out Of Time
3. Couldn't Call It Unexpected No. 4
4. Riot Act
5. New Lace Sleeves

All of these made the top 8.

Goody2Shoes · Post by **Goody2Shoes** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 8:04 pm

Good lord, I hope that doesn't make me Mrs. Average.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 8:18 pm

Well you are pretty mean!

SkaDan · Post by **SkaDan** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 8:01 pm

if it hasnt been done yet, we can countdown the top 5, EC albums. it be interesting to see the different results.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 8:04 pm

It's been done about 5 times, but I'm sure SLL can be persuaded to mount a group round and elimination phase in order to reach the cup final!

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 2:20 pm

Here is a breakdown by album (or the album most associated with each track). It gives the number of tracks nominated, the combined points total of those tracks, the combined number of votes and the top points scorer for each album. TYM had the most tracks nominated with 10, but did not get as many total points or votes as MLAR, which only had three tracks nominated.

Album...........................Tracks....Points....Votes....Top Track
Imperial Bedroom...............9..........143.........33......man out of time
King of America...................9..........126.........30.....sleep of the just
Get Happy!.........................8..........104.........25......riot act
Trust..................................7...........88..........20......new lace sleeves
Mighty Like a Rose.............3...........78..........19......couldn't call it unexpected no. 4
Blood & Chocolate..............7...........75..........21......I hope you're happy now
Armed Forces......................8..........74..........18......accidents will happen
This Years Model.................10.........71..........18......lipstick vogue
My Aim Is True....................5..........50..........13......red shoes
Brutal Youth........................4...........40...........8......you tripped at every step
All This Useless Beauty........4...........35..........11......the other end of the telescope
Painted from Memory..........5...........35...........8.......god give me strength
The Delivery Man................5...........34..........10......monkey to man
When I Was Cruel...............3...........29...........8.......episode of blonde
spike..................................4...........19...........5.......god's comic
the juliet letters..................5............16...........5.......5 tracks nominated once each
North.................................4............15...........4.......can you be true?
punch the clock..................3............13...........5.......shipbuilding
goodbye cruel world...........2..............7............2......get yourself another fool
my flame burns blue...........1..............6............1......my flame burns blue (blood count)
The River In Reverse..........1..............2............1.......six fingered man

Jackson Monk · Post by **Jackson Monk** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 6:59 pm

My theory proved yet again (for the 100th time*).

His recent stuff is cool and we all buy it, but he hasn't made a real classic for years. Look at the favourite albums here. All oldies and all fucking fantastic records (although the prevalence of MLAR surprises me). River in Reverse is great and I love North, but come on folks....they don't get the pulse racing like KOA or IB.....do they?

*Slight exagerations may be included in this thesis.

oily slick · Post by **oily slick** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 9:07 pm

it is because there are a bunch of old farts around here. "pulse racing like KOA"? makes me a little dozey maybe. except for eisenhower blues and don't let me be misunderstood, which i now find a little embarrassing. TDM is scads more interesting to listen to.

Jackson Monk · Post by **Jackson Monk** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 3:47 am

KOA does a lot more for me. Eisenhower and Misunderstood are duds on an otherwise classic album. It's about personal taste of course, but IMO there is nothing on TDM to rival American Without Tears, Brilliant Mistake, Sleep of the Just, I'll Wear it Proudly and several more.

As for IB, there is nothing on his last 5 or 6 albums that would be good enough to displace a single track on what for me is the greatest album ever made.