Beyond Belief Meaning

[laurwaar]

Could someone please explain to me the meaning of the song "beyond belief" by elvis costello, it is one of my favourite songs and yet i've been having trouble trying to understand it. the lyrics are amazing though

also I wanted to start a FB page for elvis costello fans http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elvis-Cos ... 1335681221
it would mean a lot to me if you liked it. thank you

[Poor Deportee]

Kinda surprised this got no response.

The honest truth is, I love these lyrics and consider this whole track to be one of Elvis's finest, both lyrically and musically; but I have no idea how it coheres into a whole unified 'meaning.' Certainly, it epitomizes EC in his 'world weary sophisticate' phase - one of my favourite of his personas, and one to which he unexpectedly returned in fine fashion on National Ransom (think, 'All these Strangers'). The song invokes alcoholism, failed seduction, moving through public space (perhaps as a performer) in a state of inner disarray...all themes you'd expect from EC in this era, but again, while the various couplets and lines are among his best, the picture as a whole is blurry, at least to me. I don't see that as a flaw, by the way; a song like this plays by its own rules. For three minutes, we inhabit, riveted, its compelling and self-contained world. That's no mean feat.

[Neil.]

Yep, agreed, the song has no meaning or message - Elvis is just playing with words and phrases that sound nice together, conveying a dark mood to go with the shimmering, pulsing music.

Just enjoy the impression it makes, rather than looking for a meaning. Elvis's lyrics are very impressionistic in that way, a lot like David Bowie's.

x

[Kevin Davis]

The song invokes alcoholism, failed seduction, moving through public space (perhaps as a performer) in a state of inner disarray...all themes you'd expect from EC in this era, but again, while the various couplets and lines are among his best, the picture as a whole is blurry

This is exacerbated by the fact that the lead vocal is separated onto multiple tracks, which overlap at the beginnings and ends of some of the lines, not so much so as to preclude continuity but still enough to create a kind of ghostly funhouse mirror effect. It sounds like the song is being sung by one person with multiple personalities.

[docinwestchester]

The song invokes alcoholism, failed seduction, moving through public space (perhaps as a performer) in a state of inner disarray...all themes you'd expect from EC in this era, but again, while the various couplets and lines are among his best, the picture as a whole is blurry

This is exacerbated by the fact that the lead vocal is separated onto multiple tracks, which overlap at the beginnings and ends of some of the lines, not so much so as to preclude continuity but still enough to create a kind of ghostly funhouse mirror effect. It sounds like the song is being sung by one person with multiple personalities.

Nice point. It reminds me that our very own cwr combined the original BB with "Land Of Give And Take" and created a very interesting remix of the song:

http://connorratliff.tumblr.com/post/16 ... ond-belief

Click on the "Click to play" button at the top of the page to listen.

[Jack of All Parades]

The song invokes alcoholism, failed seduction, moving through public space (perhaps as a performer) in a state of inner disarray...all themes you'd expect from EC in this era, but again, while the various couplets and lines are among his best, the picture as a whole is blurry

This is exacerbated by the fact that the lead vocal is separated onto multiple tracks, which overlap at the beginnings and ends of some of the lines, not so much so as to preclude continuity but still enough to create a kind of ghostly funhouse mirror effect. It sounds like the song is being sung by one person with multiple personalities.

I absolutely love this willingness to suspend rational explanation. To be willing to just listen and let the words and images and sound combinations roll over one is quite liberating. This song has always seemed the epitome in 'Pop' music of what Keats was getting at when he discussed negative capability in his famous letter to his brothers: "that is when man is capable of being in uncertainties, Mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason." You two have caught that and I applaud. It is something I have repeatedly tried to pass onto my daughters about some of Wallace Stevens's poems- sometimes it is best to just allow the rhythms, sounds and word combinations to wash over your brain and auditory senses and not immediately grasp for a fixed meaning. Well grasped and imparted by both of you.

[Natasha]

For three minutes, we inhabit, riveted, its compelling and self-contained world.

Like you said, "inner disarray" is the key concept for me to "understand" the song (I don't think the song need to be understood...). I recall me being completely drunk and completely lost in my thoughts and feelings and suddenly these lines came to me mind:

"So in this almost empty gin palace
Through a two-way looking glass
You see your Alice"

I could understand the lyrics in the context of that moment I was living but that doesn't mean it was the same kind of moment Elvis was living by the time he wrote it. And that's the beauty of it.

And, definitely, it has to do with alcoholism but not in strict sense. I think it´s more about the way people often find themselves through this "battle with the bottle". Or get completely lost. But it´s an optimistic song afterall (at least for me).