Rank The Delivery Man

[Poor Deportee]

Ranks with some of EC's best stuff, and stands as a key moment of recovery after the semi-debacle of WIWC. But why is everyone being so hard on 'The Name of This Thing?' That's great baroque pop.

1. Either Side of the Same Town. Timeless. And what a vocal.
2. The Delivery Man. Terrific song; not the best performance, alas. It sounds too much like an 'Attractions' song for the material.
3. Button My Lip. B-b-b-b-bBUtton mah lipp!!!! BUM BUM!!!
4. Monkey to Man. Perhaps the best EC single that never became a hit. Its lack of chart presence is a sign of how far the mass public's ear for catchy pop has decayed.
5. Needle Time. Phew. Tom Waits meets...I dunno who, but someone in a mental institution.
6. There's a Story in Your Voice. Yeeee-HHAAAAwwww.
7. The Name of This Thing is not Love
8. Bedlam. A few too many words. I'd also like a little more variation in the tempo of the vocal. It's just me.
9. Country Darkness. Not quite as great and mysterious as it wants to be, but still danged good.
10. Scarlet Tide. Overrated, but nifty.
11. Nothing Clings Like Ivy. A lovely sound - just slightly too slow.
12. Judgement
13. Heart Shaped Bruise

All told, an embarassment of riches - only the last two songs, really, don't cut it for me.

[Jackson Monk]

1. Bedlam
2. Either Side Of The Same Town
3.The Name Of This Thing Is Not Love
4.Needle Time
5.Heart Shaped Bruise
6.Button My Lip
7. Country Darkness
8.There's A Story In Your Voice
9. The Scarlet Tide
10.Pulling Out the Pin
11.Monkey To Man
12.The Judgement
13.Nothing Clings Like Ivy
14. The Delivery Man

[MistakenForLilies]

1. Monkey To Man
2. Bedlam
3. The Delivery Man
4. Country Darkness
5. The Name of This Thing is Not Love
6. Either Side of the Same Town
7. Scarlet Tide
8. Needle Time
9. Button My Lip
10. (She's Pulling Out the Pin)
11. Nothing Clings Like Ivy
12. The Judgement
13. Heart Shaped Bruise
14. There's a Story in Your Voice

[Mr. Average]

Now that this record has had time to sink in and become established in the EC catalogue, it really is an amazing compilation of very diverse songs. This album, like "When I Was Cruel" before it, has an incubation period that the early Elvis stuff didn't have or need. Not saying it's better or worse (I am partial to the earlier material), just saying that these songs really grow into better songs with time.

This album is has an effect more like recordings by John Hiatt and Richard Thompson. They are initially quite good, but the mysteries of the songs reveal with time to the point that I wonder why they did not immediately grasp me from the very first listen.

Asked in an interview years ago if he had 'matured', Elvis said he preferred to use that term as it relates to chesse and wine, not musicians, and especially not him.

1. Bedlam (yes, I understand the lyrics!)
2. The Scarlet Tide
3. Needle Time
4. Heart Shaped Bruise
5. Nothing Clings Like Ivy
6. Monkey To Man
7. Country Darkness
8. Button My Lip
9. The Delivery Man
10. Pulling Out the Pin
11. The Name Of This Thing Is Not Love
12. Either Side Of The Same Town
13. There's A Story In Your Voice
14. The Judgement

[bambooneedle]

This album, like "When I Was Cruel" before it, has an incubation period that the early Elvis stuff didn't have or need.

Agree. Though on TDM he really tones down the interpreting personality so it is a lot more about the songs breathing and the threads of subtext. I've been noticing how much this varies from TDM to WIWC. On WIWC, and on most EC albums, it's far more imposing.

[thepopeofpop]

The Delivery Man is Elvis' best album.

Well, I would have said second best. Trust being the best, IB third, KOA fourth, and The Juliet Letters fifth. I bet you won't see that grouping anywhere else!

I was a little surprised to see a few people rank The Delivery Man, the song, as their least favoured track on the album. To me that's one of his best songs ever. Still, I guess it takes all kinds to make up this wonderful EC-world. The Name Of This Thing Is Not Love sounds like EC-by-numbers to me, but I can see why some people might like it. As I rate this album very highly I will say that I don't actually dislike any of the tracks...

[The imposter]

bambooneedle wrote, The Delivery Man is Elvis' best album.

Quite possibly

I love that he was able to make this record so late in his career. It's extraordinary.-noiseradio

He's only just started.........(many more albums to come. God willing)

I adore this record. The crossroads of Country,Blues and Soul, Brilliant ,to me it's like a cross between KOA and Blood & Choc.
It might just be his best, probably beating KOA on penalties after extra time!

I presume The monkey isn't included in the vote as it's a japanese bonus track. I always seem to buy the jap versions only to find the extra track available 3 months later in some re-edition.... (doh!)

Anyway here's my vote:

1. The Scarlet Tide. ( Costello classic! )

2. Heart Shaped Bruise. ( only problem ends too soon!)

3. Either Side Of The Same Town. ( Howard Tate version is ok but Elvis does it for me!)

4. Country Darkness.

5. The Judgement. ( Haven't heard Solomon Burke version)

6. The Delivery Man.

7. Nothing Clings Like Ivy. ( Sounds like a typical Costello ballad, including Emmylou! Fantastic!)

8. Monkey To Man. (catchy single, but don't like the middle 8 (the flying bomb bit)

9. Button My Lip. (Good lively opener)

10. There's A Story In Your Voice.

11. The Name Of This Thing Is Not Love.

12. Bedlam (good live number, prefer version on Memphis DVD)

13. Pulling Out the Pin.

14. Needle Time. ( Drags a Bit)

Truth is , there isn't a bad song on the album.

[Chrille]

The rockers are obviously my favourite songs on this album although I really like all songs. Country Darkness is an incredible song and one of my Costello-favourites.

1. Needle Time
2. Country Darkness
3. Bedlam
4. Monkey To Man
5. Button My Lip
6. There's A Story In Your Voice
7. The Delivery Man
8. The Scarlet Tide
9. Nothing Clings Like Ivy
10. Either Side Of The Same Town
11. The Judgement
12. The Name Of This Thing Is Not Love
13. Heart Shaped Bruise
14. She's Pulling Out The Pin

[Mansize_Rooster_87]

hello everyone,first time here!
very hard to order this album from best - worst cause its so strong from start to finish and its the album that real got me interested in costello. here goes..

1.Either Side of the Same Town - great lyrics + mood. captures the feeling of seperation between 2 people when they have left each other on a sour note,piano in this is awesome!
2.Bedlam - It moves along so nicely,great rythm section for this tune. Lyrics are great to,you can make what you want from them.
3.There's A Story In Your Voice - The 2 voices work realy well on this tune!
4.Button My Lip - Nice jam, i luv all the lil sounds that creep in and out.
5.The Delivery Man - mid tempo,cruises along nicely.some nice imagery in this song
6.Needle Time - Its a grower this one,got a nice bluesy/loose feel.would be great live i rekon
7.Monkey to man - very catchy,simple but effective riff with witty lyrics
8.Heart Shaped Bruise - nice slower tune,great chorus.
9.Country Darkness - the piano always gets stuck in my head,very catchy
10.The Name Of This Thing Is Not Love - This song plays well after either side coz of the subject matter
11.Nothing Clings Like Ivy - sad,emotional.love the vocals for this one
12.Scarlet tide - Nice lil tune,different to the rest of the album in a way.
13.The Judgement - good tune,just doesnt get played as much as the rest of the album

[oily slick]

Ranks with some of EC's best stuff, and stands as a key moment of recovery after the semi-debacle of WIWC.

odd. WIWC seemed like an aggressive and, in it's own way, joyous effort. he certainly did not seem embarrassed as he played alibi, spooky girlfriend, 45, 15 petals, tear off your own head, tart and WIWC 2 in concert during the tour. TDM i love, but it strikes me as something elvis can click off in his sleep as opposed to the obvious work that went into WIWC.