Saturday, August 18

Saturday Song: Elvis Costello

Okay some people think he sold out with this one but I think it's a nice song.



Of course, things have changed muchly for Prince Charles since then. She who waited 22 years finally has the upper hand.



Okay okay you purists. Here:



So boys, is the "bad girl" in this song Hell-bent or Heaven-sent? Heh. Ask your shower head.
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3 comments:

  1. crazyworld20469:04 AM

    Nah, he never sold out, he's just one of those extremely rare individuals like Van Morrison whose talent is so far-ranging and multifaceted that he just keeps showing us different sides of it. And, I just don't think it's possible for any sane and even moderately well-adjusted human being to sustain the level of vitriol he was spewing in the first several albums. I think that, as with all of us, age has had a mellowing effect on him. The first 4 or 5 albums are still my faves, and this is probably my favorite Elvis tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dip-FtbsD8E
    He's continued to grow, tho. One of the things that made the movie "Grace of my Heart" so good was all of the songs he wrote for it. I still remember him on MTV in the 80s offering to write material for Whitney Houston. He, speaking directly to the camera, said something to the effect of "Whitney, you've got a great set of pipes, but your choice of material is lousy!"

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  2. QuakerDave10:51 AM

    I despise this whole notion of "selling out." Not the s"sellling out" part: the part that says this is somehow a bad thing. I have this argument with my "musical purist" older son all the time. The kid who goes to all these concerts to hear bands no one had ever heard of, who no one will ever hear, because they will be gone in a week. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But if you want to create, you have to get your stuff out there. And as long as you're not compromising what you do, what difference does it make if you now get PAID for it? I thought the idea was to BE HEARD.

    I saw Elvis Costello when he was doing "Pump It Up," and he kicked butt. All those punk and New Wave bands did: Adam and the Ants, XTC, The Clash, The Ramones, The Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, The Pretenders, Madness, Squeeze, Ultravox, et al. I saw them all and loved them all. I still listen to that stuff, too, and it's still fresh. (And by the way, Elvis Costello and The Clash both recorded for COLUMBIA Records...)

    And where are they? Half of them are dead, and most of the rest aren't making music any more. So not "selling out" accomplished what, exactly?

    Did Elvis sell out? Depends on how you look at it. To me, it's called "growth." That's what artists do. He's still making wonderful, clever music. He's still breathing. And he also married Diana Krall. Not a bad way to "sell out."

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  3. Ghost Dansing1:02 PM

    Veronica Existential

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