As it's kind of nice―if that's the word―to be reminded, Elvis Costello's album Get Happy!! turns forty this year. And how often do you see anything followed by two exclamation points? It seems like it's always either one or two.
And in honor of the anniversary comes an article by Elizabeth Nelson, who herself leads the band the Paranoid Style. She gives background on the troubled background of the album and the fact that it was a commercial disappointment when it came out, with some critical lambasting as well. Part of this was the backlash that almost no one is immune to. Part of it was other stuff. Anyway, it's full of songs that haunt decades later.
And in honor of the anniversary comes an article by Elizabeth Nelson, who herself leads the band the Paranoid Style. She gives background on the troubled background of the album and the fact that it was a commercial disappointment when it came out, with some critical lambasting as well. Part of this was the backlash that almost no one is immune to. Part of it was other stuff. Anyway, it's full of songs that haunt decades later.
2 comments:
I always loved Elvis Costello from the first time seeing him on SNL - angry, edgy and very angular with his bent knees and toes pointed in as he strangled the microphone stand. He was different and very powerful. Until I read this article I hadn't been aware of the incident with Stephen Stills and Bonnie Bramlett and the reaction it initiated. I wonder if he was simply irritated by the snobbery of some well fed popular American musicians. His background wouldn't have precluded him to always being polite and politically correct - he was first and foremost a punk rocker from England (with Irish roots).
Anyhow, I loved his first albums and liked Get Happy even more. He just kept on getting better with that album. 'I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down' was originally a Sam and Dave song.
The last time we saw him perform was once again on television - a show he did in Nashville.
Hmm.. 40 years ago, eh? How time flies.
Some of the anger was schtick. He's revealed that the cover for one early album - I think My Aim Is True - had to keep getting re-shot because he was supposed to look intense but couldn't keep himself from laughing. Then again some of it wasn't. There probably was something about the American music stars that rubbed him the wrong way. Whether he could articulate it in the moment is another matter. Whether he'd feel the same way now in the same circumstances is doubtful. But it was an interesting time.
I loved Get Happy!! Well, still do, of course. His love of the old time soul music (not actually all that old at the time) was obvious, but he also dug into it to find a way to express what he was going through.
Very versatile performer. I'm sure the Nashville show was a treat.
I guess time does fly. Ah well. :)
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