Top Ten Songs by Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello has enjoyed probably the longest and most successful career of any of the artists to come out of the British punk explosion of ’76-’77. Well, depending on how you gauge success. Although he is still making music and although he is nearly as prolific as he used to be, the sad fact is that Elvis Costello really hasn’t made any music anywhere near to the level of what he produced during those first heady five or six years of his career. He started out as punk’s Angry Young Man and very quickly showed that he was a singer/songwriter incapable of being pigeonholed so easily. And yet, when one looks into his discography to pluck out the top ten songs by Elvis Costello one is faced with the realization that there isn’t going to be any song in that list younger than twenty years old.

The odd thing about Elvis Costello is that despite the fact he is inarguably one of the finest songwriters in the history of rock, many of his greatest records are cover versions. This list of the top ten songs by Elvis Costello therefore contains some songs that he did not write himself.

10. He’s Got You.

The live version recorded during the tribute to George Jones. It was amazing; here you had all these cowboy-hat wearing, Nashville-recording rhinestone fakers pretending to be the next George Jones or Johnny Cash or even-heaven forefend-Hank Williams, Sr. taking their shot at singing the classic old-style country songs and in waltzes this punk from England singing a song made famous by Patsy Cline. Despite the fact that he had a fever over 102 and was in even worse shape to sing that the drunken George Jones himself, he totally wowed the crowd. Admittedly, most of those who were wowed were only there to see Elvis Costello. It’s an amazing performance and goes alongside Lyle Lovett’s cover of “Stand By Your Man” as the best performance by a man of a song written for a woman.

9. Oliver’s Army.

Yes, it’s controversial because it features a word not allowed in pleasant conversation, but that word refers not to people of color in this instance, but being a slave to the white master of us all: leaders who send people to war to fulfill some personal destiny. The odd thing is that this upbeat, fun song is really one of the darkest that Costello ever recorded.

8. Clubland.

An ominous-sounding song. Costello sells it with his terrific singing, but the real highlight of this song is Steve Nieve’s piano-playing. If there was such a thing as Rock Noir, this song would be considered the Double Indemnity of it.

7. Watching the Detective.

Me, I’m not a big fan of reggae. I much prefer its uptempo cousin ska. But this reggae-tinged murder mystery is one fantastic song. There is so much to recommend this song: Costello’s obviously delicious delivery, the hold on the organ sound after he says “got no heart” and those crazy drums!

6. Beyond Belief.

The opening salvo in an album that features just about every kind of musical style available; in many ways Imperial Bedroom might be considered Costello’s Sgt. Pepper. You want to know something, though? It’s better than that album. And it would be hard to pick a better song to kick it off than Beyond Belief.

5. Man Called Uncle.

Elvis Costello’s little musical version of Lolita. Featured on his simply spellbinding tribute to Motown, the album Get Happy! The man called uncle in this case is taking unfair advantage of his familial nomenclature to pursue a decidedly incestuous type dream. Elvis at his wordplayful best.

4. New Lace Sleeves

Great drums and lyrically involving, this little beauty is often featured on compilations of Elvis Costello and with great reason. It’s a terrific song the features Elvis’ voice at his best all within a slightly off kilter tempo in which the songs seems desperately to be trying to catch up with itself.

3. Pump It Up.

For the longest time whenever I thought of punk rock this is the song that came to mind. Then I bought my first Sex Pistols album and realized that Elvis never really was a true punk. He had too much McCartney in him. Still, this is as throbbing and pumping a near-punk song as you can hope to get from Mr. McManus. It’s a keeper and is another great driving song.

2. Shipbuilding.

Probably-no, definitely-Elvis Costello’s best singing performance ever. And that’s saying something because he’s a vastly underrated singer. He was never more full of nuance than in this heartbreaking anti-war song. Key to the power, of course, is Chet Baker’s astonishing horn work. The final fadeout of strings that sound like birds chirping, Baker’s reverberating trumpeting, and the plaintive piano surrounded by Costello’s imagery of kids who are now diving for dear life instead of diving for pearls is as powerful an anti-war message as you’ll hear.

1. What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love and Understanding.

Yeah, I know it’s really Nick Lowe’s song, but neither Nick nor anybody else owns it quite the way Mr. Costello does. This is one of my favorite driving songs; the kind of song I press the repeat button and listen to three or four times in a row. It’s so true, especially in these days. What the hell is so funny about a little peace, love and, especially, attempting to understand instead of condemn?