5. Watching the Detectives, Oliver's Army, Every Day I Write the Book, Veronica, Alison, (I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea, Pump it Up, Radio Radio, New Amsterdam, Green Shirt, Accidents Will Happen, This Year's Girl
From Quiz Elvis Costello: The Collected Edition
Answer:
The first album released by Elvis was called 'My Aim is True' in 1977. Three singles were released from it, including 'Alison', but none of them made the charts. Somewhat disheartened, Costello wrote and released 'Watching the Detectives' later in the year and it became a moderate hit, reaching number fifteen on the UK Singles Chart. This song was added to the US release of 'My Aim is True' and is usually included on re-released versions of the album.
The second album, 'This Year's Model', sold well reaching number four on the UK Album Charts in 1978. The album introduced the songs '(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea', and 'Pump It Up', released as singles in the UK, selling reasonably well. From the same album, 'This Year's Girl' was a single in the USA only. 'Radio Radio' was also a single from 1978. It was a stand alone song in the UK but was added to 'This Year's Model' for the US album release.
'Oliver's Army' proved a big hit for Elvis, reaching number four on the UK Singles Chart. It appeared on the 1979 album 'Armed Forces' which also included another song issued as a single - 'Accidents Will Happen'. 'Get Happy' was the title of Costello's 1980 album, which included 'New Amsterdam', issued as a single which only scraped into the lower reaches of the charts.
Elvis's 1983 album, 'Punch the Clock', gave us the single version of 'Every Day I Write the Book', a chart success in the UK. 'Green Shirt' came out in 1985 while 'Veronica', a touching song about a woman suffering from dementia, featured on the 1989 album 'Spike'. This song was co-written with Paul McCartney who also played guitar on the recording.
Among the songs which Costello didn't write is 'I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down', which was the big hit from the 'Get Happy' album. The song was originally a hit for Sam & Dave in 1967 and the B side was 'Girls Talk', written by Costello but a big hit for Dave Edmunds. Another hit song for Elvis was 'A Good Year for the Roses', which reached number six on the UK Singles Chart in 1981. This country song, about a relationship breakdown, was originally recorded by George Jones.
Two other cover versions featured on film soundtracks. 'I'll Never Fall in Love Again' was part of the film 'Austin Powers: the Spy Who Shagged Me', released in 1999. Costello appeared in the film performing the song along with Burt Bacharach, who wrote the song with Hal David. Costello's cover of the Charles Aznavour song 'She' was featured in the film 'Notting Hill'. It reached number nineteen on the UK Singles Chart in 1999.
Finally, 'Chelsea Morning' has no connection to Elvis Costello at all, other than including the word 'Chelsea'. It was written and recorded by Joni Mitchell in 1969.
I was rather surprised to find that many of these songs did not perform that well in the singles charts as they feel so well known. Album sales have been buoyant though. Costello wrote 'The Comedians' for Roy Orbison and performed it with him during Orbison's 'Black and White Night' show, which is well worth watching for the array of talent on display.
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