Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Pretty self-explanatory
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docinwestchester
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Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by docinwestchester »

Okay, I'll start with this one:



Kind of random, but this song just irritates the hell out of me. The cacophonous arrangement and harsh vocals may have something to do with it. And nearly 5 minutes long, which is way too much. It might have made a nice little fade in/out to start the album, but as is it's nails on a blackboard. I always skip it.

More to follow.
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wardo68
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by wardo68 »

I'll put in an early vote for "Sunday's Best". Why? The lyrics are a list, cobbled together quickly. The keyboards don't sound like any carousel I'd like to ride. And the drums sound like I could be playing them.
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docinwestchester
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by docinwestchester »

wardo68 wrote:I'll put in an early vote for "Sunday's Best". Why? The lyrics are a list, cobbled together quickly. The keyboards don't sound like any carousel I'd like to ride. And the drums sound like I could be playing them.
I like it. It wasn't on the U.S. version of Armed Forces so it was kind of exotic to me when I first heard it on the export disc. The keyboards are so quirky and fit the mood of the song perfectly.
sulky lad
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by sulky lad »

God's Comic - exacerbated in 1989 -1991 by the dialogue including "a waterbed filled with tropical fish " etc ad nauseum.
What's your VG ( as if I couldn't have a stab ??!!!)

Incidentally I love Sunday's Best and the bilious organ on that - who can't love
*Don't look now, under the bed, an arm, a leg and a severed head "? Classic for me !
Arbogast
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by Arbogast »

Thanks, Doc!

As I'd said in our earlier discussion, the clear winner(?) here is "Playboy to a Man." Just awful.
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Ymaginatif
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by Ymaginatif »

'Sunday's Best' and 'Playboy Into A Man' were two major reasons why I started listening (and loving) Elvis Costello back in 1992! :D

Anyway - worst song you ask? 'The Stamping Ground', I'd say. I usually prefer to skip this one. But all in all, EC is one of those artists with surprisingly few 'worst songs' (to me).
Mikeh
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by Mikeh »

I love all the songs that have been listed so far, but that is the great thing about Elvis, and about music in general, I suppose. Two songs I hate on an album I love, are The Big Light and Glitter Gulch, from KOA.
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by bronxapostle »

Mikeh wrote:I love all the songs that have been listed so far, but that is the great thing about Elvis, and about music in general, I suppose. Two songs I hate on an album I love, are The Big Light and Glitter Gulch, from KOA.
i'll see your bet and raise you TWO Mikeh! i absolutely LOVE Button My Lip...maybe because it was one of those gems that i heard live in person for the first time. AND THEY KICKED it in the balls at Avery Fisher Hall 2004. love PLAYBOY TO A MAN (great groove, fun words), SUNDAY'S BEST and ALSO, the two you name from KOA, maybe in part because they were so integral and GREAT live with CONFEDERATES 1986 Broadway and Philadelphia. and God's Comic is cool...just grew tiresome LIVE if you went to too MANY shows. but, again...that would be one's OWN condition. like those dweebs at Springsteen BTX that moan and wail about great songs like THE RISING, DARLINGTON COUNTY, SHE'S THE ONE or GLORY DAYS (that actually doesn't get played that much); because THEY ATTEND RIDICULOUS AMOUNTS OF SHOWS!! give me some time to come up with an answer for his WORST song! and i WILL be correct. :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by Harry Lime »

My standard answer to this has always been "Dr Luther's Assistant", just cause it's so draggy. I'll also toss out "Broken". And second or third "Button My Lip", which is a too-long start to an album that I love.
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IbMePdErRoIoAmL
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by IbMePdErRoIoAmL »

"Why Can't A Man Stand Alone?" leaves me cold. It's the only song I can think of on any EC album that I regularly skip.
Arbogast
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by Arbogast »

Some other candidates, IMO:

--Party Party
--Seven Day Weekend
--My Three Sons
--Brand New Hairdo
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by bambooneedle »

Alison

Because it's cringingly creepy (eg. "I don't know if you are loving somebody, I only know it isn't mine"...) and thus, since it was probably EC's most popular song, or song he was most associated with, it definitely wouldn't have done him many favours for being better recognized for his talent.
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by bronxapostle »

Arbogast wrote:Some other candidates, IMO:

--Party Party
--Seven Day Weekend
--My Three Sons
--Brand New Hairdo
LOVE all of these. PP fantastic fun 1980's romp. 7 Day screeching guitar work, Sons gorgeous melody and Hairdo FUN FUN FUN!

okay...my vote: COAL TRAIN ROBBERIES. wtf and WHY???? an utterly horrible song.
Arbogast
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by Arbogast »

Ah, Bronx Apostle...

I'm glad that you finally were able to squeak out one candidate....but I fear that you are what's known in the world of professional wrestling as a "mark."

Seriously: You like all four of the songs I listed? Sounds like trolling to me.....
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by Harry Lime »

Arbogast wrote:Some other candidates, IMO:

--Party Party
--Seven Day Weekend
--My Three Sons
--Brand New Hairdo
It's always interesting to me that Elvis has scorned Party Party for all these years. While not a top-tier song, it has a nice horn chart and is a peppy tune. Doesn't seem to rate the amount of disdain he's thrown it.

And, not to be trolly :D but I like the other songs on your list, especially My Three Sons. To each his own.
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bronxapostle
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by bronxapostle »

Arbogast wrote:Ah, Bronx Apostle...

I'm glad that you finally were able to squeak out one candidate....but I fear that you are what's known in the world of professional wrestling as a "mark."

Seriously: You like all four of the songs I listed? Sounds like trolling to me.....
why would i lie...LOVE them! you got to understand. Party Party and 7 Day each came as unexpected extras back in the 80's. and were phenomenal to my ears. Never figured why PP wasn't played live in the HORNS days of 1983 and 84 tours? and HAIRDO is just a phenomenal b-side with GREAT lyric. troll, who me, no? just opinionated and like what i like. as you can see i hate a popular one in some peoples minds. or is that troll-like? :lol: :lol: :lol: HATE coal train immensely.
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by Arbogast »

Re Party, Seven Day, Hairdo...

You are familiar with the term "throw-away track," yes.....?
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by sulky lad »

[quoteMy standard answer to this has always been "Dr Luther's Assistant", just cause it's so draggy][/quote]
No, no. no if only, as I've said a million times before, the phrasing on "out of the kitchen ......" is so sublime ahead of his attempt to be a crooner like his Dad !!
I like Coal train Robberies and Party party doesn't deserve the derogatory comments given over the years - compared maybe with Worthless Thing or She !!!
Neil.
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by Neil. »

I love most of the 'baddies' listed above, especially 'Hairdo'. I think Party Party is a great song - he's doing his version of Madness/The Specials, I reckon. I think he probably disowned it because some of the lyrics are a bit corny ('when you've got a face like last week's cornflakes' etc) but the melody and arrangement are great fun. I also really like The Stamping Ground.

I agree about 'Button My Lip', though, and I'm not keen on 'Needle Time'.

But the one I really can't stand is 'Eisenhower Blues' - it's such bog-standard blues, and his voice sounds really strained (but not in a way that suits the song, as in 'Misunderstood', where I love his croaky vocal). There are moments where it sounds like he's battling constipation.

And just when you think the bloody thing has faded out... ...it comes back again!!!

Aw well - if you're putting out hundreds and hundreds of masterpieces, you're bound to get the odd dud.

P.s. I *love* Dr Luther's Assistant!
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by bronxapostle »

Arbogast wrote:Re Party, Seven Day, Hairdo...

You are familiar with the term "throw-away track," yes.....?
My my you are becoming a bit of a haunt about this. Okay, they stink, I hate them. Happy now?
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by Jack of All Parades »

"Eisenhower Blues" is easily a close second for me in this category- a 'slog' that mars a near perfect album for my ears. My candidate, however, appears on the album that came next- "Tokyo Storm Warning". A rant of self-indulgence that drones and pounds on far too long with its let us unload the dictionary excess of lyrical diatribe about the horrors incurred by one person's being on the road for too many years. The best part of this song is the prose description EC provides in his album notes on the Rhino re-release. Those notes show humor and some pointed self-castigation; the song has always been one humorless, irritating and rambling rant for me, regularly avoided when the album is played. Now if one had to pick an album-no contest for me- MLAR- just purge it from the catalog...........
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A rope leash
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by A rope leash »

Big Nothing

Don't ask why...it's self explanatory.
Judge Holden
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by Judge Holden »

It's good to see some love for Party Party.

For me, Tramp the Dirt Down is an insufferable dirge. I lived through Thatcherism and expect even worse with Bojo having into view, but this song never rises above leaden.
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by Hawksmoor »

The Stamping Ground.

It's just...dull, tuneless and lacking in interest of any kind. Which is something an Elvis Costello song should never be.

I'm not mad-keen on 'Broken' either. Beyond that, I honestly believe I can find something to enjoy in every other EC song.
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Re: Elvis's Worst Song And Why

Post by Ymaginatif »

Hawksmoor wrote:The Stamping Ground.

It's just...dull, tuneless and lacking in interest of any kind. Which is something an Elvis Costello song should never be.
Yes, that's one I agree with.

I forgot to mention 'She'. That's a lovely song with huge potential. But Elvis' version is dreadful. And still it was such a big hit? Am I missing a point?
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