ALL THE RAGE

King_of_Spain · Post by **King_of_Spain** » Mon Oct 13, 2003 6:17 pm

Some questions about this song, who is my favourite BY´s one?

* Does anyone know who is dedicated to?

* Does Costello play with the double meaning of the expression "All the rage"? (the rage itlself seems to overstand throught the lyrics)

* Is it -as I have sometimes suppose- the second version if a former punch-song against McCartney? You know: "I´ll probably play alone.." and in the chorus it seems to sound something like "PLay Let it be: it´s still all the rage". If this is so... why?

* In this, the best paragraph of the song,
Alone with your tweezers and your handkerchief
You murder time and truth, love, laughter and belief
So don’t try to touch my heart, it’s darker than you think
And don’t try to read my mind because it’s full of disappearing ink

the first two lines seem to be referred to Macca (the word `handkerchief´ appears noticeably in She´s leaving home, and the two last verses are the best Costello´s selfportait ever made... including the cover of B&Ch).

Well, this is just an opinion. What do you think about it?

Could the song be -in a very first draft- an attack against sir Paul, in a moment of disappointment or anger or frustration? Or the real meaning of the song is a very differet one? Is again Bruce Thomas, like in How to be dumb, the one to punish with these lyrics?

Any help or hint would be welcome, of course.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Mon Oct 13, 2003 6:25 pm

I'm sure it's not Macca, no reason for any bitterness there. I wouldn't worry about literal interpretations directed at someone famous. I think it's about something relevant to Elvis right now, the desire to have him as permanently 'angry Elvis' ('although I'll never be unhappy as you want me to be').

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Tue Oct 14, 2003 12:58 am

I notice that a lot of All The Rage's lines appear in Poisoned Letter (an earlier prototype similar in nature, on the Brutal Youth reissue), including "and your 'perfumed' handkerchief". PL also includes lines that ended up in the great My Science Fiction Twin.

I once applied the momentary venting theory in speculating that You Bowed Down might have been about a Costello fit of disgust with Sir PM's 'bowing down' to the monarchy in accepting his knighthood, like you, KoS, in a spirit of inquiry to see if it could be confirmed at all beyond that (maybe he said something to deny or confirm). But I really don't know if they have ever had differences worth much acrimony between them, or going far enough to suggest so in public.

If our speculative theories are right and he got songs out of that then I don't think we will ever know that they were. Anything to come up with a song, no?

I don't think he can top his painted portraits by the way, the B&C cover looks like something from Picasso's Guernica ... that tongue at least.
And just look at the controlled stroke work on the background... genius!(that's why it's on the top left of this screen).

DrJ · Post by **DrJ** » Tue Oct 14, 2003 8:34 am

You Bowed Down can't be about Macca's Knighthood because the song predates it.

Best to assume it's about Bruce T or something else. It always seemed like Poisoned Letter was written in a white hot fit of pique and about BT, All The Rage was probably the afterthought or reflection on the song.

DrJ

King_of_Spain · Post by **King_of_Spain** » Tue Oct 14, 2003 10:06 am

Another one which is definitely about Bruce T -poor BRuce- is (I´m sure you all know this) How to be dumb, according to some EC´s press statements.

IStandAccused · Post by **IStandAccused** » Tue Oct 14, 2003 12:23 pm

*The "key" word(s)here are "murder", "love, laughter and belief". It doesn't feel like it is written about a guy. It seems to be a bit about Bruce, Jake and something else.

King_of_Spain wrote:Some questions about this song, who is my favourite BY´s one?

* Does anyone know who is dedicated to?

* Does Costello play with the double meaning of the expression "All the rage"? (the rage itlself seems to overstand throught the lyrics)

* Is it -as I have sometimes suppose- the second version if a former punch-song against McCartney? You know: "I´ll probably play alone.." and in the chorus it seems to sound something like "PLay Let it be: it´s still all the rage". If this is so... why?

* In this, the best paragraph of the song,
Alone with your tweezers and your handkerchief
You murder time and truth, love, laughter and belief
So don’t try to touch my heart, it’s darker than you think
And don’t try to read my mind because it’s full of disappearing ink

the first two lines seem to be referred to Macca (the word `handkerchief´ appears noticeably in She´s leaving home, and the two last verses are the best Costello´s selfportait ever made... including the cover of B&Ch).

Well, this is just an opinion. What do you think about it?

Could the song be -in a very first draft- an attack against sir Paul, in a moment of disappointment or anger or frustration? Or the real meaning of the song is a very differet one? Is again Bruce Thomas, like in How to be dumb, the one to punish with these lyrics?

Any help or hint would be welcome, of course.

King_of_Spain · Post by **King_of_Spain** » Tue Oct 14, 2003 12:29 pm

IStandAccused wrote:*The "key" word(s)here are "murder", "love, laughter and belief". It doesn't feel like it is written about a guy. It seems to be a bit about Bruce, Jake and something else.

Why?

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Tue Oct 14, 2003 1:18 pm

You Bowed Down is about Derek Hatton, the ex-Liverpool MP, innit?

All the Rage must be about a woman...how can it not be?

Danny · Post by **Danny** » Tue Oct 14, 2003 3:23 pm

Hey Fellas - it's about the journalists who've given him bad reviews/negative press.

Listen to it in light of this, and it all makes sense!

xxx

Jackson Doofster · Post by **Jackson Doofster** » Tue Oct 14, 2003 3:27 pm

Yeah...I always thought that You Bowed Down was about Hatton until someone put Macca into my head. The line "but all the applause, is for their name not yours..." suggests that the target is a part of a much larger item - the Beatles ? Anyway, I've asked so many times, and Elv aint telling...

I always suspected that 'All the Rage' was directed at his ex-fans and the critics who deserted him for more trendy youngsters like Nirvana etc. "......where you keep my picture still, despite the fact that you had me replaced..."

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Tue Oct 14, 2003 3:43 pm

darling won't you act your age...

surely this is about a woman.

Unless he's really friendly with (the fake) Paul Mcartney

King_of_Spain · Post by **King_of_Spain** » Tue Oct 14, 2003 4:51 pm

laughingcrow wrote: Unless he's really friendly with (the fake) Paul Mcartney

Also known as William Campbell?

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Tue Oct 14, 2003 5:25 pm

long story bud... check out the Annex a few months ago for the sordid Faul affair...

heres a link..

http://elviscostellofans.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=508

selfmademug · Post by **selfmademug** » Tue Oct 14, 2003 5:26 pm

I've always assumed it was about critics, and the POISONED PEN connection makes that theory stronger. But, if I dare bring up the name, the darling business and the "tweezers and handkerchief" and so on always made me think of B. Buell and her public interpretations of his lyrics (everything's about ME!!).

IStandAccused · Post by **IStandAccused** » Tue Oct 14, 2003 5:35 pm

I am starting to agree about the connection to the critics, etc... That makes perfect sense. I don't know if I see the *Bruce* anymore. And I REALLY don't see the ** connection at all. This song was written years before her book or any public statements about anything Elvis. I have never gotten the "tweezers and handkerchief" line though. I am still trying to figure out what that has to do with anything let alone critics and Bruce or Jake and or **...

selfmademug wrote:I've always assumed it was about critics, and the POISONED PEN connection makes that theory stronger. But, if I dare bring up the name, the darling business and the "tweezers and handkerchief" and so on always made me think of B. Buell and her public interpretations of his lyrics (everything's about ME!!).

selfmademug · Post by **selfmademug** » Tue Oct 14, 2003 5:48 pm

Well, I'm very proud to report I have not followed BB's statements over the years, but I did think they started before that time. However I have no investment about this being the case! I've said this before but I always assume the stories behind these songs work the same way as any other fiction-- the writer takes truths from here and there, and creates something new from them which must stand on its own.

IStandAccused · Post by **IStandAccused** » Tue Oct 14, 2003 5:53 pm

**Probably means a bit of all the thoughts. I am now leaning towards the critics and Jake.

selfmademug wrote:Well, I'm very proud to report I have not followed BB's statements over the years, but I did think they started before that time. However I have no investment about this being the case! I've said this before but I always assume the stories behind these songs work the same way as any other fiction-- the writer takes truths from here and there, and creates something new from them which must stand on its own.

Copenhagen Fan · Post by **Copenhagen Fan** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 3:17 am

I'm leaning towards that maybe..just maybe the song is not autobiographical.......!!! Everything he writes can't be about actual people, and perhaps one just draws from different sources to paint a picture that does not really hold water in reality.....by the way...All The Rage is great....

*I'll lend you my microscope and maybe you will find it* kinda reminds me of the school yard humor.....but it wasn't a mind one should try to find.

IStandAccused · Post by **IStandAccused** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 9:50 am

**One way or another, he sounds mighty pissed off at something or someone or several things! That and "Hope You're Happy Now" are filled with anger and sharp tongued wit.

Copenhagen Fan wrote:I'm leaning towards that maybe..just maybe the song is not autobiographical.......!!! Everything he writes can't be about actual people, and perhaps one just draws from different sources to paint a picture that does not really hold water in reality.....by the way...All The Rage is great....

*I'll lend you my microscope and maybe you will find it* kinda reminds me of the school yard humor.....but it wasn't a mind one should try to find.

Copenhagen Fan · Post by **Copenhagen Fan** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 6:16 am

I STAND...Elvis is always bitter and pissed....up until North..

Danny · Post by **Danny** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 8:09 am

Hey guys, the tweezers and handkerchief is just like some insect collector or jeweller/watchmaker picking over their chosen obsession, held in the palm of their hand in a handkerchief, picked up with a tweezers to be examined in minute detail, as the critics do with Elvis's every lyric/statement.

OR

He's following his earlier image - just as they have small minds which they need help finding with a microscope, he's saying the critics are a bunch of no-dicks who need tweezers to wank off with into their handkerchief. (it is, after all, "ALONE with your tweezers and your handkerchief")

It's definitely about the critics - 'I've heard it all before - you say it anyway' about the Ray Charles incident - they won't let that one lie.

pip_52 · Post by **pip_52** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 11:11 am

That makes a lot of sense. I could buy that it was wholly about the critics . . . and maybe overly critical fans who wanted him to stay angry and punk.

Although I'll never be
Unhappy as you want me to be
Still it's all the rage

If he wasnt so preoccupied with the subject of love on North, I imagine we'd see more of this, since the reaction to it has been similar in places. But he's not really bitter at all on North. Maybe on the next one . . . ?

Elvis Costello Fan Forum

ALL THE RAGE

ALL THE RAGE

Re: ALL THE RAGE

Re: ALL THE RAGE

Tweezers and handkerchief

Probably all the above

He's MAD!! at something/someone