The world of Elvis Costello pun and wordplay.

Pretty self-explanatory
wehitandrun
Posts: 1752
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:14 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Contact:

The world of Elvis Costello pun and wordplay.

Post by wehitandrun »

To kick off the party, here are some of my favorites-

"All of this acceleration is driving you to death."
-
"You lack lust... you're so lacklustre."
-
"You're the one who hates to love, he's the one who loves to hate."

Those are all from Get Happy!!

Anybody have some favorites they'd like to open the world's eyes up to?
Image
Bob And Charlotte
Posts: 344
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 2:02 pm

Post by Bob And Charlotte »

"Keep your finger on important issues
With crocodile tears and a pocketful of tissues"
ChokingOnMyPrideandPity
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2004 3:04 pm
Location: DC Suburbs (Maryland)

Post by ChokingOnMyPrideandPity »

I wish you luck with a capital "F".
ChokingOnMyPrideandPity
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2004 3:04 pm
Location: DC Suburbs (Maryland)

Post by ChokingOnMyPrideandPity »

Your body speaks so much louder than your voice - you let it do the talking so I don't have any choice.

and

And the future looked as bright and as clear as
the black tarmacadam.
(Is this line from Tramp The Dirt Down considered wordplay or a pun or neither)?
wehitandrun
Posts: 1752
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:14 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Contact:

Post by wehitandrun »

Hmm, I'm not sure about that line. "Wordplay" is such a broad term, I'm sure that's a form of it.

I want to hear some great PUNS! I must be missing some great ones.
Image
seanpointblank
Posts: 133
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2004 4:07 am
Location: Seattle, WA

Post by seanpointblank »

The long arm of the law slides up the outskirts of town
User avatar
lapinsjolis
Posts: 513
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2003 1:23 am
Location: In the cloud of unknowing
Contact:

Post by lapinsjolis »

"I know they've got their problems. I wish I was one of them."
"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."
User avatar
tokyo vogue
Posts: 146
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2003 8:05 pm
Location: philadelphia

Post by tokyo vogue »

"Don't wear your heart out on your sleeve when your remarks are off the cuff"


"Spitting out the words that he put into her mouth"
if we can rock together, why can't we walk together?
clairequilty
Posts: 237
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2004 6:22 pm

Post by clairequilty »

No puns, no word play, just the truth.

He's contemplating murder again, he must be in love.
Danny
Posts: 82
Joined: Sat Jun 28, 2003 5:15 am
Location: London

Post by Danny »

"Now you've given your performance
Though the matinee was idle"
(matinee idol)

"And you find out that a wave of her right hand
Could seem so tidal"
(tidal wave)

"I could join a chain of males or be the missing link"
(i.e. I could join the army, or be a deserter - chain-mail being that metal cloth that knights used to wear, and the chain of males being the platoon of soldiers - a proper pun, followed through with the links in the chain)

Sorry all - I'm sure you don't need an explanation!
Last edited by Danny on Fri Apr 30, 2004 8:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
daybreaker
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2003 2:32 am
Location: Memphis
Contact:

Post by daybreaker »

Another from Get Happy:

'Till I step on the brakes to get out of her clutches
User avatar
spooky girlfriend
Site Admin
Posts: 3007
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2003 5:19 pm
Location: Huntsville, Alabama
Contact:

Post by spooky girlfriend »

"Once I was the jewel of your heart
Now I'm only semi-precious"
wehitandrun
Posts: 1752
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:14 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Contact:

Post by wehitandrun »

"Dial me a Valentine. She's a smooth operator. It's all so calculated; she's got a calculator." - two little hitlers

"So fond of the frabric, so fond of fabrication..." - king horse

"You can't stand it when it goes from real to reel. Too real, too real" - b movie

"I've exorcised countless demons, if exercising's the act of eating" - oh, sorry! that's from my song 'proof of death'(http://www.purevolume.com/theflamesoftroy - i have no shame)
Image
User avatar
so lacklustre
Posts: 3183
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2003 2:36 pm
Location: half way to bliss

Post by so lacklustre »

Was it a millionaire who said "imagine no possessions"
signed with love and vicious kisses
elvisisking63
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2004 8:39 am
Location: Chicago

Post by elvisisking63 »

so lacklustre wrote:Was it a millionaire who said "imagine no possessions"
Not sure that was so much a pun but rather a direct dig at John Lennon?

Here's one of my favorites:

"And don't try to read my mind
Because it's full of disappearing ink."
- All the Rage

This actually leads me to think of a different sort of game, which is identifying recurring imagery or symbolism in Elvis's lyrics. "Ink" and "words" being imprinted on a person or personality comes up several times -- two examples:

"Write my name in heaven in invisible ink."
- Inch by Inch

"Now there's newsprint all over your face, maybe that's why I can read you like a book"
- Men Called Uncle
wehitandrun
Posts: 1752
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:14 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Contact:

Post by wehitandrun »

Monkeys are everywhere with Elvis. The whole idea of Monkey-Man is big on him.

Off the top of my head...
"charm school"
"god's comic"
"deep dark truthful mirror"
and soon... "monkey to a man"

They're so many recurring themes in his music.
Image
wehitandrun
Posts: 1752
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:14 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Contact:

Post by wehitandrun »

Oh man, I just heard this one today. I've heard it, but now I know what it says.

"The long arm of the law slides up the outskirts of town
Meanwhile in Clubland they are ready to pull them down"
Image
User avatar
AlmostBlue
Posts: 179
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2004 1:49 am
Location: Berkeley, California

Post by AlmostBlue »

how about an anagram - Voiceless Toll
User avatar
lapinsjolis
Posts: 513
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2003 1:23 am
Location: In the cloud of unknowing
Contact:

Post by lapinsjolis »

Elvis Costello-I thought you meant a song. Here's one for you:


no bit hill of vague pine mud
"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."
User avatar
El Vez
Posts: 2085
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2003 4:44 pm
Location: Heart Attack & Vine

Post by El Vez »

I'm sorry....I thought this was a thread about The World of Henry Orient. :oops:
User avatar
lapinsjolis
Posts: 513
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2003 1:23 am
Location: In the cloud of unknowing
Contact:

Post by lapinsjolis »

El Vez-You mean I'm not the only living soul to see that movie? Here two more anagrams because the popularity of my first one is humbling my ego. They read like headlines! :P

see eel claw seven
war monkey does shoot to awe
"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."
wehitandrun
Posts: 1752
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:14 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Contact:

Post by wehitandrun »

Anagrams don't make sense. Their first priority should be just that, "make sense".
Image
User avatar
lapinsjolis
Posts: 513
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2003 1:23 am
Location: In the cloud of unknowing
Contact:

Post by lapinsjolis »

So should song lyrics. 8) Seeing an eel claw seven makes as much sense as a Pobble losing his toes. War monkeys shoot I'm sure of it! Where's Edward Lear when you need him? Dead. :cry:
"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."
User avatar
miss buenos aires
Posts: 2055
Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2003 7:15 am
Location: jcnj
Contact:

Post by miss buenos aires »

Here's an anagram: Miss E. Blue Anus. But it's not an anagram of an Elvis Costello song title. (It's of my name.) Holy shit, I just realized the erie similarities between "miss buenos aires" and "Miss E. Blue Anus." And I'm not even high!

I for one, like LJ's anagrams, even though they leave me scratching my head. Keep them coming, eventually I'll figure one out!
User avatar
lapinsjolis
Posts: 513
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2003 1:23 am
Location: In the cloud of unknowing
Contact:

Post by lapinsjolis »

Bless you! And your impeccable taste we've all come to admire, though in this case it proves singular. Your anagram sounds like a rapper's name to me.
"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."
Post Reply