mp3 : Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Oliver's Army
The others were covers:-
mp3 : Elvis Costello & The Attractions - I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down
mp3 : Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Good Year For The Roses
It was actually thinking about the third of these tracks, as a follow-up to the recent post about The Rockingbirds, that got me looking a wee bit further at the recording career of the man christened Declan Patrick McManus. And I was genuinely surprised that he has had so little major chart success in the UK.
Oliver's Army reached #2 in 1979
I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down (originally a 1967 recording by Sam & Dave) was a #4 hit in 1980
Good Year For The Roses (originally a 1970 release by George Jones) was a #6 hit in 1981.
But over the past 30 years, the nearest Elvis Costello has since come to a Top 10 hit was in 1983. And even then, it was under a pseudonym:-
mp3 : The Imposter - Pills And Soap
He's released loads of great 45s over the years, but just never got the record-buying public interested in helping him hit the giddy heights of chart success.
Happy Listening.
6 comments:
Still a genius in my eyes, though!
Th Sam & Dave version is th one for me.
Favourite Elvis Costello song is I'll Were It Proudly.
My fave Elvis track is Shipbuilding, though I have to say I prefer Robert Wyatt's cover of it - 'tis a thing of true, tear-inducing beauty.
Been listening to Elvis since 1977 when I heard his first Peel session on a radio with a single earplug whilst holidaying in a caravan. This was the highpoint.
Rich C
Saw EC at the Fremantle Blues and Roots Festival (Western Australia) recently and he was still terrific - great set with all the songs you'd want to hear - Chelsea, Alsion, What's so funny....,Olivers Army, Roses, Pump it up etc etc. A real "greatest hits" set and well received by the 20,000 strong crowd.
I think he's done alright though. I remember everyone at my school talking about seeing him on TOTP doing 'Watching The Detectives' and 'Chelsea' so it's not as if he was some ignored genius. Even the pop kids knew about him.
And in those days getting in the Top 20 (which he did often) meant you had to sell a lot of records.
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