Just a little note. Elvis was banned from snl because they didn't like the content and told him he couldn't play radio radio. He said ok, and played it anyway.

Rock music isn't just tasty jams and sing-along choruses. It's a cutting-edge art form meant to force society to look in the mirror and change people's perceptions. Elvis Costello personifies that ethos!

My favorite Elvis Costello song is "What's So Funny About Peace Love and Understanding?" After all these years it still punches above its weight.

Elvis Costello for me is the perfect example of New Wave. He wasn’t a guitar hero jam band. He had punk energy, but the music was crafted by guys that could actually play. His father was a well known big bandleader and it shows in Elvis ‘s arrangements. His shows were rapid fire three minute songs with a very diverse sonic pallette.

Elvis Costello is an under-appreciated genius. Smart, witty original lyricist and creator of tight pop tunes that last through the decades. One of the greats.

This was more than just social commentary, this came at a time when there was a lot of government control over radio and the infamous pirate ship radio stations were off of the coast of Britain playing the music that the people wanted and needed to hear.

Took me a while to get Elvis Costello. He's actually pretty brilliant. Always good lyrics

Ahhhhh the New Wave! If you were an awkward kid during this era the New Wave was absolute heaven! We didn't fit in and our music didn't fit in. I still love it.

I love Elvis Costello. He came on the scene like a hammer in the night, rocking right out of the gate. Impossible to sit still when this song is playing. There was a lot of boredom that came with New Wave and I felt like Elvis Costello brought enough rock into the mix to kick things up a notch.

Absolutely LOVE Elvis Costello.

A&A, you'll love his their "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding", “Alison” and "Watching The Detectives !!! Some of the best new wave is from Elvis Costello & The Attractions!!!

"Shipbuilding" is my favorite Elvis song. Still fitting for today, with what's going on in the world.

He’s literally a genius so it’s often headier stuff he puts out but also highly creative stuff. New Wave meant we were ready for change and Elvis gave us that sound and a relevancy so, in a way, you had to be there to fully get the context of what he offered.

What’s So Funny About Peace Love & Understanding is one of his best

This album and "My Aim Is True" are two of my favorite all time albums.

The problem with Elvis Costello reactions on a music channel is knowing which songs to listen to because he has so much diversity and so many gems, mostly outside of his most well-known songs. Probably best to consider doing a full album reaction sometime, as that is how his music is best consumed in my opinion.

Elvis Costello is an incredible songwriter and lyrics are a big part of his appeal. Trying to think of a song that will resonate with you is becoming difficult. I'm thinking maybe Alison is the sweet spot. Mid-tempo, lyrics are easy to understand and it was a huge hit. Just searching for a solid A+ or S for one of the 20th Century's finest songwriters. Have a great weekend Gents!

I stood in the rain to watch Elvis Costello play at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. He’s not my favorite artist but that experience was worth it.

"Veronica" is one I believe you guys would like. He's a great songwriter. Linda Ronstadt did several of his songs such as "Alison," "Party Girl," Girls Talk," and "Talking in the Dark." I think you would like Ronstadt's take on "Girls Talk."

Your third Elvis Costello reaction, and the third time you rated him on the low end of the scale. I think he's one of those artists who comes off better when you listen to several songs at a time, to get in his groove. To me, he's amazing.

The thing about this song is that it's cultural impact is greater than its pure musical quality. It came out in the UK where it was cracking down on music (specifically the Sex Pistols' "God Save the Queen"). The song raises concerns about corporate control of the type of music getting aired. So, when they are making their US TV debut on Saturday Night Live a few months after their debut release, (Ironically because the Sex Pistols had "visa issues" and couldn't make it), they are told to play a song they don't want to do ("Less Than Zero") because a) its an older song & b) subject matter is very British history specific and irrelevant to a US audience. So they start playing LTZ on SNL and it must of struck a nerve in Elvis to have this song about suits telling musicians what to play and in real life being told by TV network suits telling him what to play. So he quits playing about 15 seconds into LTZ and starts "Radio Radio". According to Bill Murray, SNL chief Lorne Michael was furious and was just flipping Elvis off. The whole opening verse, Elvis is singing about " Late Night Stations* ... bringing tears to my eyes ... they really think we're getting out of control" and staring off to his left with pure contempt on his face. Then he hits the bridge and you can just hear the same contempt when he spits out "I want to bite the hand the feeds me ... I want to make them wish they'd never seen me". Then when they finish the song, Elvis makes a big sarcastic bow in the exact same leftward direction he had been staring earlier and wordlessly walks off staring in to the camera in complete disdain. It's the most punk rock thing anyone has ever done on mainstream TV. Everything anyone one else has done is just posing. *: Saturday Night Live/Late Night Stations; SNL/LNS an apt coincidence.

Well . . . A&A took time to get Tom Petty, Talking Heads, so maybe one day they'll get Elvis Costello too. If a friend did offer free tickets to see him concert, I won't say they'd go buy all the merch, but would think, "That was well worth even an hour drive".

Elvis Costello really GETS BETTER the more you listen! Great lyrics + tunes :)

This years Model is imo his best album. Very angry and raw

The keys are less "circus" and more of a callback to British dance halls of the 60's/70's. I was 12 when this came out so it had a certain amount of freshness that maybe doesn't stand the test of time. I hope you don't give up on EC but I won't be surprised if you do.

Declan McManus is one of the greatest singer/songwriters of any century. Attractions were an amazing band.

Elvis Costello is one of the best song writers ever

I think you need to put yourself in the era to really appreciate artists like Elvis Costello. I don't remember what you've played, but Alison and Red Shoes were two of his best. I always liked Chelsea, too.

I will probably never understand why you don’t love Elvis Costello. Elvis is punk with polish. It’s deliberately sparse but the song writing is brilliant. For people of my generation he’s a genius. The other thing I think a younger generation will miss is the subject matter. For those of us who came of age in the 70s radio was everything. Especially the free form rock and new wave (KLOS, KMET, KROQ in LA) radio that bloomed at this time. There was also a feeling that these things were being lost as MTV was approaching. This feeling was captured in songs like “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles, famously the first song played on MTV (1980 BTW) and “Radio Gaga” by Queen (from which Lady Gaga took her name). Those who came up with streaming music will never understand the shared experience of rock radio in the 70s and 80s. This song is so full of meaning to a old fart like me but I totally understand why younger folks wouldn’t understand the passion behind it.

ELVIS is awesome: BEST next songs: "BEYOND BELIEF" (a stunning piece of music and lyric), "NEW AMSTERDAM" "ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN," "KING OF AMERICA" and "RIOT ACT"... He's got so many more brilliant songs... but that's a great starter set. ALSO Please hit XTC. "SENSES WORKING OVERTIME" and "COMPLICATED GAME" (which will blow you away) are a great place to go... You guys rock. Cheers!

The story I heard about the SNL episode was that the suits at NBC didn’t like that it decried the corporate nature of broadcasting and that it was killing people’s souls. And he sang it live anyway. SO punk rock.

He was such a pioneer in music & influencing.

All eras of rock & roll need an "eloquent angry young man" figure. Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson filled that role nicely in the late '70s and early '80s.

Love the drumming in this band, and on this track/album. Elvis is an acquired taste for some. This album taken as a whole gives you the best idea of the amazing band and what he's all about. "Radio Radio" is nowhere near my favorite Elvis Costello song, but it's the last song on my favorite album of his. ("This Year's Model"). The band on that album is unreal. The drums, the bass playing and the organ. The drums are kick-ass.

More Elvis Costello please! Thanks.

"I didn't feel, like, effectively cradled sonically"...the single greatest sentence ever uttered by a carbon based, bipedal, sentient life form....

Never been a huge fan of Elvis Costello's music, but Peace Love and Understanding is a real banger.

Strong suggestion: Try a whole album, and you won't regret it: "King of America." One of the best albums you've never heard (of). Elvis Costello has dipped into nearly every genre you can imagine, from rock to pop to jazz to classical to hiphop and more. Simply amazing range, and it's all good. Try "I Want You" for a very different but great song. Or "Shipbuilding." Or "Brilliant Mistake." All very different, all so well written. He's a songwriter's songwriter for sure. It's worth the time to get into him, and once you're there you won't want to leave.

This song got him banned from Saturday Night Live. They wanted him to play Less Than Zero but he didn't like being told what to play. So they played a bit of that song and then he stopped and launched into Radio Radio.

A++ all the way. You had to be there.

You’d appreciate this song more if you’d heard it in the context of the time it was written, it’s a protest song against the dullness of local radio and the over control, biting the hand that feeds me was a dig at the BBC, particularly their premier station Radio 1. Forty years later that’s more relaxant than ever but the message doesn’t come across so strongly.

Brings back some damn good memories of my 20s.

I never ever think of Elton John sounding anything like this.

His first 6 albums are amazing

I had a feeling this song would get a B before I watched the video. I think sonically you are correct. This song dose not cradle you, but if it did, it would diminish it considerably. This song asks you to look beyond what you expect from music. When you consider the music that came before it. This song was like modern art in a see of realism. It was refreshing.

If you’re diving into new wave, you really need to dive into Joe Jackson’s I’m the Man (which is a scathing commentary on Advertising but also a high energy banger) with my absolute favorite base!

If I had to summarize Elvis Costello in a few words, it would be, "I wanna bit the hand that feeds me/I wanna bite than hand so badly/I wanna make them wish they'd never seen me." It's an attitude we need more of in popular music if you ask me. And yes, the whole album slaps. I thought his quality fell off sharply a few years later as he got lost in...what, self-pity? Anger at everything? But for a few years he was brilliant.

No single song by Elvis Costello is going to convince you one way or another. But the sheer amount of output from 1978 thru 1982 should. For me, 4 of his 5 best albums are from this period: This Year's Model, Armed Forces, Get Happy! and Trust. The other is his King of America album, which came out in 1986. Although you're probably not going to do it on your channel, you should give the following songs a listen at some point in your lives: Beyond Belief, Man Out of Time, No Action, Pump It Up, You Belong To Me, Big Boys, Running out of Angels, Accidents Will Happen, Oliver's Army, What's So Funny Bout Peace Love And Understanding, Busy Bodies, Party Girl, Love For Tender, King Horse, Possession, Men Called Uncle, Opportunity, High Fidelity, Temptation, Riot Act, Girls Talk, Lover's Walk, You'll Never Be A Man, Strict Time, Watch Your Step, New Lace Sleeves, How Much I've Lied, Brilliant Mistake, Lovable, I'll Wear It Proudly, I Hope You're Happy Now, Tokyo Storm Warning, Crimes of Paris and Next Time Round. That should do it. 34 songs. How about London's Brilliant Parade to make it a rounder 35.

I turned this up so loud as I watched! Such a fun song

I love his album of country covers he did in Nashville, Almost Blue. Something about what his voice did with those songs just gets me.

You cannot fully appreciate Elvis songs until you dissect the lyrics.

Two more power pop tunes from the era: I’m the Man by Joe Jackson and Talk to ya Later by The Tubes. For Elvis Costello, try Watching the Detectives, classic and liked by essentially everyone.

As far as what to do next from Costello, first I'd suggest hitting his Get Happy! album on Sunday's livestream, assuming that 1980 is the featured year. "New Amsterdam" is my #1 choice from that album, but it has other good songs. For what to hit next on a Mon/Wed/Fri reaction, "Alison" and "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding" are both essential Costello, so either of them would be fine.

You compared him to variety of folks all of whom are top notch lyricists. Elvis is the most creative, sophisticated lyricist I’ve heard in decades of listening to rock and it’s offshoots.

Early Elvis is some great stuff. I highly recommend "Beyond Belief" if you want to hear something that sounds like nothing else you've ever heard.

I love this cut. A perfect example of post punk / new wave rock. It’s a banger.

Just to add to the list praising Elvis.......he has many many great songs, with a great variety of styles. These songs can also grow on you - after a few listens you might actully like Radio Radio. He is brilliant live. Shipbuilding is a classic, and has some nice trumpet in it. His biggest early songs - I think you did Watching the Detectives, also there is I don't want to go to Chelsea, and Olivers Army, Some later songs - Kinda Murder, and Rocking Horse Road are great. The whole of his first album is stuffed with new wave gems, 1-3 minutes long poppy, catchy stuff, with Alison (a slow, very popular song) and Red Shoes (a great song) being the singles. What's so funny about peace love and understanding - great song and great title..........there are just so many to discover!!! Many biting lines such as: She said that she was working for the ABC News It was as much of the alphabet as she knew how to use.

I remember Elvis concerts in the early days being fast and furious affairs -- with Elvis ripping through a litany of shorter songs with no or little break in between. I recommend "Accidents Will Happen" or "Oliver's Army" (though it's a better song if you understand the global politics of the time). Others might steer you towards his cover of Nick Lowe's "What's So Funny About Peace, Love, and Understanding," and that's okay too. I also like the Paul McCartney/Declan MacManus (Elvis's real name) collaborations, such as "Veronica." Other's for Alex to not enjoy so much: "Opportunity," "Clubland," "Tokyo Storm Warnings."

He’s definitely in my Top Ten artists of all time and The Attractions are one of the best backing units as well. Very tight and quite intricate. Steve Nieve had never listened to rock before this. I appreciate what Andy and Alex do, and it’s not their fault, but actually growing up through these changes in rock genres gives you a more perspective on the importance of various groups. Just as Punk was a backlash against Prog Rock and AOR, Elvis and others of the New Wave were a backlash against the nihilism of Punk. They brought back style as well as a pop sound without being ponderous. This doesn’t mean Punks didn’t like Zeppelin or even Yes, or that Elvis didn’t like The Clash.

In context - imagine hearing this in 1978, it carried a lot of weight for it's fresh approach. He was / is a very important artist that was needed on the landscape. In the Mount Rushmore of late '70's "new wave", you had The Police, Joe Jackson, The Cars & Elvis Costello - all releasing killer music. 1978-1982 was a very interesting transitional period for rock and rock radio.

Elvis and his wife (Diana Krall) are both unique artists. In concert, Elvis has a big carnival-type wheel with song titles on it. During the show, he gets audience members to spin the "wheel of songs" and whatever it lands on, the band plays! Pretty cool guy, overall 😎

You might like his song Shipbuilding. It's a bit dramatic but rather beautiful. Same with I Want You. And speaking of dramatic vocals, I highly recommend Tori Amos

The attitude is everything. Pumps me up

I think someone could probably do a reaction show here on KZfaq with nothing but Elvis Costello songs. He’s got that big of a catalog of music. One of my favorite artists ever. So much diversity! Keep digging and you’ll find some gems. 😎🎶🎵

Given that you liked “Watching the Detectives,” didn’t think the “quirkiness” would be a problem. As time went on, he stripped out the studied awkwardness of his early stuff, and leaned into the songwriter aspects. You might like “Every Day I Write the Book.”

Best first 10 year output ever!

Elvis Costello definitely grew on me over time - lyrically a brilliant artist, and the comparison to Talking Heads is fair. With regards to social commentary, check out “Oliver’s Army” - amazing song with commentary on British Imperialism, specifically in Ireland. Also just cause you mentioned Knopfler - hit Dire Straits again soon!

His most epic song is (whats so funny bout) Peace love and Understanding. Give it a spin.

One Elvis Costello song I absolutely love and IMO will surprise, amaze, and probably confuse them is "Beyond Belief."

GOOOOOOOD MORNING A&A FAMILY FROM THE WINTER WONDERLAND THAT IS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA!!!! ☮️💟♾️🥶🏔️❄️🌨️

Yes, I drove 2 1/2 hrs to see him and would do it again.

I love this Elvis. Hard to top "Every day I Write the Book"

this song was so clever! Elvis Costello rocked!

Great album. Sounds good. Listen to what Bruce Thomas does on bass. Beast!!

The Attractions were so tight. Give that drummer some love.

There are many fantastic Elvis Costello songs.

The punk is tangible with most of his work - but it's "grown up" and subtle. He's an incredible lyricist... dude is just brilliant.

I like Elvis Costello and the Attractions "Everyday I Write The Book."

"Radio, Radio" is mostly an attitude and lyrics recording. Not one of my favorites of his, but also one of his most iconic creations. It came early in his career and its criticism of the pop music industry was not something many people were doing at the time. So far it seems like you guys have mostly hit stuff from his very early records, but if you ask a true Costello fan they will likely name some of his less Rock 'n' Roll style songs as their favorites ("Watching the Detectives" to be fair is pretty universally loved). Dude has released albums with country and bluegrass influences, classical recordings, R&B and soul-tinged efforts, and he has repeatedly produced ballads that would sit very comfortably in the great American song book of pop standards. His album-length collaboration with the late Burt Bacharach is achingly beautiful and gorgeously produced. He's definitely a Rock 'n' Roll artist overall, but he has played in so many different directions, he's not JUST that. In the end, it's partly the overwhelming flood of "B" to "A" songs in his discography that can't fail to impress. Some of my personal favorites include: "Sunday's Best," "Motel Matches," "Almost Blue," "Pills and Soap," "Shipbuilding," "The Big Light," "Sleep of the Just," "Blue Chair," "Let Him Dangle," "This Sad Burlesque," "Sulky Girl," "All This Useless Beauty," "Painted From Memory," "...Dust," "Let me Tell You About Her," "There's A Story in Your Voice," "Judgment," "Hidden Shame," "The Crooked Line," and "Suspect My Tears."

Lyrically, this was Spirit of Radio, but 2 years earlier. It is an A in my book.

Great track and part of an album that was a big hit with me and my fellow 16 year olds at the time. Please do a track by The Stranglers who were the best Punk/New Wave act of that era in my opinion. Their cover of Burt Bacharach’s Walk on By is brilliant. Do the full album version if you do

This Year's Model is worth a full listen, aside from everything else great about it, I've always thought it's got the best bass work of any rock album.

Oh you need to see him live!! He puts on a great show!!

Elvis was one of the rare "songwiters " of the '80s, like Sting or Peter Gabriel.

I feel that this song brings "old style and mixes it with high brow new style" . In a way, it's danceable too. It's fun...brings a laugh. But yep, you need an ear for it too.

We saw him in Toronto circa 1980 and Ian Drury & The Blockheads opened ( Sex, Drugs & RocknRoll). What a show!!!

Believe it or not radio used to be very important. Growing up in the 70's, before MTV and the internet, it was a huge part of life. The best DJ's were stars in their markets

Elvis Costello is not an artist I appreciated as much when I was younger, but he's been a major contributor to rock and roll with major respect from his peers. There's endless Elvis Costello content to be appreciated.

This Years Girl...a banger with great lyrics.

Wow...I didn't think that it was even possible to not like Elvis Costello

The Attractions were not only a great band, but jolly nice chaps too.

This Years Model IS fantastic front to back Andy 🤘

I think your souls are still in the 70s boys ;-) but I get it. When this first came out it was not my cup of tea either but the late 70s early 80s witnessed a pretty meaningful shift in the soundscape. For some of us the move from rock to new wave was a jolt but new wave was compelling enough to get me interested cuz the influences of reggae, ska and punk all came together. It really moved the needle musically and made the 80s so distinct.

You caught me (literally) wearing my T that I got from a concert featuring Elvis Costello. "Allison" is my personal favorite, but I was in high school when it hit me hard.

If you don't like one Elvis Costello, try another album. He changed genres and sounds quite a bit himself - not quite Bowie-esque, just a long-ass career spanning many intetests and time periods. My faves are "New Amsterdam" for just sheer genius lyrics ("do I step on the brake to get out of her clutches / do I speak double Dutch to a real double Dutchess?") and "Beyond Belief" for a breathless anticipatory race the the end where they go HAM for like 10 seconds and it's INCREDIBLE, or the Ballady, bitter heartbreak of "Allison", and the more malevolent angst of the cheated lover on "I want you" which is just ... a ride. He's an incredibly gifted artist, IMO and I hope you try him again someday.

Elvis C was so unique at the time he burst on the scene. I believe he produced acts as well. Squeeze for example

You see…. When this came out it was fresh and new. Really in a league of its own. I guess it’s hard to appreciate all these years later

Whenever I see Andy and Alex give a less-than-enthused reaction to a punk or new wave song, I remember their reaction to Rod Stewart's "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" They *loved* it and both gave it an "A-half-plus." Now, I don't *hate* Rod's stab at disco. I certainly appreciate it more than most other punk/new wave fans whom I know. As a punk fan though, I've accepted that A & A simply don't care much for punk/new wave, and that's ok.

I don't think you could even approach understanding how important radio was.

Thoughtful analysis as always guys. New wave refers in many ways to what was a follow up to the groovy “British Invasion “ of the late sixties. The energy was very different as a direct change from the previous generation! I grew up on the groovy stuff, but coming of age, was ready for fresh new sounds. The Cars, Talking Heads, XTC, Police, Eurythmics and so many more filled the bill. ✌️