Some Songs Considered

“Accidents Will Happen (Live – June 4, 1978)” – Elvis Costello and the Attractions
(Words/music: Elvis Costello, available on Armed Forces (Bonus Disc), Rhino 2002 and Live at Hollywood High, Hip-O 2010)

In the opening line of “Accidents Will Happen,” on Armed Forces, Costello declares, “Oh, I just don’t know where to begin.”  It may, somewhat ironically, be one of the more clichéd ways to begin a story, but in this case Costello uses it to immediately call attention to the perspective in the song.  If he doesn’t know the best way to tell the story, he seems willing to approach it from a few different angles.  Putting aside the song’s hook and the opening line, Costello moves through different points of view as the song progresses – telling the story as a third person narrator in the first verse, speaking directly to a second person in the second verse, and finally landing on “we” in the song’s bridge. Perhaps these are different fragments of stories put together for the big picture, but they seem like the same story from different angles.  The bits in the first person – the introduction, the hook, and the “I know” repeated at the end – frame these pieces as part of a single narrative.

On this recording, Costello and long-time keyboardist Steve Nieve give the song a slower, somber interpretation.    In particular, Costello’s slower pace and Nieve’s blue notes put Costello’s narrative upfront with a sadder tone.  It’s also interesting that he sets up the songs slightly differently, beginning with the chorus before starting.  Perhaps the arrangement tips my interpretation this way, but this version emphasizes the narrator’s involvement in the storyline, making the different shifts in perspective his attempt to find traction and start to make sense of this emotional accident. 

More on Elvis Costello and the Attractions: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

“Watching the Detectives” – Elvis Costello
(Words/music: Elvis Costello, available on My Aim is True (Reissue), Rykodisc 1993)

Elvis Costello earned a reputation as a gifted lyricist.  Most discussions of his music, particularly his late ‘70s output, focuses on the sarcasm, wordplay, and wit in his lyrics (which makes sense for a man who uses the word “anaesthetize” in a pop song).  His skill doesn’t end on the lyric sheet, though; Costello could put notes on a staff with the same expertise he could fill his notebook.  Whether arranging his own songs or producing others records, Costello has a knack for using his core group of musicians to create whatever sound or mood his song needs. 

“Watching the Detectives” does this particularly well.  Using the same group of core instruments that made the melancholy “Allison,” Costello turns a wobbily reggae shuffle into a darker, more sinister sounding song.  The lyrics draw on the melodrama in a TV detective show, and in turn Costello draws on some of sounds of a noir thriller in his song.  Overall, it makes his story about a couple divided by television that much more mysterious.  Like the shows the lover enjoys watching, we’re missing some of the clues about the relationship; borrowing some of the musical tricks from these shows is Costello’s way of winking at us as he makes a boring night on the couch seem dramatic.  From the dirty drums to the dark sounding guitar, the dark groove puts us on alert.  When his band suddenly cuts out at the end of the third verse, Costello uses the band to create drama beyond his narrative, ultimately letting the music help him tell his story.  It’s hard to imagine making a droll night in this compelling with words alone.

More on Elvis Costello: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

“So It Goes” – Nick Lowe
(Words/music: Nick Lowe, available on Jesus of Cool, Radar Records 1978)

My experience with Nick Lowe’s catalog suggests that he’s a remarkably consistent songwriter.  I realize that this sounds like a backhanded compliment, but I mean it with a great deal of respect.  Lowe navigates different styles with the same melodic charms.  On the Jesus of Cool album, reissued by Yep Roc last year, Lowe’s songs flirt with reggae, disco, and rockabilly at different points.  “So It Goes,” a shuffling power-pop song, finds Lowe somewhere in the middle of all of these genre extremes.  While it isn’t as adventurous as some of the other songs, Lowe’s focus lies solely on his two biggest strengths – his clever way with words and his knack for spinning a melody.   He sings the song in a way that makes him sound a bit like Phil Lynott from Thin Lizzy, and while “So it Goes” lacks the same muscle as a lot of the best Thin Lizzy songs, it has a similar energy.  Looking back, the connection between Lowe and Elvis Costello makes perfect sense, as Costello’s first few records (produced by Lowe) sound very similar (not to mention that the covers to Jesus of Cool and This Year’s Model strike me a similar in style).  Costello took Lowe’s melodic sensibility and genre curiosities to the masses, yet this shouldn’t diminish Lowe’s reputation as both a performer and a songwriter.  At his peak, his songs stand up with Costello’s catalog and his contemporaries as well, additionally having a hand in crafting a sound other power-pop acts would try to emulate.

More on Nick Lowe: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm