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"My vocation in life is to be irritating! Not something actively destructive, just something that irritates, that disorients".
"The two things that matter to me, the only two motivations for me to write all these songs, are revenge and guilt. They are the only two emotions I can feel. Love? I really don't know what it is, it truly does not exist in my songs". 1977
"Almost all the punk bands couldn't play in time. It was all a cacophony that meant nothing. On the contrary, The Attractions knew how to keep time and make it musical. Plus, we were truly terrible with people... In fact, we were much meaner than all those groups. In fact, we were like all of them combined". 1989
I took these quotes from Elvis Costello from Tony Clayton-Len's book, "Elvis Costello, a biography", which to my knowledge has not been translated into Italian. And the songs of young Mac Manus in the late '70s were indeed truly harsh, caustic soda corrected by vitriol.
Probably the most famous song from the album remains "Less than zero", picked up by Ellis as the title of his book. A song far more memorable than the novel itself, which is rather mediocre:
"Turn up the TV, no one listening will suspect
Even your mother won't detect it, so your father won't know
They think that I've got no respect but
Everything is less than zero
Hey, oo hey-ey
Hey, oo hey-ey
Oswald and his sister are doing it again
They've got the finest home movies that you have ever seen
They've got a thousand variations, every service with a smile
They're gonna take a little break and they'll be back after a while
Well, I hear that South America is coming into style
A pistol was still smoking, a man lay on the floor
Mr. Oswald said he had an understanding with the law
He said he heard about a couple living in the USA
He said they traded in their baby for a Chevrolet
Let's talk about the future, now we've put the past away"
I still marvel that when he went on tour in America they didn't lynch him. Besides, I believe that when he got off the plane he declared that his intent was to corrupt American youth! A man like that, in my humble opinion, can only be considered a hero.
Another great track remains "Alison". The music sounds like a romantic ballad, almost sappy. The lyrics are as cynical as you can imagine:
"Oh it's so funny to be seeing you after so long, girl. And with the way you look I understand that you are not impressed.The girl arrives and claims that Mac Manus got her pregnant. He denies it and would like to shoot her. The best part is that it's unclear how it actually went.
But I heard you let that little friend of mine take off your party dress.
I'm not going to get too sentimental like those other sticky valentines, cause I don't know if you've been loving somebody. I only know it isn't mine.
Alison, I know this world is killing you. Oh, Alison, my aim is true."
Among the meanest and nastiest records in the history of rock. The beauty is that if you don't pay attention to the lyrics, it all sounds syrupy! It makes you wonder if the world wouldn't be better if we were all meaner and less hypocritical.
Dedicated to all those who make cruelty an art. If you hate benevolence and political correctness, I think you'll love it.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 Welcome to the Working Week (01:23)
Now that your picture's in the paper being rhythmically admired
and you can have anyone that you have ever desired,
all you gotta tell me now is why, why, why, why.
Welcome to the workin' week.
Oh I know it don't thrill you, I hope it don't kill you.
Welcome to the workin' week.
You gotta do it till you're through it so you better get to it.
All of your family had to kill to survive,
and they're still waitin' for their big day to arrive.
But if they knew how I felt they'd bury me alive.
Welcome to the workin' week.
Oh I know it don't thrill you, I hope it don't kill you.
Welcome to the workin' week.
You gotta do it till you're through it so you better get to it.
I hear you sayin', "Hey, the city's alright,"
when you only read about it in books.
Spend all your money gettin' so convinced
that you never even bother to look.
Sometimes I wonder if we're livin' in the same land,
Why d'you wanna be my friend when I feel like a juggler
running out of hands?
Welcome to the workin' week, oh, welcome to the working week.
04 Blame It on Cain (02:53)
Once upon a time, I had a little money.
Government burglars took it long
before I could mail it to you.
Still, you are the only one.
Now I can't let it slip away.
So if the man with the ticker tape,
he tries to take it,
well this is what I'm gonna say.
Blame it on Cain.
Don't blame it on me.
Oh, oh, it's nobody's fault,
but we need somebody to burn.
Well if I was a saint with
a silver cup
and the money got low
we could always heat it up
or trade it in.
But then the radio TO heaven will be wired to your purse.
And then you can run down the wave band,
coast to coast, hand in hand.
Better or worse, curse for curse,
don't be dissatisfied.
So you're not satisfied.
chorus
I think I've lived a little too long
on the outskirts of town
I think I'm going insane
from talking to myself for so long.
Oh but I've never been accused.
But when they step up on your face,
They wear that good look grin.
I gotta break out one weekend
Try to do somebody in.
But every single time
I feel a little stronger,
they tell me it's a crime.
Well how much longer?
Blame it on Cain
Don't blame it on me
It might not be his fault
But it just might be his turn
05 Alison (03:26)
Oh, it's so funny to be seein' ya after so long girl
and with the way you look I understand that you are not impressed
But I heard you let that little friend of mine
take off your party dress
I'm not gonna get too sentimental
like those other sticker Valentines
'cause I don't know if you are lovin' somebody
I only know it isn't mine
Chorus
Alison,
I know this world is killin' you oh--
Alison,
my aim is true
Well I see you got a husband now
did you leave your pretty fingers flying in the wedding cake?
you used to hold him right in your hand
I bet it took all he could take
Sometimes I wish that I could stop you from talkin'
when I hear the silly things that you say
I think somebody better put out the big light
'cause I can't stand to see you this way
Chorus
06 Sneaky Feelings (02:10)
Now everybody's breakin' up somebody else's home,
before somebody else starts breaking up their own.
I get you in my dreams.
You should hear the things you say.
It's not that it's so much fun,
but it's safer that way.
Sneaky feeling, sneaky feelings,
you can't let those kind of feeling show.
I'd like to get right through the way I feel for you,
but I've still got a long way to go.
Why don't we call it a day, and we can both confess.
You can force me to use a little tenderness.
White lies, alibis, anything but say that it's true.
Now we could sit like lovers, staring in each other's eyes,
but the magic of the moment might become too much for you.
Sneaky feeling, sneaky feelings,
you can't let those kind of feeling show.
I'd like to get right through the way I feel for you,
But I've still got a long way to go.
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