Slow Drag with Remedy :: An Elvis Costello Appreciation

Today’s slow drag is with “You Little Fool” from “Imperial Bedroom,” released in 1982. The songwriting is credited to Elvis Costello.

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Show Notes:

Appreciation written, produced, and narrated by Remedy Robinson, MA/MFA

Bluesky Social: https://bsky.app/profile/slowdragwithremedy.com

Email: [email protected]

Podcast music by https://www.fesliyanstudios.com

Rate this Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/slowdrag

References:

Elvis Costello Wiki Resource, “You Little Fool” http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/You_Little_Fool

“You Little Fool” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYmVfF3WX_Q

“You Little Fool” Demo version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEo40X9_HUs

Purchase “The Most Terrible Time in My Life...Ends Thursday”

Daddy's best girl in the world is not supposed to have a boyfriend

But she's never wanted at home

Other girls are allowed to wear their makeup

She sneaks out her lipstick, powder and comb

She surrounds his name with hearts and flowers

Talks on the telephone for hours and hours

But with a bird in his hand

And two on a string

The words of love have an imitation ring

Chorus:

You little fool, you little fool

I suppose that you're going to stay all night

You little fool

Don't look at me that way, you know it isn't right

You little fool

They say no news is good news

The little girl wants information

Mother just gives her some pills to choose

And says go and use your imagination

Daddy's best girl in the world says just look what I got

As she sits beside him on the high stool

With his arm around her neck, snowball in one hand

And the other full of imitation jewels

She fingers a string of pearls

An imitation but he'll never know it

Imitation lashes flutter above

Looking for an imitation of love

(Chorus)

Alternative second verse intro lyrics:

And you’re so surprised she’s up to hijinks out on the high stools

Sitting with a snowball in one hand, the other full of imitation jewels

Today’s slow drag is with “Spooky Girlfriend” from “When I Was Cruel,” released in 2002. The songwriting is credited to Elvis Costello.

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Show Notes:

Appreciation written, produced, and narrated by Remedy Robinson, MA/MFA

Bluesky Social: https://bsky.app/profile/slowdragwithremedy.com

Email: [email protected]

Podcast music by https://www.fesliyanstudios.com

Rate this Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/slowdrag

References:

Elvis Costello Wiki Resource, “Spooky Girlfriend” http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Spooky_Girlfriend

“Spooky Girlfriend” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMBmd6m7h-c

“Spooky Girlfriend” Cruel Smile, Live on KFOG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJsRa4XojFs

“London’s Brilliant Parade” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZmNE964rmk

Purchase “The Most Terrible Time in My Life...Ends Thursday”

"Spooky Girlfriend" Lyrics:

I want a girl to make a mess

To do no wrong she must confess

And then perhaps hitch up her dress

'Cos when the flashbulbs explode

She's such a sensitive soul

I want a girl who is helpless and frail

Who won't pull on my ponytail

I want a girl who has no past

She's made up now

But that won't last

'Cos when she sits on my knee

And then she whispers to me

"Can't you see

could be

could be

Your spooky girlfriend...

I could be, I could be your spooky girlfriend”

And the broken toys are scattered in the attic

And the Newspapers play in the words of the fanatic

And the greeting cards are your most poetic lyric

And the flat champagne is sweet sugar syrup

I want to paint you with glitter and with dirt

Picture you with innocence and hurt

The shutter closes

Exposes the shot

She says, "Are you looking up my skirt?"

When you say "No"

She says "Why not?"

I want a girl to turn my screw

To wind my watch, to buckle my shoe

And if she won't, her mother will do

'Cos when she does as she's told

We'll all turn platinum and gold

But when she sits on my knee

I hear her whispers to me

"Can't you see?"

"I could be your spooky girlfriend"

Today’s slow drag is with “There’s a Story in Your Voice” from “The Delivery Man,” released in 2004. The songwriting is credited to Elvis Costello, with the guest vocal of Lucinda Williams.

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Show Notes:

Appreciation written, produced, and narrated by Remedy Robinson, MA/MFA

Bluesky Social: https://bsky.app/profile/slowdragwithremedy.com

Email: [email protected]

Podcast music by https://www.fesliyanstudios.com

Rate this Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/slowdrag

References:

Elvis Costello Wiki Resource, “There’s a Story in Your Voice” http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/There%27s_A_Story_In_Your_Voice

“There’s a Story in Your Voice” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6dXZNT-Sd4

Purchase “The Most Terrible Time in My Life...Ends Thursday”

"There's a Story in Your Voice" Lyrics

Once upon another time

If you had the need

I'd step right in the shoes that you've been walking

'Cos someone put the hurt in you

For everyone to see

And you only have to speak to tell your fortune

There's a story in your voice

Both by damage and by choice

It tells of promises and pleasure

And a tale of wine and woe

The uneasy time to come

And the long way 'round we go to get there

Once you told me fairytales

Everybody knows

But I didn't care for their prediction

Now you say you're leaving me

And packing up your clothes

I finally see you were a work of fiction

There's a story in your walk

Then you crumble just like chalk

And I could say that I was sorry

But I wouldn't mean it much

There are pages I can't touch

And something that's been torn out of this chapter

Far away, not far enough

'Cos I can still recall

How it felt when I read that last sentence

Now I go inside some rooms with Gideon in them all

And hide myself from all hope of repentance

There's a story in your eyes

Cheap sunglasses might disguise

But when the bedroom light reveals

All that bravado and that fright

That you cover up in spite

Attempts to strip away this fabrication

There's a story in your voice

Both by damage and by choice

It tells of promises and pleasure

And a tale of wine and woe

The uneasy time to come

And the long way 'round we go to get there

Today’s slow drag is with “Dishonor the Stars” from the Grammy Award winning “Look Now,” released in 2018. The songwriting is credited to Elvis Costello.

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Show Notes:

Appreciation written, produced, and narrated by Remedy Robinson, MA/MFA

Bluesky Social: https://bsky.app/profile/slowdragwithremedy.com

Email: [email protected]

Podcast music by https://www.fesliyanstudios.com

Rate this Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/slowdrag

References:

Elvis Costello Wiki Resource, “Dishonor the Stars” http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Dishonor_The_Stars

“Dishonor the Stars” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E18wcuJYxRM

Purchase “The Most Terrible Time in My Life...Ends Thursday”

"Dishonor The Stars" Lyrics

If you wake and chance

to look above you

There's one that I named to show how

much I love you

Hanging up high

Poets long have written and

have sung of

moonlight and some

distant satellite and

when we're young we wish

upon them

Other men may only dream

to kiss you

But it's not a thrill like this

Put your lips a little closer to my cheek

then whisper,

then speak

So, tell me if you know

How deep can this thing go?

Honey will still desire the flowers

And there will be a love like ours

Until the sky dishonors the stars

What in the world would all this

amount to?

If I can't tell you how much

I want you

On such a night the sky might

dishonor the stars

Disown and dishonor the stars

Poets long have written and

have sung of

moonlight and some

distant satellite and

when we're young we wish

upon them

Other men may only dream to kiss you

But it's not a thrill like this

Put your lips a little closer to my cheek

then whisper,

then speak

So, tell me if you know

How deep can this thing go?

Honey will still desire the flowers

And there will be a love like ours

Until the sky dishonors the stars

What in the world would all this

amount to?

If I can't tell you how much

I want you

On such a night the sky might

dishonor the stars

Disown and dishonor the stars

Today’s slow drag is with “Two Little Hitlers,” from “Armed Forces,” released in 1979. The songwriting is credited to Elvis Costello.

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Written, produced, and narrated by Remedy Robinson, MA/MFA

Twitter: @slowdragremedy

Email: [email protected]

Podcast music by https://www.fesliyanstudios.com

Rate this Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/slowdrag

References:

Elvis Costello Wiki Resource: http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Little_Atoms

“Two Little Hitlers” http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Two_Little_Hitlers

“Two Little Hitlers” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkyMYl_u2H0

https://singledatingdiva.com/2015/09/02/finding-the-ideal-partner-requires-selective-dating/

Grammy nomination surprise: https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/awards/8546756/elvis-costello-grammy-rule-change-nomination

Todd Rundgren cover of “Two Little Hitlers” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc6cI_BNlBg

“Taste of Honey” “Boogie Oogie Oogie”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYWkG_DI5OE

"Two Little Hitlers" Lyrics

Why are we racing to be so old? I'm up late pacing the floor I won't be told You have your reservations I'm bought and sold I'll face the music I'll face the facts Even when we walk in polka dots and chequer slacks Bowing and squawking Running after titbits Bobbing and squinting Just like a nitwit Two little Hitlers will fight it out until One little Hitler does the other one's will I will return I will not burn

Down in the basement I need my head examined I need my eyes excited I'd like to join the party But I was not invited You make a member of me I'll be delighted I wouldn't cry for lost souls, you might drown Dirty words for dirty minds Written in a toilet town Dial me a Valentine She's a smooth operator It's all so calculated She's got a calculator She's my soft touch typewriter And I'm the great dictator Two little Hitlers will fight it out until One little Hitler does the other one's will I will return I will not burn A simple game of self-respect You flick a switch and the world goes off Nobody jumps as you expect I would have thought you would have had enough by now You call selective dating For some effective mating I thought I'd let you down, dear But you were just deflating I knew right from the start We'd end up hating Pictures of the merchandise Plastered on the wall We can look so long as we don't have to talk at all You say you'll never know him He's an unnatural man He doesn't want your pleasure He wants as no one can He wants to know the names of All those he's better than Two little Hitlers will fight it out until One little Hitler does the other one's will I will return I will not burn I will return I will not burn (repeats)