5 Elvis Costello collaborations you should know
Elvis Costello turned 70 in August 2024. The prolific and gifted singer, songwriter and guitarist first came to the public's notice during the punk/new wave area, but his artistry has always been too expansive to be limited to those labels. In addition to his work as a solo artist and with his bands (the Attractions, the Imposters, etc.), the man born Declan McManus often collaborates with other songwriters and musicians. Here are five of the most noteworthy examples.
“The Only Flame in Town” by Elvis Costello with Daryl Hall from Goodbye Cruel World (1984)
Still working with The Attractions, Costello had long since moved beyond “new wave” by the time of this 1984 album. His interest in soul music had always been a part of his artistry, but with the album’s single – remixed to make it a duet with Hall & Oates’ Daryl Hall – he leaned heavily into the style. Originally written for (by never recorded by) Aaron Neville, Costello’s “The Only Flame in Town” shows up on several Costello best-ofs, though as a single in the U.S. it peaked at #56.
“My Brave Face” by Paul McCartney from Flowers in the Dirt (1989)
In the years after the Beatles’ breakup, Paul McCartney only occasionally collaborated on songwriting, mostly with wife Linda. But when word came that he was working with Costello, many fans felt that at last McCartney had taken on a co-writer worthy of the role. The results of their writing sessions came out scattered across albums by both him and Costello, but there was never a fully collaborative album from the pair. The two most celebrated tunes the two composed together are “Veronica” (on Costello’s Spike LP) and this tune.
“Toledo” by Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach from Painted From Memory (1998)
For many fans, the first taste of a collaboration between Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach came when the two appeared in the 1999 comedy film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, singing Bacharach’s “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again.” But in fact the duo had released Painted From Memory the year before. Costello had cut several Bacharach tunes previously, but this album was their first time working together on a full album project.
“Clubland” by Elvis Costello and the Metropole Orkest from My Flame Burns Blue (2006)
The song “Clubland” first appeared on Trust, the 1981 album by Elvis Costello and the Attractions. A highlight of that album, the song has remained in Costello’s live set for many years. In 2006 he recorded a live set with the Netherlands-based Metropole Orkest, an ensemble featuring between 50 and 90 musicians. Their collaborative reading of “Clubland” takes the song to new and fascinating places, underscoring the adage that a great song can remain a great song in any style.
“Wake Me Up” by Elvis Costello and the Roots from Wise Up Ghost (2013)
Perhaps the unlikeliest of Costello’s collaborations, the album Wise Up Ghost paired the British songwriter with The Roots, the acclaimed hip hop group led by Amir “Questlove” Thompson. The record showed that seemingly disparate styles worked quite well in the hands of talented artists such as these. With funky, understated horns and stabs of stinging guitar fills, the hypnotic “Wake Me Up” is merely the most well-known track on a record that’s solid start to finish.
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