Song of the Day: 'Accidents Will Happen' by Elvis Costello and the Attractions

The main Attraction looks back on his mistakes -- and the real meaning behind his 1979 song:

Several songs influenced me during the writing of “Accidents.” The drama and scale of the song was swayed by Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “Anyone Who Had a Heart.” Though their song doesn’t resemble “Accidents” in any way, I wanted their bell-tolling sensation in the chorus that the Attractions’ Steve Nieve articulated well on keyboards. 

The other inspiration was a lyric line -- “I don’t want to hear it”-- from Randy Newman’s “I Don’t Want to Hear It Anymore.” Dusty Springfield recorded it on her 1969 “Dusty in Memphis” album. I used the line in my chorus: 

“Accidents will happen / We only hit and run / I don’t want to hear it / ’Cause I know what I’ve done.”

Keep reading HERE.

Song of the Day: 'Veronica' by Elvis Costello

This one's for my honey, who was bummed he didn't get to hear it live on Wednesday at Forest Hills. Did you know he co-wrote it with some guy named Paul McCartney?

Some background on the hit, via Mix:

In his memoir, "Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink," Elvis Costello write about the impact that the Beatles had on his musical life: “Please Please Me” got him fired up about rock ’n’ roll when he was 9. He counts a complete set of Beatles autographs among his musical treasures. He made the ambitious, beautiful album "Imperial Bedroom" with Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick in 1982. And Costello wrote and recorded his highest-charting single to date, the Number One Modern Rock song “Veronica,” with Paul McCartney.

“When I’d got the call to say Paul wanted me to write some songs with him for his next record, I didn’t know what to expect,” Costello writes, “but as his last co-written hit had been with Michael Jackson, I wondered whether I should be taking some dancing lessons.”

Fortunately, great moves were not required for this collaboration. Costello’s writing sessions with McCartney took place above McCartney’s East Sussex studio, where the two artists were “sitting on two couches across a low table with a pen, a notepad, and a guitar apiece,” Costello writes. “Bill Black’s upright bass, the one with the white piping that you see in early stage pictures of Elvis Presley, stood in the corner like a good-luck charm.”

Both arrived with partially completed songs, some of which later landed on McCartney’s "Flowers in the Dirt" album (1989), and others that became part of Costello’s album "Spike" (1989).

“I’d brought an early draft of ‘Veronica’ that you would have recognized, but we immediately got to work putting a better flow into the chorus and shifting the bridge into making that part of the song seem more like a dream,” Costello explains in his autobiography. “All of the words that I’d already written were about my paternal grandmother, Molly, or more formally, Mabel Josephine Jackson. In fact, her Catholic confirmation name, Veronica, provided the very title of the song.”

Costello’s grandmother had suffered from dementia, and the dreamlike qualities of the song lyrics and the arrangement (and the MTV Video Music Award-winning video) reference the confused, irregular flashes of her memory. But the recording somehow turns this dark, fragmented subject matter into a bright, sparkling pop song.

“In our initial discussions with ["Spike" co-producer] T Bone Burnett and Elvis and myself, we all felt that ‘Veronica’ was the best opportunity to have a single on the record,” recalls "Spike" engineer and co-producer Kevin Killen. “We said, ‘Let’s do everything we can to make it undeniably great and infectious’; every decision was made to maximize that impact. Generally speaking, tonally, we wanted something that was bright but also had a lot of resonance in terms of how the vocal was perceived.”

Blondie, Elvis Costello Give the Fans What They Want

Two notes I received from a friend in the row ahead of me. I miss notes.

Saw Blondie and Elvis Costello last night at Forest Hills Stadium. That we arrived on time yet still heard the first eight and a half(!) Blondie songs from the security line -- can you believe these idiots??? -- would probably make you think the night was a bust. 

Is that you, Chrissy Snow?

But having seen Debbie and the boys so many times, the outing was really much more about seeing Elvis for the first time -- he's been battling cancer, so I didn't want to take any chances -- and visiting the legendary venue where the Beatles once played. 

Tennis fans will remember that the West Side Tennis Club was also the home of the U.S. Open from 1915 until 1977 -- and that the 1977 event coincided with the summer I took up tennis. Will never forget watching 14-year-old Tracy Austin -- the powerhouse in pinafore -- battle her way into the quarterfinals. Or seeing Ice Maiden Chris Evert collect her third straight crown, beating Wendy "The Rabbit" Turnbull. (We played on either cement and indoor carpeting in Detroit -- what as this green clay stuff?!) Was tickled to see that the tournament's rich history can still be felt around the grounds, from the posters of Big Bill Tilden, Althea Gibson, Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert, Guillermo Vilas and so on, to the short shorts-clad staff (complete with wooden rackets) walking around. (I realize not getting a pic was a dereliction of duty!)

Both Blondie and Elvis's sets were heavy on hits, with the former doing all four of their No. 1s and the latter working the crowd into a tizzy on "Every Day I Write the Book." (Deb's biggest sin was doing an ill-advised rendition of "You're Too Hot," from her 2007 solo album; his was omitting "Veronica," Damian's fave and Elvis's biggest U.S. single.) Deb was in good spirits and the band sounded great, although Chris Stein was seated mostly. (I know he's had some health issues, so was happy he made it at all.) At first I was bummed they "opened" -- so it had kind of a state fair feel to the show, unlike Elvis's nighttime performance -- but I'm sure Debbie likes to get to bed early so I decided to forgive and forget! 

Security theater ...

Local boy makes good!

Fan boys ...

Arresting officers ...

P.S. I may have missed some Debbie at the show, but I got my hands on an advance copy of her new memoir that will surely fill the void!

Blondie set list:

One Way or Another

Hanging on the Telephone

Fun

Call Me

Maria

Too Much

Rapture

Old Town Road

Fade and Away and Radiate

The Tide Is High (with "Groove Is in the Heart")

Orchid Club(!)

Atomic

Heart of Glass (with "I Feel Love")

You're Too Hot (should've been Military Rap if she was going to do that!)

Dreaming (perfect ending!)

Elvis Costello and the Imposters setlist:

Pump It Up

Miracle Man

Clubland

Accidents Will Happen

Green Shirt

Photographs Can Lie

Mr. and Mrs. Hush

Beyond Belief

Watching the Detectives (with incredible film noir slide show!)

A Face in the Crowd

This Year's Girl

Less Than Zero

I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down

High Fidelity

Every Day I Write the Book

Alison

(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding

Song of the Day: 'Doncha Go 'Way Mad' by the Jazz Passengers Featuring Debbie Harry and Elvis Costello

Blondie and Elvis Costello & the Imposters announced a co-headlining summer tour yesterday -- not the first time these two legends have worked together! Who's going?

Deb's beauty and facial expressions more than compensate for her voice's incompatibility with the music here. At least she didn't (quite) scat -- this time!

UPDATE: Video from David Letterman has been removed, but the studio version works fine ...

Song of the Day: 'Almost Blue' by Elvis Costello and the Attractions

Here's wishing Elvis Costello a full recovery from his recent cancer surgery.

Song of the Day: '(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea' by Elvis Costello and the Attractions

He didn't want to go to Chelsea, so I left him in Tribeca.

The Main Attraction

Elvis Costello may not want to go to Chelsea, but that didn't stop Michael from spotting the legendary songman in Tribeca!

Song of the Day: 'Radio Sweetheart' by Elvis Costello

When a song this great is left off your debut album and used as a b-side, you know you're headed for legendary status. Nick Lowe produced, which explains why his then-wife Carlene Carter covered it shortly thereafter. No, I can't hide my love ...

Song of the Day: 'April 5th' by Rosanne Cash with Elvis Costello & Kris Kristofferson

 This popped up somewhere yesterday, so I figured it was well worth a post. I think this clip was from Elvis Costello's talk show, "Spectacle," back in 2008. Whatever the case, it's a great song written by the three, a process Rosanne described in a column for the New York Times HERE.

Song of the Day: 'Everyday I Write the Book' by Elvis Costello & the Attractions

This had been my theme song of late. Hope to have more news on that front sooner than later!

Music Box: Elvis Costello

For whatever reason, Elvis Costello is one of those artist I love, but am not obsessive about. (It's strange how I do that -- learn more HERE.) But I will say this: If I had to pick one song I could have written the lyrics to, it would definitely be "Every Day I Write the Book." Pure genius. ("Radio Sweetheart" is another all-time fave.) Here are two other Elvis classics:

"Oliver's Army"

"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding"