- Spike (Elvis Costello album)
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Spike Studio album by Elvis Costello Released 14 February 1989 Recorded 1987-1988 Genre Rock, Jazz Length 63:50 Label Warner Bros.
Rhino (August 11, 2001 Reissue)Producer Elvis Costello, Kevin Killen & T-Bone Burnett Elvis Costello chronology Out of Our Idiot
(1987)Spike
(1989)Mighty Like a Rose
(1991)Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Allmusic [1] Chicago Tribune (Positive)[2] Entertainment Weekly (B) [3] Los Angeles Times [4] The New York Times (Positive)[5] Robert Christgau (B)[6] Rolling Stone [7] Spike is the 12th studio album by the British rock singer and songwriter Elvis Costello, released on and compact disc as Warner Brothers 25848. It was his first album for the label. It peaked at #5 on the UK album chart, and at #32 on the Billboard 200.
Contents
Content
In 1987, Costello began writing with Paul McCartney for the latter's Flowers in the Dirt album. They composed a dozen songs together, which showed up on multiple albums by McCartney and Costello.[8] Two of those songs appear on this album, "Pads, Paws and Claws" and the hit single "Veronica."
As his first album for a new label, in his own words Costello had the budget of "a small independent movie," and having in mind the blueprint for five different albums, decided to make all of them.[9] He brought back his foil from King of America, T-Bone Burnett, to facilitate the sessions and produce the album. Studio time was booked in four different locations: Ocean Way in Hollywood; Southland Studios in New Orleans; Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin; and AIR Studios in London.[10] Four different groups of musicians were assembled in each location. Writing credits on the album are given to both Declan MacManus and Elvis Costello.
The single "Veronica" peaked at #31 on the UK singles chart and at #19 in America, his best showing ever on the Billboard Hot 100. "This Town" was also released as a single but missed both of the main singles chart in both nations. An extended play single was also released for "Baby Plays Around," peaking at #65 in the UK.
The second track, "Let Him Dangle", is a protest song opposing capital punishment, recounting the conviction and execution of Derek Bentley.
Release history
The album was released initially on compact disc in 1989. As part of the Rhino Records reissue campaign for Costello's back catalogue from Demon/Columbia and Warners, it was re-released in 2001 with 17 additional tracks on a bonus disc. The bonus disc included three tracks with Nick Lowe on bass and Attractions drummer Pete Thomas for use as b-sides, recorded at Wessex Sound Studios after the Spike mixing sessions.[11] This reissue is out of print, the album reissued again by Universal Music Group after its acquisition of Costello's complete catalogue in 2006.
Track listing
All songs written by Elvis Costello, except where noted; track timings taken from Rhino 2001 reissue.
- "(You're Nobody Till Everybody in) This Town (Thinks You're a Bastard)" – 4:32
- "Let Him Dangle" – 4:45
- "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror" – 4:07
- "Veronica" (Costello, Paul McCartney) – 3:09
- "God's Comic" – 5:31
- "Chewing Gum" – 3:47
- "Tramp the Dirt Down" – 5:41
- "Stalin Malone" – 4:09
- "Satellite" – 5:45
- "Pads, Paws and Claws" (Costello, McCartney) – 2:56
- "Baby Plays Around" (Costello, Cait O'Riordan) – 2:47
- "Miss Macbeth" – 4:23
- "Any King's Shilling" – 6:07
- "Coal-Train Robberies" – 3:18
- "Last Boat Leaving" – 3:31
2001 bonus disc
Tracks 1-12 are solo demo recordings.
- "Miss Macbeth" – 3:51
- "...This Town..." – 3:50
- "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror" – 4:07
- "Coal Train Robberies" – 2:52
- "Satellite" – 4:50
- "Pads, Paws and Claws" (Costello, McCartney) – 2:08
- "Let Him Dangle" – 3:39
- "Veronica" (Costello, McCartney) – 3:03 b-side to "So Like Candy"
- "Tramp the Dirt Down" – 5:19
- "Baby Plays Around" (Costello, O'Riordan) – 2:42
- "Put Your Big Toe in the Milk of Human Kindness" – 3:17
- "Last Boat Leaving" – 3:29
- "The Ugly Things" (Nick Lowe) – 2:56 b-side to "The Other Side of Summer"
- "You're No Good" (Clint Ballard, Jr.) – 2:22 b-side to "Veronica"
- "Point of No Return" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) – 2:34 b-side to "Baby Plays Around"
- "The Room Nobody Lives In" (John Sebastian) – 4:46 b-side to twelve-inch and CD single of "Veronica"
- "Stalin Malone" – 3:12 version with recitation
Personnel
- Elvis Costello – vocals, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, electric guitar, mandolin, piano, bells, acoustic bass guitar, organ, melodica
- T-Bone Burnett – acoustic guitar, bass, national steel guitar
- Cait O'Riordan – maracas, bells
Dublin
- Derek Bell – Irish harp, hammered dulcimer
- Frankie Gavin – fiddle
- Dónal Lunny – acoustic guitar, bouzouki, electric bouzouki
- Davy Spillane – pipe, uilleann pipes, Low whistle
- Steve Wickham – fiddle
- Christy Moore – bodhran
- Pete Thomas – drums
New Orleans
- Lionel Batiste – bass drum
- Gregory Davis – trumpet
- Willie Green - drums
- Kevin Harris – tenor saxophone
- Charles Joseph – trombone
- Kirk Joseph – sousaphone
- Roger Lewis – baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone
- Jenell Marshall – snare drum
- Allen Toussaint – grand piano
- Efrem Towns – trumpet
Hollywood
- Michael Blair – glockenspiel, marimba, tambourine, xylophone, bells, timpani, vibraphone, Chinese drums, Oldsmobile hubcap, Parade drum, anvil, whiplash, crash-box, temple bells, snare drum, "magic table", metal pipe, "Martian dog bark"
- Ralph Forbes – electric drums, drum programming
- Mitchell Froom – organ, harmonium, electric piano, chamberlin, Indian harmonium
- Roger McGuinn – twelve-string guitar, Rickenbacker bass guitar
- Jim Keltner – tom-toms, snare drum, Chinese cymbal
- Jerry Marotta – drums
- Buell Neidlinger – cello, double bass
- Marc Ribot – banjo, electric guitar, Spanish guitar, sounds
- Jerry Scheff – electric bass, double bass, fuzz bass
- Benmont Tench – piano, clavinet, spinet, Vox Continental
- Tom "T-Bone" Wolk – accordion, bass
London
- Chrissie Hynde – harmony vocals
- Nick Lowe - bass
- Paul McCartney – Hofner bass guitar, Rickenbacker bass guitar
- Pete Thomas - drums
Charts
Chart positions
Chart (1989) Position Australian Albums Chart[12] 26 Dutch Mega Albums Chart[13] 19 Japanese Albums Chart[14] 61 New Zealand Albums Chart [15] 34 Swedish Albums Chart[16] 13 UK Albums Chart [17] 5 United States Billboard 200[18] 32 Certifications
Region Certification Sales/shipments United Kingdom (BPI)[19] Gold 100,000^ United States (RIAA)[20] Gold 500,000^ ^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification aloneReferences
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ Blair, Iain (1989-03-05). "Elvis Is Back! Costello, That Is, Driving A `Spike` Into Fads". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1989-03-05/entertainment/8903240175_1_release-two-albums-spike-jones-elvis-costello. Retrieved 2011-10-20.
- ^ Raftery, Brian M. (2001-05-04). "Spike Review". ew.com. Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,281099,00.html. Retrieved 2011-08-30.
- ^ Cromelin, Richard (1989-02-05). "Album Review : Costello Opens Floodgates in 'Spike'". articles.latimes.com. Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1989-02-05/entertainment/ca-2121_1_elvis-costello. Retrieved 2011-10-24.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (1989-02-19). "RECORDINGS; Elvis Costello's Happy Marriage Of Lyrics and Music". nytimes.com. The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1989/02/19/arts/recordings-elvis-costello-s-happy-marriage-of-lyrics-and-music.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm. Retrieved 2011-10-21.
- ^ Robert Christgau review
- ^ Rolling Stone review
- ^ Costello, Elvis. Spike. Rhino Records 8122 72486 2, 2001, liner notes, p. 3.
- ^ Ibid., p. 4.
- ^ Ibid., p. 25.
- ^ Ibid., p. 7.
- ^ Steffen Hung. "Elvis Costello - Spike". australian-charts.com. http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?Elvis+Costello&titel=Spike&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-08-12.
- ^ "dutchcharts.nl Elvis Costello - Spike" (in Dutch) (ASP). dutchcharts.nl. MegaCharts. http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Elvis+Costello&titel=Spike&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-10-23.
- ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4871310779.
- ^ "charts.org.nz - Elvis Costello - Spike" (ASP). Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. http://charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Elvis+Costello&titel=Spike&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-10-23.
- ^ "swedishcharts.com Elvis Costello - Spike" (in Swedish) (ASP). Sverigetopplistan. http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Elvis+Costello&titel=Spike&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-09-18.
- ^ "Elvis Costello - Spike". UK Albums Chart. http://www.chartstats.com/release.php?release=43760. Retrieved 2011-10-23.
- ^ Allmusic - Elvis Costello > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums
- ^ "British album certifications – Elvis Costello – Spike". British Phonographic Industry. http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx. Enter Spike in the field Search. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Click Go
- ^ "American album certifications – Elvis Costello – Spike". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Spike%22. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
Elvis Costello The Imposters: Steve Nieve • Pete Thomas • Davey Faragher
The Attractions: Steve Nieve · Bruce Thomas · Pete ThomasStudio albums My Aim Is True · This Year's Model · Armed Forces · Get Happy!! · Trust · Almost Blue · Imperial Bedroom · Punch the Clock · Goodbye Cruel World · King of America · Blood & Chocolate · Spike · Mighty Like a Rose · Brutal Youth · Kojak Variety · All This Useless Beauty · When I Was Cruel · North · The Delivery Man · Momofuku · Secret, Profane & Sugarcane · National RansomLive albums Live at the El Mocambo · Deep Dead Blue with Bill Frisell · Costello & Nieve · My Flame Burns Blue with Metropole Orkest · Live at Hollywood HighCollaborations The Juliet Letters with The Brodsky Quartet · Painted from Memory with Burt Bacharach · For the Stars with Anne Sofie von Otter · The River in Reverse with Allen ToussaintSingles "Less Than Zero" · "Alison" · "Red Shoes" · "Watching the Detectives" · "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea" · "Pump It Up" · "Radio Radio" · "Oliver's Army" · "Accidents Will Happen" · "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" · "High Fidelity" · "New Amsterdam" · "Clubland" · "From a Whisper to a Scream" · "Watch Your Step" · "A Good Year for the Roses" · "Sweet Dreams" · "I'm Your Toy" · "You Little Fool" · "Man Out of Time" · "From Head to Toe" · "Party Party" · "Pills and Soap" (as The Imposter) · "Everyday I Write the Book" · "Let Them All Talk" · "Peace in Our Time" (as The Imposter) · "I Wanna Be Loved" / "Turning the Town Red" · "The Only Flame in Town" · "Green Shirt" · "The People's Limousine" (as The Coward Brothers) · "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" · "Seven-Day Weekend" with Jimmy Cliff · "Lovable" · "Tokyo Storm Warning" · "I Want You" · "Blue Chair" · "A Town Called Big Nothing" (as The MacManus Gang) · "Veronica" · "Baby Plays Around" · "...This Town..." · "The Other Side of Summer" · "So Like Candy" · "Jacksons, Monk & Rowe" with The Brodsky Quartet · "Sulky Girl" · "13 Steps Lead Down" · "You Tripped at Every Step" · "London's Brilliant Parade" · "It's Time" · "Little Atoms" · "The Other End of the Telescope" · "Distorted Angel" · "All This Useless Beauty" · "You Bowed Down" · "Toledo" with Burt Bacharach · "She" · "Tear Off Your Own Head (It's a Doll Revolution)" · "45" · "Still" · "Monkey to Man" · "She's Pulling Out the Pin" · "Brilliant Mistake" · "Who Are These People?" with Burt Bacharach · "Bedlam" · "Complicated Shadows" · "My All Time Doll"Classical works Il Sogno performed by London Symphony OrchestraScores Collaborations Compilations Taking Liberties · Ten Bloody Marys & Ten How's Your Fathers · The Best of Elvis Costello and The Attractions · Out of Our Idiot · Girls Girls Girls · 2½ Years · The Very Best of Elvis Costello and The Attractions 1977-86 · Extreme Honey · The Very Best of Elvis Costello · Cruel Smile · Singles, Volume 1 · Singles, Volume 2 · Singles, Volume 3 · Rock and Roll Music · The Best of Elvis Costello: The First Ten YearsRelated articles Categories:- Albums certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry
- Albums certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
- Elvis Costello albums
- 1989 albums
- Albums produced by Elvis Costello
- Albums produced by T-Bone Burnett
- Rhino Records albums
- Warner Bros. Records albums
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