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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
If I had to host the perfect party, one thing I know for sure is that I'd kick off such a party with `Get Happy' by Elvis Costello. No question. I can't think of a finer album that would be guaranteed to get a party going. It's a huge body of work that has never failed to lighten my mood and it contains enough variety to keep all my guests entertained. Twenty songs and not a single filler among them.
As Elvis has declared many times, his songs don't always have any big, deep meaning. They are more often just a merger of his lyrical musings and musical meanderings with rhythmical interpretation provided by the truly fantastic Attractions. The songs on `Get Happy' could broadly be described as a collection devoted to all those who are unlucky in love. But, as with many of Elvis' songs there is usually a few twists to catch out the inattentive listener.
Take `Possession'. On the surface it is a light, jaunty song that breezes along. You can almost start whistling to it. But, on closer inspection you begin to realise that you are listening to a declaration of a man's desire to not just love and honour but also *own* a woman. In the liner notes for `Girls, Girls, Girls' (a compilation of Elvis songs) Elvis admits that the inspiration for this song was a waitress at a cafe who he instantly fell in love with even though he was married at the time. As his friends bundled him out of the cafe he started to write the song.
And of course, there is humour aplenty. I love the lines in `The Imposter' where after bringing home a drunk boyfriend the girl is sadly disappointed by his `performance' ... "He's got double-vision, when you want him to be double-jointed!" In 'Man Called Uncle' there is an older man promising lifelong devotion to his younger girlfriend ... "I could swear, I could promise that I'll always be true to you. But we may not live to be so old."
`Hi Fidelity' reminds me of `Radio Radio'. A pulsating beat and a chorus that you can't help but sing along to. "Can you hear me, can you hear me?". The song describes a man who longs for the attention of a woman he loves but who has failed to tune in to his particular frequency. Unrequited love caused by a transmission failure!
Despite the acerbic lyrics, the album works because it is simply crammed full of classic tunes and rhythms. It staggered me when I bought this album in vinyl and realised it contained 20 tracks. On the back of the album there is a note from the producers reassuring listeners that despite compressing the grooves in order to fit the songs on the record there is no degradation in musical quality. (Those heady analogue days!)
For posterity, here's the audio guarantee ... "Hi, you'll have noticed that there are ten(?) tracks on each side of this, Elvis' new LP making it a real "long player"! Elvis and I talked long and hard about the wisdom of taking this unusual step and are proud that we can now reassure hi-fi enthusiasts and/or people who never bought a record made before 1967 that with the inclusion of this extra music time they will find no loss of sound quality due to "groove cramming" as the record nears the end of each face (i.e. the hole in the middle). Now get happy!"
I couldn't have put it better myself!
As Elvis has declared many times, his songs don't always have any big, deep meaning. They are more often just a merger of his lyrical musings and musical meanderings with rhythmical interpretation provided by the truly fantastic Attractions. The songs on `Get Happy' could broadly be described as a collection devoted to all those who are unlucky in love. But, as with many of Elvis' songs there is usually a few twists to catch out the inattentive listener.
Take `Possession'. On the surface it is a light, jaunty song that breezes along. You can almost start whistling to it. But, on closer inspection you begin to realise that you are listening to a declaration of a man's desire to not just love and honour but also *own* a woman. In the liner notes for `Girls, Girls, Girls' (a compilation of Elvis songs) Elvis admits that the inspiration for this song was a waitress at a cafe who he instantly fell in love with even though he was married at the time. As his friends bundled him out of the cafe he started to write the song.
And of course, there is humour aplenty. I love the lines in `The Imposter' where after bringing home a drunk boyfriend the girl is sadly disappointed by his `performance' ... "He's got double-vision, when you want him to be double-jointed!" In 'Man Called Uncle' there is an older man promising lifelong devotion to his younger girlfriend ... "I could swear, I could promise that I'll always be true to you. But we may not live to be so old."
`Hi Fidelity' reminds me of `Radio Radio'. A pulsating beat and a chorus that you can't help but sing along to. "Can you hear me, can you hear me?". The song describes a man who longs for the attention of a woman he loves but who has failed to tune in to his particular frequency. Unrequited love caused by a transmission failure!
Despite the acerbic lyrics, the album works because it is simply crammed full of classic tunes and rhythms. It staggered me when I bought this album in vinyl and realised it contained 20 tracks. On the back of the album there is a note from the producers reassuring listeners that despite compressing the grooves in order to fit the songs on the record there is no degradation in musical quality. (Those heady analogue days!)
For posterity, here's the audio guarantee ... "Hi, you'll have noticed that there are ten(?) tracks on each side of this, Elvis' new LP making it a real "long player"! Elvis and I talked long and hard about the wisdom of taking this unusual step and are proud that we can now reassure hi-fi enthusiasts and/or people who never bought a record made before 1967 that with the inclusion of this extra music time they will find no loss of sound quality due to "groove cramming" as the record nears the end of each face (i.e. the hole in the middle). Now get happy!"
I couldn't have put it better myself!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Anybody who thought Elvis Costello had peaked after his excellent early albums got a severe wake up call with this offering!
I bought the vinyl version more years ago than I can remember and have just recently acquired the CD after not listening to it for some time.
I am not been disappointed - just as I remember it - track after brilliant track, classic after brilliant classic...rarely a weak one among the 20!...all in great Costello style - many only 1.5 to 2 minutes long but this detracts nothing - never has been short and to the point been more apt!
Every discerning music lover should have this album in their collection!
I bought the vinyl version more years ago than I can remember and have just recently acquired the CD after not listening to it for some time.
I am not been disappointed - just as I remember it - track after brilliant track, classic after brilliant classic...rarely a weak one among the 20!...all in great Costello style - many only 1.5 to 2 minutes long but this detracts nothing - never has been short and to the point been more apt!
Every discerning music lover should have this album in their collection!
Format:Audio CD
After years of ignorance when it comes to Elvis Costello, knowing the odd song here and there i decided to investigate further with the First 10 Years Best Of compilation that was released around the same time as the remastered series of albums....I decided to delve deeper and the first purchase was Get Happy!....I liked the idea of short snappy songs of 2 minutes or so coupled with the soul type sound of the couple of tracks i had heard already....
Not disappointed at all...Since i received this a week ago it has remained a permanent fixture on the home and car stereo....a really great album, no filler, every track a winner.....Bargain!!!!!
Stand Outs (amongst the many).....Opportunity, Man Called Uncle, King Horse, Temptation, Motel Matches and my all out favourite, Human Touch, such a feelgood song....
Thoroughly Recommended.
Not disappointed at all...Since i received this a week ago it has remained a permanent fixture on the home and car stereo....a really great album, no filler, every track a winner.....Bargain!!!!!
Stand Outs (amongst the many).....Opportunity, Man Called Uncle, King Horse, Temptation, Motel Matches and my all out favourite, Human Touch, such a feelgood song....
Thoroughly Recommended.
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