his aim is true welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks
and today we’re counting down our picks
and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 Elvis Costello songs
for this list we’ve chosen our entries
for this list we’ve chosen our entries based on a combination of the artists
based on a combination of the artists
based on a combination of the artists fan favorites and their most
fan favorites and their most
fan favorites and their most commercially successful songs including
commercially successful songs including
commercially successful songs including Costello’s songs as a solo artist and
Costello’s songs as a solo artist and
Costello’s songs as a solo artist and with the attractions
number 10 less than zero özil the swats
number 10 less than zero özil the swats of one of many early Elvis Costello
of one of many early Elvis Costello
of one of many early Elvis Costello songs to feature a distinctively
songs to feature a distinctively
songs to feature a distinctively anti-fascist slant this song from his
anti-fascist slant this song from his
anti-fascist slant this song from his brilliant first album also drew
brilliant first album also drew
brilliant first album also drew attention for its supposed references to
attention for its supposed references to
attention for its supposed references to the JFK assassination as the main
the JFK assassination as the main
the JFK assassination as the main character was a gun-toting mr. Oswald
character was a gun-toting mr. Oswald
character was a gun-toting mr. Oswald this lucious smoker and all the flaw is
this lucious smoker and all the flaw is
this lucious smoker and all the flaw is the opposite had an understanding with
the opposite had an understanding with
the opposite had an understanding with what Costello insisted the association
what Costello insisted the association
what Costello insisted the association was accidental ever the showman however
was accidental ever the showman however
was accidental ever the showman however he changed the lyrics to reference the
he changed the lyrics to reference the
he changed the lyrics to reference the assassination when he toured the u.s.
assassination when he toured the u.s.
assassination when he toured the u.s. this one is now referred to as the
this one is now referred to as the
this one is now referred to as the Dallas version regardless of the
Dallas version regardless of the
Dallas version regardless of the iteration less than zero is a great punk
iteration less than zero is a great punk
iteration less than zero is a great punk rock and New Wave tune sign Elvis
rock and New Wave tune sign Elvis
rock and New Wave tune sign Elvis Costello
number nine the Angels want to wear my
number nine the Angels want to wear my red shoes
I try to be a new
I try to be a new this song establishes another Costello
this song establishes another Costello
this song establishes another Costello trademark bitterness hidden beneath
trademark bitterness hidden beneath
trademark bitterness hidden beneath catchy pop melodies
when the first person narrator tells his
when the first person narrator tells his date he’s so happy he could die
date he’s so happy he could die
date he’s so happy he could die she says drop dead and leaves with
she says drop dead and leaves with
she says drop dead and leaves with another guy
Castello was still extremely young at
Castello was still extremely young at the time and tracks like this one
the time and tracks like this one
the time and tracks like this one explore the frustrations inherent and
explore the frustrations inherent and
explore the frustrations inherent and early relationships and prove once and
early relationships and prove once and
early relationships and prove once and for all that all girls are just me well
for all that all girls are just me well
for all that all girls are just me well at least most of the ones in Elvis
at least most of the ones in Elvis
at least most of the ones in Elvis Costello songs
number eight I don’t want to go to
number eight I don’t want to go to Chelsea after the success of his first
Chelsea after the success of his first
Chelsea after the success of his first album Elvis undoubtedly had his taste of
album Elvis undoubtedly had his taste of
album Elvis undoubtedly had his taste of high society but that didn’t make him
high society but that didn’t make him
high society but that didn’t make him any less suspicious of it this song from
any less suspicious of it this song from
any less suspicious of it this song from this year’s model Costello rails against
this year’s model Costello rails against
this year’s model Costello rails against the world of high fashion and
the world of high fashion and
the world of high fashion and superficial people possibly referring to
superficial people possibly referring to
superficial people possibly referring to affluent neighborhoods in London and New
affluent neighborhoods in London and New
affluent neighborhoods in London and New York or simply a girl named Chelsea with
York or simply a girl named Chelsea with
York or simply a girl named Chelsea with his multi-layered lyricism he likely
his multi-layered lyricism he likely
his multi-layered lyricism he likely could have meant all of the above
number seven watching the detectives
number seven watching the detectives that’s girls that one with a defection
that’s girls that one with a defection
that’s girls that one with a defection shrink-wrap shoulder it with its reggae
shrink-wrap shoulder it with its reggae
shrink-wrap shoulder it with its reggae melody and offbeat subject matter this
melody and offbeat subject matter this
melody and offbeat subject matter this is one of Costello’s most distinctive
is one of Costello’s most distinctive
is one of Costello’s most distinctive songs
legend has it he wrote the song after
legend has it he wrote the song after listening to the clashes debut all night
listening to the clashes debut all night
listening to the clashes debut all night long ships pilot and nails well the
long ships pilot and nails well the
long ships pilot and nails well the dragon the lay watching the detectives
dragon the lay watching the detectives
dragon the lay watching the detectives became Costello’s first hit in his
became Costello’s first hit in his
became Costello’s first hit in his native UK and tells the story of a girl
native UK and tells the story of a girl
native UK and tells the story of a girl neglecting her relationship to stay at
neglecting her relationship to stay at
neglecting her relationship to stay at home and watch detective shows never shy
home and watch detective shows never shy
home and watch detective shows never shy to inject a little bit of darkness in
to inject a little bit of darkness in
to inject a little bit of darkness in his work touches like the detective
his work touches like the detective
his work touches like the detective killed the chicken pillow to the
killed the chicken pillow to the
killed the chicken pillow to the favourites what better to hear the worst
favourites what better to hear the worst
favourites what better to hear the worst about the daughter’s disappearance our
about the daughter’s disappearance our
about the daughter’s disappearance our vintage Costello Erica get you to spit
vintage Costello Erica get you to spit
vintage Costello Erica get you to spit yet only took my little fingers to blow
yet only took my little fingers to blow
yet only took my little fingers to blow you uh number six what’s so funny about
you uh number six what’s so funny about
you uh number six what’s so funny about peace love and understanding
unabashedly optimistic and lacking any
unabashedly optimistic and lacking any irony we’re aware of this hit single is
irony we’re aware of this hit single is
irony we’re aware of this hit single is actually credited to Costello’s producer
actually credited to Costello’s producer
actually credited to Costello’s producer Nick look
proved to be the perfect combination as
proved to be the perfect combination as Costello’s pop prowess breathed life
Costello’s pop prowess breathed life
Costello’s pop prowess breathed life into Lowe’s message of hope
and has been inspiring audiences of
and has been inspiring audiences of star-studded lineups and karaoke bars
star-studded lineups and karaoke bars
star-studded lineups and karaoke bars for decades
number five
number five Oliver’s army don’t stutter
Oliver’s army don’t stutter
Oliver’s army don’t stutter I
in this defiant anthem criticizing his
in this defiant anthem criticizing his home nation England’s past present and
home nation England’s past present and
home nation England’s past present and foreign policy Costello abandons the
foreign policy Costello abandons the
foreign policy Costello abandons the ambiguity of his previous politically
ambiguity of his previous politically
ambiguity of his previous politically charged songs he takes the position of a
charged songs he takes the position of a
charged songs he takes the position of a young man coerced into the Imperial Army
young man coerced into the Imperial Army
young man coerced into the Imperial Army singing
NuWave number is one of his more eerily
NuWave number is one of his more eerily upbeat tunes especially considering its
upbeat tunes especially considering its
upbeat tunes especially considering its serious subject matter
and one of the best examples of Costello
and one of the best examples of Costello infusing a radio hit and top 10 UK
infusing a radio hit and top 10 UK
infusing a radio hit and top 10 UK single with subversive lyrics
I really was right
I really was right no song explored Costello’s relationship
no song explored Costello’s relationship
no song explored Costello’s relationship with corporate media more explicitly or
with corporate media more explicitly or
with corporate media more explicitly or publicly than this early sing
a treatise against radio censorship he
a treatise against radio censorship he was asked not to play it when he
was asked not to play it when he
was asked not to play it when he appeared on SNL in 1977 I’m sorry ladies
appeared on SNL in 1977 I’m sorry ladies
appeared on SNL in 1977 I’m sorry ladies and gentlemen it’s no reason to do this
and gentlemen it’s no reason to do this
and gentlemen it’s no reason to do this song it appearing to acquiesce he and
song it appearing to acquiesce he and
song it appearing to acquiesce he and his band began with the first verse of
his band began with the first verse of
his band began with the first verse of less than zero before launching into a
less than zero before launching into a
less than zero before launching into a fever pitch version of the song shot of
fever pitch version of the song shot of
fever pitch version of the song shot of last I’ll do it is a very old guys act
last I’ll do it is a very old guys act
last I’ll do it is a very old guys act earned the band a temporary banishment
earned the band a temporary banishment
earned the band a temporary banishment from the show and a place in punk rock
from the show and a place in punk rock
from the show and a place in punk rock history
number three man out of time so this is
number three man out of time so this is little kid tonight
little kid tonight
little kid tonight we’re
we’re
we’re for you
for you
for you while it’s hard to pick just one song
while it’s hard to pick just one song
while it’s hard to pick just one song from castelo seminal 80’s album imperial
from castelo seminal 80’s album imperial
from castelo seminal 80’s album imperial bedroom this is our pick
blending history politics love and
blending history politics love and possibly time travel into one tune as
possibly time travel into one tune as
possibly time travel into one tune as only he can
man out of time leaves us with one of
man out of time leaves us with one of his most bitter stanzas ever
never one to pass up a good double
never one to pass up a good double entendre attractions after organ
entendre attractions after organ
entendre attractions after organ squealing and sexually-charged best
either referring to simply turning up
either referring to simply turning up the volume or will let you use your
the volume or will let you use your
the volume or will let you use your imagination the song points to sexuality
imagination the song points to sexuality
imagination the song points to sexuality and music as similar modes for release
and music as similar modes for release
and music as similar modes for release of let’s say tension
it’s Costello’s ability to sum up these
it’s Costello’s ability to sum up these frustrations that has cemented him as a
frustrations that has cemented him as a
frustrations that has cemented him as a punk-rock icon
before we unveil our top pick here are a
before we unveil our top pick here are a few honorable mentions
she straightens the tips interest other
she straightens the tips interest other spouse while her tree cause already
number one
number one Alison understand Chris one of his most
Alison understand Chris one of his most
Alison understand Chris one of his most unabashedly earnest songs and one whose
unabashedly earnest songs and one whose
unabashedly earnest songs and one whose lyrics gave his breakthrough debut its
lyrics gave his breakthrough debut its
lyrics gave his breakthrough debut its name
while the more cynical have alleged the
while the more cynical have alleged the words referred to taking a mat and
words referred to taking a mat and
words referred to taking a mat and shooting the girl in question Costello
shooting the girl in question Costello
shooting the girl in question Costello has maintained they only refer to a
has maintained they only refer to a
has maintained they only refer to a chance meeting between old flames with
chance meeting between old flames with
chance meeting between old flames with bittersweet lyrics any scorned lover can
bittersweet lyrics any scorned lover can
bittersweet lyrics any scorned lover can relate to this pub rocker showed
relate to this pub rocker showed
relate to this pub rocker showed indelible wisdom from the young
indelible wisdom from the young
indelible wisdom from the young songwriter and also spurned a generation
songwriter and also spurned a generation
songwriter and also spurned a generation of girls named Alison
do you agree with our list what’s your
do you agree with our list what’s your favorite Elvis Costello to
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