High Fidelity

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Some things you never get used to
Even though you're feeling like another man
There's nothing that he can do for you
To shut me away as you walk through
Lovers laughing in their amateur hour
Holding hands in the corridors of power
Even though I'm with somebody else right now

High fidelity
Can you hear me?

There's a new kind of dedication
Maybe you'll find it down the tunnel
Maybe I got above my station
Maybe you're only changing channels

Even though you're nowhere near me
And I know you kiss him so sincerely now
Even though the signal's indistinct
And you worry what silly people think
Who just can't wait to feel so frozen out
I bet he thinks that he was chosen out of millions
I suppose he'll never know about

High fidelity
Can you hear me?

High Fidelity
Written byElvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
Produced byNick Lowe
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedOctober 1979, Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands and/or Eden Studios, London
ReleasedFebruary 1980
AlbumsGet Happy!!, 1980
SinglesHigh Fidelity, 1980
CollectionsThe Man (The Best Of Elvis Costello), 1985
Girls Girls Girls, 1989
The Very Best Of Elvis Costello & The Attractions, 1994
The Very Best Of Elvis Costello, 1999
Singles, Volume 2, 2003
The Best Of Elvis Costello The First 10 Years, 2007
SoundtracksThe Sopranos: Peppers & Eggs, 2001
Various Artists collectionsThis Is Radio Punk, 2016
Now Yearbook '80 Extra, 2022
VideosThe Right Spectacle: The Very Best Of Elvis Costello - The Videos, 2005
Length2:28

First known performance:
March 25, 1979, Albany, NY
Last known performance:
2024
     (530 known performances)


Eye.jpg
“Beginning with a line from a Supremes record, this amoral tale might have overdone the self pity had it not been for the comical drunkenness of the singer. Nice dance routine with this one!” Girls Girls Girls liner notes, 1989.

Alternate versions

High Fidelity (Live 1979)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedJune 4, 1979, Pinkpop Festival, Sportpark, Geleen, Netherlands
ReleasedJuly 28, 2003
AlbumsGet Happy!! (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2003
The Complete Armed Forces (2020 super deluxe edition), 2020
Length3:17

Eye.jpg
“Students of music history might be amused by the live version of 'High Fidelity' on CD2, which records our attempts to play the song after the fashion of David Bowie’s Station To Station album.” Get Happy!! (Rhino/Edsel reissue) liner notes, 2003.

High Fidelity (Peel Session 1980)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedFebruary, 25, 1980, John Peel Session, BBC 1 FM, UK (broadcast 1980-03-03)
ReleasedOctober 26, 2009
AlbumsKats Karavan: The History Of John Peel On The Radio, 2009
Length2:33

High Fidelity (Live 2004)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Imposters
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Davey Faragher - bass, backing vocal
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedSeptember 17, 2004, Hi-Tone Cafe, Memphis, TN
ReleasedApril 19, 2005
VideosClub Date: Live In Memphis, 2005
Get Happy!!GH album cover large.jpg

High Fidelity singleHigh Fidelity UK 7" single front sleeve.jpg

The Man (The Best Of Elvis Costello)TMBOEC album cover 170.jpg

Girls Girls GirlsGGG album cover 300.jpg

The Very Best Of Elvis Costello & The Attractions, 1994The Very Best Of Elvis Costello And The Attractions album cover.jpg

The Very Best Of Elvis Costello, 1999The Very Best Of Elvis Costello (2CD) album cover.jpg

The Complete Armed Forces (2020 super deluxe edition)2020 DELUXE PINKPOP FRONT.JPG

Singles, Volume 2Singles Volume 2 album cover.jpg

The Best Of Elvis Costello The First 10 YearsThe Best Of Elvis Costello The First 10 Years album cover.jpg

The Sopranos: Peppers & Eggs: Music From The HBO Original SeriesThe Sopranos Pepper And Eggs album cover.jpg

The Right Spectacle: The Very Best Of Elvis Costello - The VideosTRS dvd cover.jpg

Club Date: Live In MemphisClub Date Live In Memphis dvd cover.jpg

Kats Karavan: The History Of John Peel On The RadioKats Karavan album cover.jpg

Covers

Kurt Baker Beyond Belief: A Tribute To Elvis Costello 2014 Facebook: Costello Tribute
Elastic No-No Band Every Elvis Has His Impersonators 2008 AllMusicAmazon
Robbie Fulks performed live, 2015-03-30, The Hideout, Chicago 2015 AllMusicYouTube
I-lulu Tribute To Elvis CostelloVarious artists 2007 AmazonAmazon.co.jp
Rob Laufer performed live, 2003-03-27, EC tribute, Knitting Factory, Los Angeles 2003 archive.org
Oliver's Army (Dallas) performed live, Dallas-area Costello tribute band 2003- OliversArmyBand
Q-Tips featuring Paul Young Live At Last 1982 AllMusicAmazon
Radio Costello performed live, 2023-10-01, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield, England 2023 FaceBook
Zoogz Rift Looser Than Clams: Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 1986 AllMusic
Edward Rogers The Loser's Lounge Tribute to Elvis CostelloVarious artists 2002 LosersLounge
Erich Sellheim home studio production, sung in German 2014 YouTube
Victor Stranges & The Futurists performed live, Costello tribute show, 2022-09-18 Melbourne, VIC, Australia 2022 YouTubeinfo
Paul Young & The Q-Tips Love Hurts 2000 AllMusicDiscogsAmazon
Paul Young & The Q-Tips Live In Concert 1991 AllMusicAmazon

Internal links

External links