My Aim Is True

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My Aim Is True
MAIT UK initial album cover large.jpg
studio album by
Elvis Costello
Released1977-07-22
RecordedLate 1976 - early 1977, Pathway Studios, London
ProducerNick Lowe


My Aim Is True (1977 LP)

Side one
TitleWriter(s) Length
1. Welcome To The Working Week  Elvis Costello 1:22
2. Miracle Man  Elvis Costello 3:31
3. No Dancing  Elvis Costello 2:39
4. Blame It On Cain  Elvis Costello 2:39
5. Alison  Elvis Costello 3:21
6. Sneaky Feelings  Elvis Costello 2:09
7. Watching The Detectives (included on U.S. edition)Elvis Costello 3:45
Side two
TitleWriter(s) Length
1. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes  Elvis Costello 2:47
2. Less Than Zero  Elvis Costello 3:15
3. Mystery Dance  Elvis Costello 1:38
4. Pay It Back  Elvis Costello 2:33
5. I'm Not Angry  Elvis Costello 2:57
6. Waiting For The End Of The World  Elvis Costello 3:22


Credits

Except:


My Aim Is True (1993 Rykodisc/Demon edition)

TitleWriter(s) Length
1. Welcome To The Working Week  Elvis Costello 1:22
2. Miracle Man  Elvis Costello 3:31
3. No Dancing  Elvis Costello 2:39
4. Blame It On Cain  Elvis Costello 2:39
5. Alison  Elvis Costello 3:21
6. Sneaky Feelings  Elvis Costello 2:09
7. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes  Elvis Costello 2:47
8. Less Than Zero  Elvis Costello 3:15
9. Mystery Dance  Elvis Costello 1:38
10. Pay It Back  Elvis Costello 2:33
11. I'm Not Angry  Elvis Costello 2:57
12. Waiting For The End Of The World  Elvis Costello 3:22
13. Watching The Detectives (remix)Elvis Costello 3:45
Extended Play
TitleWriter(s) Length
14. Radio Sweetheart (remix)Elvis Costello 2:25
15. Stranger In The House  Elvis Costello 3:01
16. Imagination (Is A Powerful Deceiver)  Elvis Costello 3:38
17. Mystery Dance (Honky Tonk Demo)Elvis Costello 2:13
18. Cheap Reward (Honky Tonk Demo)Elvis Costello 2:15
19. Jump Up (Honky Tonk Demo)Elvis Costello 2:06
20. Wave A White Flag (Honky Tonk Demo)Elvis Costello 1:53
21. Blame It On Cain (Honky Tonk Demo)Elvis Costello 3:30
22. Poison Moon (Honky Tonk Demo)Elvis Costello 1:53
60:21

My Aim Is True (2001 Rhino/Edsel edition)

Disc one
TitleWriter(s) Length
1. Welcome To The Working Week  Elvis Costello 1:22
2. Miracle Man  Elvis Costello 3:31
3. No Dancing  Elvis Costello 2:39
4. Blame It On Cain  Elvis Costello 2:39
5. Alison  Elvis Costello 3:21
6. Sneaky Feelings  Elvis Costello 2:09
7. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes  Elvis Costello 2:47
8. Less Than Zero  Elvis Costello 3:15
9. Mystery Dance  Elvis Costello 1:38
10. Pay It Back  Elvis Costello 2:33
11. I'm Not Angry  Elvis Costello 2:57
12. Waiting For The End Of The World  Elvis Costello 3:22
13. Watching The Detectives (remix)  Elvis Costello 3:45
36:49
Disc two
TitleWriter(s) Length
1. No Action (Early Version)  Elvis Costello 2:15
2. Living In Paradise (Early Version)  Elvis Costello 3:00
3. Radio Sweetheart  Elvis Costello 2:31
4. Stranger In The House  Elvis Costello 3:04
5. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself (Live) (Alternate mix)Burt Bacharach & Hal David 2:27
6. Less Than Zero ("Dallas Version")  Elvis Costello 4:17
7. Imagination (Is A Powerful Deceiver)  Elvis Costello 3:38
8. Mystery Dance (Honky Tonk Demo)Elvis Costello 2:13
9. Cheap Reward (Honky Tonk Demo)Elvis Costello 2:16
10. Jump Up (Honky Tonk Demo)Elvis Costello 2:06
11. Wave A White Flag (Honky Tonk Demo)Elvis Costello 1:58
12. Blame It On Cain (Honky Tonk Demo)Elvis Costello 3:31
13. Poison Moon (Honky Tonk Demo)Elvis Costello 1:53
35:30

My Aim Is True (2007 Hip-O deluxe edition)

Disc one:
My Aim Is True
TitleWriter(s) Length
1. Welcome To The Working Week  Elvis Costello 1:22
2. Miracle Man  Elvis Costello 3:31
3. No Dancing  Elvis Costello 2:39
4. Blame It On Cain  Elvis Costello 2:49
5. Alison  Elvis Costello 3:21
6. Sneaky Feelings  Elvis Costello 2:09
7. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes  Elvis Costello 2:47
8. Less Than Zero  Elvis Costello 3:15
9. Mystery Dance  Elvis Costello 1:38
10. Pay It Back  Elvis Costello 2:33
11. I'm Not Angry  Elvis Costello 2:57
12. Waiting For The End Of The World  Elvis Costello 3:22
13. Watching The Detectives (remix)Elvis Costello 3:45
The Outtakes
TitleWriter(s) Length
14. No Action (Early Version)Elvis Costello 2:15
15. Living In Paradise (Early Version)Elvis Costello 3:00
16. Radio Sweetheart  Elvis Costello 2:25
17. Stranger In The House  Elvis Costello 3:01
The Pathway Studio Demos
TitleWriter(s) Length
18. Welcome To The Working Week  Elvis Costello 1:35
19. Blue Minute  Elvis Costello 1:40
20. Miracle Man  Elvis Costello 2:22
21. Waiting For The End Of The World  Elvis Costello 2:25
22. Call On Me  Elvis Costello 1:59
23. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes  Elvis Costello 2:03
24. I Don't Want To Go Home  Elvis Costello 1:48
25. I Hear A Melody  Elvis Costello 2:13
Disc two:
Live at The Nashville Rooms - August 7, 1977
TitleWriter(s) Length
1. Introduction by Dave Robinson  Elvis Costello 0:25
2. Welcome To The Working Week  Elvis Costello 1:18
3. Blame It On Cain  Elvis Costello 2:53
4. No Dancing  Elvis Costello 2:57
5. Waiting For The End Of The World  Elvis Costello 3:54
6. Night Rally  Elvis Costello 2:34
7. Hoover Factory  Elvis Costello 2:01
8. No Action  Elvis Costello 2:31
9. (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea  Elvis Costello 3:03
10. Miracle Man  Elvis Costello 3:53
11. The Beat  Elvis Costello 3:46
12. Less Than Zero  Elvis Costello 3:27
13. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes  Elvis Costello 2:57
14. Lipstick Vogue  Elvis Costello 3:59
15. Watching The Detectives  Elvis Costello 4:23
16. Lip Service  Elvis Costello 4:31
17. Mystery Dance  Elvis Costello 3:34
18. Alison  Elvis Costello 3:33
Live at The Nashville Rooms - Soundcheck, August 7, 1977
TitleWriter(s) Length
19. Pay It Back  Elvis Costello 2:23
20. Radio Sweetheart  Elvis Costello 2:56
21. Sneaky Feelings  Elvis Costello 2:16
22. Crawling To The USA  Elvis Costello 3:00
23. Alison  Elvis Costello 3:25


Other releases


Singles

Less Than Zero UK 7" single front sleeve.jpg Alison UK 7" single front sleeve.jpg (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes UK 7" single front sleeve.gif Watching The Detectives UK 7" single front sleeve.jpg Mystery Dance Belgium 7" single front sleeve.jpg
Less Than Zero Alison Red Shoes Watching The Detectives Mystery Dance


Charts

  • #14 (UK), #32 (US).
  • Went silver (60,000 copies) in the UK (date unknown).
  • Went gold (500,000 copies) in the US in 1981.
  • Went platinum (1 million copies) in the US in 1991.

Notes

  • Album recorded in a total of 24 hours at Pathway Studios, Islington.
  • Early LP covers had a black & white photo by Keith Morris on the front, and many different coloured backs. Later issues had a green tint on the front picture and a green back. The Demon issue originally had a yellow tint on the photo and a yellow back, and the reissue has a green tint photo. The early covers also have different manufacturer credits on the back cover and label: "Made & manufactured by Press & Post" & "Distributed by Island Records". There are thought to be at least 11 different cover variations.
1977 Stiff Records "Help Us Hype Elvis" form.
  • The first few UK copies came with a poster and a form asking the buyer to send in the address of a friend, who would then receive a free copy. The form read:
HELP US HYPE ELVIS
"In these John Denver days, people in Framptonland are loathe to shell out on new artists. As you've bought this record we assume that you groove to the Elvis GB sound. As you know there are only two Elvis. On is fat and famous, one is small and languishes in obscurity. Stiff Records, ever keen to meet the record buying public demands, have hatched a plot that allows you to become a potent factor in El's future.
Here's how are See-Elvis-Go-Gold-Stiff-Go-Broke scheme works.
You pay the postage. We send the album. And all you have to do is write no more than 25 words why you like the English Elvis and send this sheet (together with postage stamps to the value of 23p) to: Stiff Records, 32 Alexander Street, London W2. We will then send a free album to the person of your choice who you think can do the most for Elvis. This offer is limited to the UK only. We are only giving away 1000 albums (Jeesus - only 1000!) so write off today and grab a small stake in shaping El's destiny. His meal ticket, your El Dorado.
This offer does not apply to Island Records executives, groupies, liggers, Elvis Costello and employees of Stiff."
  • According to Goldmine Record Collector, in 1984 Columbia Records reissued, in the U.S. & Canada, all of studio albums to that time (MAIT, TYM, AF, GH, T, AB, IB, & PTC) with the prefix "PC" instead of the original "JC" or "FC", but the same 5-digit number as before.
  • The track times listed on the LP are totally wrong.

Internal links

External links