Watching The Detectives (single)
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Tracks | Release date | Media | Catalog number | Comments |
Side A: Watching The Detectives [3:43] Side B: Blame It On Cain (live) [2:52] Mystery Dance (live) [2:01] |
1977-10-14 | 7" | Stiff BUY 20 | UK, ps or Telephone Directory sleeve |
1977-10-__ | 7" | Columbia 3-10696 | US, | |
1977-__-__ | 7" | Stiff 2COU/B/BUY 20 | Belgium, yellow vinyl, ps | |
1977-__-__ | 7" | Teldec AC 6.12193/Stiff BUY 20 | Germany, ps | |
1977-__-__ | 7" | Stiff 640120 | France, ps | |
1977-__-__ | 7" | Stiff SRS 510042 | Holland | |
1977-__-__ | 7" | Stiff BUY 20 NP | Portugal | |
1977-__-__ | 7" | Stiff MO 1819 | Spain | |
1977-__-__ | 7" | Stiff MO 1819 | Spain, promo | |
1977-__-__ | 7" | Stiff BUY 20 | Scandinavia | |
1977-__-__ | 7" | Stiff BUY 20 | Sweden | |
1978-01-23 | 7" | Stiff Buy 11633 | Australia, no ps, and demo release | |
1978-__-__ | 7" | Stiff Buy 20 | New Zealand, no ps | |
1978-__-__ | 7" | Stiff STF 1 | South Africa, no ps | |
Side A: Watching The Detectives [3:42] Side B: Alison [3:05] |
1978-03-__ | 7" | Columbia 3-10705 | USA |
1978-03-__ | 7" | Columbia 3-10705 PROMO | USA | |
1. Watching The Detectives (remix) [3:48] 2. Blame It On Cain (live) [2:51] 3. Mystery Dance (live) [1:56] 4. Miracle Man (live) [3:55] |
2003-10-27 | 5" CD | Edsel BUY 11 | UK, available only in Singles, Volume 1 box set |
Side A: Watching The Detectives (mono) [3:42] Side B: Watching The Detectives (stereo) [3:42] |
1977-__-__ | 7" | Columbia 3-10696 | US, DJ promo |
Side A: Watching The Detectives (Edit) [3:04] Side B: Blame It On Cain (live) [2:52] Mystery Dance (live) [2:01] |
1977-10-__ | 7" | Stiff BUY 20DJ | UK, DJ promo. A-Side: Edited (3' 04") version with last verse omitted. B-Side: As per standard release A-Side Matrix BUY 20 A-DJ-1U (stamped) Tone controlled (scratched) 20 copies only pressed |
Side A: Watching The Detectives [3:42] |
1977-__-__ | 7" | Stiff BUY 20 | UK, 1-sided test pressing |
Side A: Watching The Detectives (live) [6:06] Side B: Accidents Will Happen (live) [3:20] Alison (live) [3:04] |
1979-__-__ | 12" | Columbia AS 529 | USA, plain sleeve, 33 rpm, promo "Live At Hollywood High" |
Artwork
7" UK Stiff BUY 20
7" UK Stiff BUY 20 (Telephone Directory Sleeve)
7" USA COLUMBIA 3-10696
7" Belgium Stiff 2COU/B/BUY 20 Yellow Vinyl
7" Belgium Stiff 2COU/B/BUY 20 Yellow/Brown Vinyl
7" Germany Stiff/Teldec BUY20/AC 6.12.193
7" France Stiff 640120
7" Holland Stiff SRS 510.042
7" Portugal Stiff BUY 20 NP
7" Spain Stiff MO 1819
7" Spain Stiff MO 1819 PROMO
7" Scandinavia Stiff BUY 20
7" Sweden Stiff BUY 20
7" Australia Stiff BUY 11633 and DEMO copy
7" New Zealand Stiff BUY 20
Images with thanks to Stephen Tomlinson
7" South Africa Stiff STF 1
Images with thanks to Stephen Tomlinson
7" USA Columbia 3-10705 (B Side: Alison)
7" USA Columbia 3-10705 (B Side: Alison) PROMO
5" CD UK EDSEL BUY 20
7" USA COLUMBIA 3-10696 PROMO
7" UK Stiff BUY 20DJ PROMO
RED promo stamp. 20 copies only. Different A-Side matrix
7" UK Stiff BUY 20 1-sided test pressing
Images to follow
12" USA COLUMBIA AS 529 PROMO "Live At Hollywood High"
Credits
Producer: Nick Lowe
Personnel:
- Watching The Detectives:
- Elvis Costello - guitar, vocals
- Steve Goulding - drums
- Andrew Bodnar - bass
- Steve Nieve - piano, organ
- Elvis Costello - guitar, vocals
- Blame It On Cain, Mystery Dance & Miracle Man:
- Elvis Costello & The Attractions:
- Elvis Costello - guitar, vocals
- Steve Nieve - keyboards
- Pete Thomas - drums
- Bruce Thomas - bass
- Elvis Costello - guitar, vocals
- Elvis Costello & The Attractions:
Charts
- #15 (UK)
Notes
- Blame It On Cain, Mystery Dance & Miracle Man recorded live at The Nashville Rooms, London, 1977-08-07.
- This single appeared in at least 3 different sleeves: a colour picture cover, a plain Stiff sleeve and the rarer 'telephone directory' cover, which consisted of the entries for the name Stiff out of the London phone book with the Stiff Records number highlighted.
- Some copies have the Watching The Detectives (edit) version on the A-side. These can only be identified by the duration of the track and the runoff matrix numbers: A-side: "BUY 20 A-DJ-1U" (stamped) + "tone controlled" (etched). B-side: "BUY 20 B-1U" (stamped) + "LITTLE TRIGGERS BUT BIG TEARS" (etched)
- Record Collector (#49) reports that some promo copies of this single apparently had different takes of the live songs on the B-side.
- BUY 20: Etched in the runoff for side A is "I Think You Know What I Mean". Side B contains "Little Triggers But Big Tears".
- BUY 20DJ: Etched in the runoff for side A is "tone controlled".
- A US 12" promo with Watching The Detectives and two unknown tracks is rumored to exist, but this may actually be the Live At Hollywood High EP.