Template:Discography 1981

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1981

Stiff EC reissue singles set.jpg

Stiff EC reissue
Elvis Costello
Record 1 (BUY 11, thin paper ps):

Less Than Zero
Radio Sweetheart (single mix)

Record 2 (BUY 14, thin paper ps):

Alison
Welcome To The Working Week

Record 3 (BUY 15):

(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
Mystery Dance

Record 4 (BUY 20, thin paper ps /w slightly different colours to original):

Watching The Detectives
Blame It On Cain (live) - EC+A
Mystery Dance (live) - EC+A

1981-__-__; 4x7"; Stiff GRAB3

Stiff reissue of their 4 EC 7" singles in a 'vertical' plastic holder. On the labels the copyright is given as 'Stiff Records' instead of the original 'Stiff Records Ltd'. There is a stamped "AY 50332" in the runoff groove of all 4 singles, and the original runoff messages do not appear. The covers have an elliptical cutout on the back that's even smaller than the one on the Stiff Box Set No. 2 reissues, except the BUY 15 ('Stiff') sleeve which is identical to the Stiff Box Set No. 2 sleeve. There is no "Delga" mark on the BUY 11 & BUY 15 covers and the photo on the BUY 20 sleeve is beginning to look decidedly sepia! BUY 20 has the words "Made in England" on the label.

Trust album cover large.jpg

Trust
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Side 1:

Clubland (3:42)
Lovers Walk (2:15)
You'll Never Be A Man (2:54)
Pretty Words (3:10)
Strict Time (2:39)
Luxembourg (2:25)
Watch Your Step (2:57)

Side 2:

New Lace Sleeves (3:44)
From A Whisper To A Scream (2:52)
Different Finger (1:56)
White Knuckles (3:46)
Shot With His Own Gun (3:29)
Fish 'N' Chip Paper (2:53)
Big Sister's Clothes (2:09)

(40:51)
1981-01-__; LP; F-Beat XXLP 11 (UK)
1981-__-__; MC; F-Beat XXC 11 (UK)
1981-01-__; LP; Columbia 37051 (USA)
19__-__-__; LP; F-Beat/Warner-Pioneer P-10965 (Japan)
19__-__-__; LP; Half-speed master (Japan)
19__-__-__; 8T; Columbia 37051 (USA)
1984-04-06; LP; Demon IMP FIEND 30
1984-04-__; MC; Demon IMP FIEND CASS 30
1986-01-__; CD; Demon IMP FIEND CD 30
19__-__-__; LP; Liberation Records LIB 5105 (Australia)
19__-__-__; MC; Liberation Records TCLIB 5105 (Australia)

Produced by Nick Lowe in association with Roger Bechirian.
Reached #9 in UK charts, & #28 in the US.

12 TRUST PROMO WHITE LABEL UK FRONT.JPG

4 Tracks From The Trust LP
Elvis Costello & The Attractions

You'll Never Be A Man
Pretty Words
From A Whisper To A Scream
New Lace Sleeves

1981-01-__; 12"; F-Beat EL-2 (UK, white label promo)

Cheaply pressed and in a plain white sleeve.

Image To Come Later.gif

Texas radio promo

New Lace Sleeves - EC+A

1981-__-__; 7"; Q-102-EP (US, promo)

From A Whisper To A Scream UK 7" single front sleeve.jpg

From A Whisper To A Scream single
Elvis Costello & The Attractions

From A Whisper To A Scream (2:52)
Luxembourg (2:25)

1981-02-__; 7"; F-Beat XX14 (UK, ps)

From A Whisper To A Scream Netherlands 7" single front sleeve.jpg

From A Whisper To A Scream single
Elvis Costello & The Attractions

From A Whisper To A Scream
Different Finger

1981-__-__; 7"; WEA 58260
1981-__-__; 7"; F-Beat WEA 18.723 (Netherlands, ps)

CP 369 FRONT.JPG

From A Whisper To A Scream single
Elvis Costello & The Attractions

From A Whisper To A Scream
Luxembourg

1981-__-__; 7"; F-Beat CP369 (Spanish promo, ps)

Watch Your Step US 7" single front sleeve.jpg

Watch Your Step
Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Watch Your Step (2:59)
Luxembourg (2:27)

1981-04-__; 7"; Columbia 11-60519 (US, ps)

11-60519 A SIDE PROMO.JPG

Watch Your Step
Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Watch Your Step (2:59)
Watch Your Step (2:59)

1981-__-__; 7"; Columbia 11-60519 (US white label promo)

12 AS 958 USA PROMO FRONT.JPG

The Elvis Costello Interview with Tom Snyder: Tomorrow Coast To Coast

Interview (11:23)
Watch Your Step - EC+A

1981-05-__; 12"; Columbia/CBS AS 958 XSM-168566 (US stickered promo)
19__-__-__; CD; Columbia/CBS (US promo)

DJC4-8435 A SIDE CANADA.JPG

Different Finger single
Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Different Finger
Different Finger

1981-__-__; 7"; Columbia DJC4-8435 (Canadian radio promo, standard CBS sleeve)

Strict TIme DJC4-8439 Canada PROMO.jpg

Strict Time single
Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Strict Time
Fish 'N' Chip Paper

1981-__-__; 7"; Columbia DJC4-8439 (Canadian promo)

13-33401 A SIDE GREY LABEL.JPG

13-33401 A SIDE RED LABEL.JPG

Alison single

Alison (US version) (3:05) - EC
Accidents Will Happen (3:00) - EC+A

1981-__-__; 7"; Columbia 13-33401 (US/Canada 'Hall Of Fame' reissue, red or grey label)

Concerts For The People Of Kampuchea album cover.jpg

Concerts For The People Of Kampuchea
various artists

The Imposter (live) (2:10) - EC+A

1981-03-27; 2xLP; Atlantic SD 2-7005 (USA)
1981-04-03; 2xLP; Atlantic K60153 (UK)
1981-__-__; 2xLP; Atlantic P-5595-6 (Japan)
1996-__-__; 2xCD; Hammersmith Music CDP5595

Bruce Thomas also plays bass on the Rockestra tracks.
Recorded live at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, 29-Dec-79.

Good Year For The Roses UK 7" single front sleeve.jpg

Good Year For The Roses single
Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Good Year For The Roses (Jerry Chesnut) (3:05)
Your Angel Steps Out Of Heaven (Jack Ripley) (1:55)

1981-09-__; 7"; F-Beat XX17 (UK, ps)1981-09-__; 7"; Columbia 18-02629 (US/Canada)1981-11-__; 7"; F-Beat WEA/FB 18.879 (Netherlands/Germany, ps different to UK)1981-__-__; 7"; Radar 45-2154 (Spain, ps)1981-__-__; 7"; F-Beat/Warner P-1588X (Japan, ps)

"YASOOH" produced by Billy Sherrill.
The first 5000? UK copies were issued in a picture sleeve, but were recalled and reissued in a standard 'F-Beat' sleeve. However, a few hundred made it into circulation. The apparent reason why they were recalled was simply that EC hated it!
Reached #6 in UK charts.

18-02629 A SIDE PROMO.JPG

Good Year For The Roses single
Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Good Year For The Roses (Jerry Chesnut) (3:05)
Good Year For The Roses (Jerry Chesnut) (3:05)

1981-__-__; 7"; Columbia 18-02629 (US white label promo)

AB album cover large.jpg

Almost Blue
Elvis Costello & The Attractions (31:08)
Side 1:

Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used To Do)? (Hank Williams) (1:30)
Sweet Dreams (Don Gibson) (2:52)
Success (Johnny Mullins) (2:35)
I'm Your Toy (Hot Burrito No. 1) (Ethridge/Parsons) (3:18)
Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down (Merle Haggard) (2:05)
Brown To Blue (Jones/Franks/Mathis) (2:35)

Side 2:

Good Year For The Roses (Jerry Chesnut) (3:05)
Sittin' And Thinkin' (Charlie Rich) (2:50)
Colour Of The Blues (Williams/Jones) (2:15)
Too Far Gone (Billy Sherrill) (3:18)
Honey Hush (Lou Willie Turner) (2:05)
How Much I Lied (Parsons/Rifkin) (2:40)

1981-10-23 LP; F-Beat XXLP13 (UK)
1981-10-__; MC; F-Beat XXC 13 (UK, issued in cardboard cigarette-style pack)
19__-__-__; LP; Columbia FC 37562 (US/Canada)
19__-__-__; LP; F-Beat/Warner-Pioneer P-11107 (Japan)
1984-04-06; LP; Demon IMP FIEND 33
1984-04-06; MC; Demon IMP FIEND CASS 33
1986-01-__; CD; Demon IMP FIEND CD 33
19__-__-__; LP; Liberation Records LIB 5106 (Australia)
19__-__-__; MC; Liberation Records TCLIB 5106 (Australia)
19__-__-__; LP; (Israel, with sticker in Hebrew)

Produced by Billy Sherrill.
The CD version has the correct title for "How Much I've Lied", and lists "Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down" as simply "The Bottle Let Me Down". It also has some incorrect track credits ("Brown To Blue [Mathis]" & "Good Year For The Roses [Chestnut]"). The US/Canada versions of the LP have the US spelling of colour (color) in the title of "Colour Of The Blues".
The LP came in 4 different coloured covers; blue/pale blue, blue/pink, blue/green, & blue/yellow, and some copies had a sticker saying either "WARNING. This album contains country & western music and may cause offence to narrow minded listeners" or simply "The new album from Elvis Costello and The Attractions".
The original version of "I'm Your Toy" by the Flying Burrito Brothers was simply called "Hot Burrito No. 1".
Reached #7 in UK charts, & #50 in the US.
UK: Went gold (100,000 copies) (date unknown).

Elvis Costello Introduces The Tracks From His New Album Almost Blue album cover.jpg

Elvis Costello Introduces...The Tracks From His New Album 'Almost Blue'
Elvis Costello & The Attractions

(Track list as for regular album)

1981-10-__; LP; F-Beat E.C.CHAT 1 (UK promo)
1981-10-__; LP; Columbia AS 1318 (US promo)

Each track is preceeded by a short spoken intro.
The UK cover is a pasteup; the front cover has a drawing of the band by Bruce Thomas on white paper, with a copy number and the artists' names stamped (in black, blue & red ink) and their signatures in various colours. The back has the tracklist and times printed in black on blue paper. The cover lists the keyboard player as Steve Neive.
The US cover is plain black, some with a square red on white sticker ontaining the title.
The US title is Almost Blue (Elvis Introduces His Favorite Country Songs).

EC1 PROMO ALMOST BLUE EXCERPTS A SIDE.JPG

Excerpts From The Album 'Almost Blue'
Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Good Year For The Roses (Jerry Chesnut)
Colour Of The Blues (Williams/Jones)
Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used To Do)? (Hank Williams)
Sweet Dreams (Don Gibson)

1981-10-__; 7"; F-Beat EC-1 (UK promo)

Came in a thin plain white paper sleeve, with the track details typed on a cheap computer and printed out on a sticky label. The label was also white, with the barest of information printed in smudged green ink. The record also sounded as if it had been pressed during an artillery exercise and mastered in a frying-pan.

12 USA AB AS 1318 PROMO FRONT.JPG

Almost Blue Radio Sampler


1981-11-__; 12"; Columbia AS 1318 (US, promo)

Fundamental Frolics album cover.jpg

Fundamental Frolics
various artists

The Psycho Song (solo, live) (Leon Payne) (4:04)

1981-11-__; LP; BBC Records REB 435 (UK)

Charity benefit live album.
Recorded live at The Apollo Theatre, London, 1981-06-01.
The correct title of this song is simply "Psycho".

Sweet Dreams UK 7" single front sleeve.jpg

Sweet Dreams single
Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Sweet Dreams (Don Gibson)
Psycho (live; Palomino) (Leon Payne) (3:30)

1981-12-04; 7"; F-Beat XX19 (UK, ps)

"P" was recorded live at The Palomino Club, N. Hollywood, USA, 1979-02-16 , and produced by EC.
Reached #42 in UK charts.
"Psycho is based on a series killings in 1966 by a 25-year-old University of Texas graduate student, Charles Whitman, who went berserk with a rifle, killing 20 people & injuring another 28 including his ex-wife, her new boyfriend, some small chilren & a puppy. The murderer's conversation throughout the song ("You think I'm psycho, dincha, Mama?") draws on the fact that Whitman knew he was going out of his mind, tried to get help and left a death note asking for an autopsy which he hoped would absolve him of blame by proving he was mad." - from UK magazine 'Q' (Aug-95).

XX22E FRONT SCANDINAVIA.JPG

Good Year For The Roses single
Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Good Year For The Roses (Jerry Chesnut)
Your Angel Steps Out Of Heaven (Jack Ripley)
Sweet Dreams (Don Gibson)
Psycho (live; Palomino) (Leon Payne)

1981-__-__; 7"; F-Beat XX22E (Scandinavian)

NME Dancin' Master cassette cover.jpg

NME Dancin' Master
various artists

Big Sister - EC+A (2:18

1981-10-03; MC; NME 001

This was a cassette offered to readers of New Musical Express.

New Rock Champions album cover.jpg

New Rock Champions
various artists

Alison - EC

1981-__-__; LP; RCA NL33186 (Italy)

This also exists as a white label promo.

12 PORTUGAL DA NOVA 10 006 COMP.jpg

New Wave Disco d'Ouro
various artists

Alison - EC
Watching The Detectives - EC

1981-__-__; LP; Nova Records 10.006 (72516) (Portugal, special edition for members of "Círculo de Leitores" book club)

12 PORTUGAL COMP DA NOVA 10.014-5.jpg

Happy Rock: O Maximo Da New Wave
various artists

Alison - EC

1981-__-__; 2xLP; Nova Records 10.014/15 (72826) (Portugal). Badly pressed compilation issued as a special edition for members of the "Círculo de Leitores" book club. Record 1 is on green vinyl, & record 2 on red. Some editions came with a T-shirt.)

On The Road Country Collection album cover.jpg

On The Road... Country Collection
various artists

Stranger In The House - George Jones & EC

1981-__-__; LP; CBS 84961 (Netherlands)

Hits Hits Hits album cover.jpg

Hits Hits Hits
various artists

Good Year For The Roses - EC+A

1981-__-__; LP; RTL 2063

PROMO 16 B SIDE.JPG

'

King Horse - EC+A
Precious (live) - Pretenders
Fascination - Undertones
Bad Case Of Lovin' You - Robert Palmer

19__-__-__; 7"; Ariola PROMO 16 (Dutch promo)