50 Songs For 50 Days
Between September 15, and November 3, 2020, Elvis posted a series of song lyrics on his website, one every day for 51 days. He introduced the series on his FaceBook page thus:
"Elvis Costello’s October Surprise
“If you’re tired of the lies of politicians and of preachers
You can place your trust in me, help me be your brother’s keeper
If you pay too many taxes, think salvation should be cheaper
Just say “Blood and Hot Sauce”
These lines come from a campaign song that I wrote for a musical adaptation of the Budd Schulberg story, “A Face In The Crowd”, which would have been coming to the stage quite soon, had it not been for the present contagion.
“Face” is the tale of Lonesome Rhodes, a lying, cheating, pill-popping double-talking no-good, who is discovered in jail by, Marcia Jeffries, a radio producer who sees potential in his silver tongue and common touch.
The story sees him rise through the broadcasting world until Lonesome gets such good ratings that he believes that he holds sway over, “The Ordinary Man”, who he secretly despises.
But that story is for another day.
In the meantime, I have created this installation of “50 Songs For 50 Days”, presenting lyrics written over the last 50 years - most of them my own - and heard on recordings made between 1977 and 2020, including several that will be issued here for the first time.
These songs were written in response to events over these many years but it strikes me that you may find something useful in them at this present moment; a joke, a motto or even a couple of dance steps to keep the blood pumping and the hot sauce at hand.
I hope these songs will amuse, console or even infuriate, because passive indifference is hardly the way forward.
From September 15th, we will bring you a different song every day for the next 50 days via the miracle of your favourite streaming service and the wonder of the internet. Please stay tuned.
I hope you get what you wish for or what you really deserve and that we can all find a way to forgive those who trespass against us.
One day I will see you again in the stalls or in the stars. Love from your friend in the future. Elvis Costello"
50 Songs For 50 Days - September 15 - November 3, 2020
number | song | lyric | album or other release (date) |
01. | (You’re Nobody “Til Everybody In) This Town (Thinks You’re A Bastard) | "It was a song with a topical verse which I’m Afraid he then proceeded to sing |
Spike (1989) |
02. | Waiting For The End Of The World | “Hiding from a scandal in the national press They had been trying to get married since they stole the wedding dress |
My Aim Is True (1977) |
03. | Why Can't A Man Stand Alone? | "Must he be burdened by all that he's taught to consider his own? His skin and his station, his kin and his crown, his flag and his nation |
All This Useless Beauty (1996) |
04. | Jimmie Standing In The Rain | “Eyes going in and out of focus Mild and bitter from tuberculosis |
National Ransom (2010) |
05. | Night Rally | “They're putting all your names In the forbidden book |
This Year's Model (1978) |
06. | Hurry Down Doomsday (The Bugs Are Taking Over) | "In time you can turn these obsessions into careers While the parents of those kidnapped children |
Mighty Like A Rose (1991) |
07. | All This Useless Beauty | “Nonsense prevails, modesty fails Grace and virtue turn into stupidity |
All This Useless Beauty (1996) |
08. | Brilliant Mistake | “He thought he was the King of America
Where they pour Coca Cola just like vintage wine |
King Of America (1986) |
09. | Less Than Zero | “He said he heard about a couple living in the USA
He said they traded in their baby for a Chevrolet |
My Aim Is True (1977) |
10. | Withered And Died | “This cruel country has driven me down
Teased me and lied, teased me and lied |
Out Of Our Idiot (1987) |
11. | Shut Him Down | "Say something once
Does it make a true? |
Single, (2020) |
12. | Tokyo Storm Warning | “So you look around the tiny room and you wonder where the hell you are
While the K.K.K. convention are all stranded in the bar |
Blood And Chocolate (1986} |
13. | Refuse To Be Saved | “They're hunting us down here with Liberty's light
A handshaking double-talking procession of the mighty |
Wise Up Ghost (2013) |
14. | No Flag | “No time for this kind of love
No flag waving high above |
Hey Clockface (2020) |
15. | 20% Amnesia | “The wine you drink has never seen a grape
And now your sci-fi suit has lost its shape |
Brutal Youth (1994) |
16. | Beyond Belief | "History repeats the old conceits
The glib replies the same defeats |
Imperial Bedroom (1982) |
17. | Walk Us Uptown | “Will you walk us uptown
Will you gather us near |
Wise Up Ghost (2013) |
18. | The River In Reverse | “So count your blessings when they ask permission
To govern with money and superstition |
The River In Reverse (2006) |
19. | Welcome To The Working Week | “All of your family had to kill to survive
And they're still waiting for their big day to arrive |
My Aim Is True (1977) |
20. | Riot Act | "Why do you talk such stupid nonsense?
When my mind could rest much easier |
Get Happy!! (1980) |
21. | The Other Side Of Summer | "The automatic gates close up between the shanties and the palace
The blowtorch amusements, the voodoo chalice |
Mighty Like A Rose (1991) |
22. | Wise Up Ghost | “Old woman living in a cardboard shoe Lost so many souls, she don't know what to do |
Wise Up Ghost (2013) |
23. | Phonographic Memory | Ever since the U.S. Mint was sucked dry and spat out, bookworms paid for rare tomes with wheelbarrows full of banknotes, some of them worthless Confederate money, stashes of which had been secreted in the plinths of various toppled statues. They bartered with it on a Mississippi square with the irony of victors. |
B-side of We Are All Cowards Now (2020) |
24. | Bedlam | “I’ve got this imaginary radio, and I'm punching up the dial
I've got the A.C. trained on the T.V. so it won't blow up in my eye |
The Delivery Man (2004) |
25. | Red Cotton | “The Lord will judge us, with fire and thunder
As man continues with all his blunders |
Secret, Profane & Sugarcane (2009) |
26. | Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further? | “What happen to the Liberty Bell I heard so much about?
Did it really ding-dong? |
The River In Reverse (2006) |
27. | Green Shirt | “Better send a begging letter to the big investigation
Who put these fingerprints on my imagination?” |
Armed Forces (1979) |
28. | This Is Hell | “Endless balmy breezes and perfect sunsets framed
Vintage wine for breakfast |
Brutal Youth (1994) |
29. | In The Darkest Place | “In the darkest place
I`m lost |
Painted From Memory (1998) |
30. | Everybody's Crying Mercy | “A bad enough situation
Is sure enough getting worse |
Kojak Variety (1995) |
31. | Hora Decubitus | “Life is a beautiful thing” | My Flame Burns Blue (2006) |
32. | Newspaper Pane | “I don’t spend my time perfecting the past
I live for the future |
Hey Clockface (2020) |
33. | Clowntime Is Over | “Tears on your blackmail
Written to ransom |
Get Happy!! (1980) |
34. | American Gangster Time | “Next week there'll be some fashionable new sin
For each harlot and each Puritan |
Momofuku (2008) |
35. | Weird Nightmare | “Weird nightmare
Why must you torment me? |
Weird Nightmare: Meditations on Mingus (1992) |
36. | Poor Napoleon | “You can take the truthful things you’ve said to me
And fit them on the head of a pin” |
Blood & Chocolate (1986) |
37. | Tripwire | “Torn from the pages of history
Repeated again and again and again |
Wise Up Ghost (2013) |
38. | It's Time | "The party's over
Time we broke up |
All This Useless Beauty (1996) |
39. | New Lace Sleeves | “Even presidents have newspaper lovers
Ministers go crawling under covers |
Trust (1981) |
40. | Stick Out Your Tongue | “The sugar-coated pill is getting bitterer still
You think your country needs you but you know it never will |
Wise Up Ghost (2013) |
41. | We Are All Cowards Now | “They're draping stones with colour
And a roll of stolen names |
Hey Clockface (2020) |
42. | How Much I Lied | “A thief can only steal from you
He cannot break your heart |
Almost Blue (1981) |
43. | All The Rage | “The twitching impulses to speak your mind
I'll lend you my microscope and maybe you will find it |
Brutal Youth (1994) |
44. | National Ransom | “Did you find how to lie?
Did you find out how to cheat? |
National Ransom (2010) |
45. | American Tune | “We’ve lived so well, so long
Still, when I think of the road we’re traveling on |
Single, (2017) |
46. | This Sad Burlesque | “PS Well by now you know the worst of it
And we’ve heard all the alibis that they’ve rehearsed |
The Juliet Letters (1993) |
47. | Crawling To The USA | “Me dijo “no te creas tan especial no vas a impresionarme”
Ponle precio a mi lealtad y puedes desnudarme |
This Year's Model (2021) (Spanish language version) |
48. | I've Been Wrong Before | “The night we met
The night that I won't forget |
Kojak Variety (1995) |
49. | Man Out Of Time | “There's a tuppenny-ha’penny millionaire
Looking for a fourpenny one |
Imperial Bedroom (1982) |
50. | (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding? | “As I walk through this wicked world
Searching for light in the darkness of insanity |
Armed Forces (1979) (U.S. Release) |
51. | Couldn't Call It Unexpected No. 4 | “So toll the bell or rock the cradle
Please don't let me fear anything I cannot explain |
Mighty Like A Rose (1991) |