My Aim Is True

My Aim Is True
studio album by Elvis Costello
Released	1977-07-22
Producer	Nick Lowe

Track list

1977 vinyl edition

Side one
	Title	Length
1.	Welcome To The Working Week	1:22
2.	Miracle Man	3:31
3.	No Dancing	2:39
4.	Blame It On Cain	2:39
5.	Alison	3:21
6.	Sneaky Feelings	2:09
7.	Watching The Detectives (not included on UK, Belgian & Portuguese versions)	3:45

Side two
	Title	Length
1.	(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes	2:47
2.	Less Than Zero	3:15
3.	Mystery Dance	1:38
4.	Pay It Back	2:33
5.	I'm Not Angry	2:57
6.	Waiting For The End Of The World	3:22

1993 Rykodisc edition

	Title	Length
1.	Welcome To The Working Week	1:22
2.	Miracle Man	3:31
3.	No Dancing	2:39
4.	Blame It On Cain	2:39
5.	Alison	3:21
6.	Sneaky Feelings	2:09
7.	(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes	2:47
8.	Less Than Zero	3:15
9.	Mystery Dance	1:38
10.	Pay It Back	2:33
11.	I'm Not Angry	2:57
12.	Waiting For The End Of The World	3:22
13.	Watching The Detectives (remix)	3:45

Extended Play
	Title	Length
14.	Radio Sweetheart (remix)	2:25
15.	Stranger In The House	3:01
16.	Imagination (Is A Powerful Deceiver)	3:38
17.	Mystery Dance (Honky Tonk Demo)	2:13
18.	Cheap Reward (Honky Tonk Demo)	2:15
19.	Jump Up (Honky Tonk Demo)	2:06
20.	Wave A White Flag (Honky Tonk Demo)	1:53
21.	Blame It On Cain (Honky Tonk Demo)	3:30
22.	Poison Moon (Honky Tonk Demo)	1:53
60:21

Credits

• Produced by: Nick Lowe
• Musicians:

Elvis Costello - guitar, vocals, backing vocals

The Shamrocks (aka Clover):

John McFee - guitar, pedal steel

Sean Hopper - keyboards, backing vocals

Johnny Ciambotti - bass, backing vocals

Micky Shine - drums

Nick Lowe - backing vocals

Except:

Mystery Dance:

• Nick Lowe - bass, Elvis & Nick - piano & drumstick

Less Than Zero:

• Stan Shaw - organ

Watching The Detectives:

• Steve Goulding - drums, Andrew Bodnar - bass, Steve Nieve - piano, organ

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 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.
• 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

• Lyrics
• Liner Notes
• Album Images: My Aim Is True
• Home Page discography page
• Home Page discography detailed page

External links

• All Music Guide: Review
• Elvis Costello Fan Forum: Liner Notes