Almost Blue

Almost Blue
Studio album by Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Released	23 October 1981 (1981-10-23)
Recorded	May 1981, Nashville
Genre	Rock, country, alt-country, new wave, cowpunk
Length	32:35
Label	F-Beat (UK) Columbia (US) Demon/Rykodisc (30 August 1994 Reissue) Rhino (3 August 2004 Reissue) Hip-O (1 May 2007 Reissue)
Producer	Billy Sherrill
Elvis Costello and the Attractions chronology
Trust (1981) Almost Blue (1981) Imperial Bedroom (1982)

Almost Blue is an album by Elvis Costello and the Attractions. It was recorded May 1981 in Nashville, and released on 23 October 1981. The record's songs consist entirely of country covers, including works originally written by Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, George Jones and Gram Parsons. It is Costello's first album not to be produced by Nick Lowe.

Rhapsody praised the album, calling it one of their favourite cover albums.^[1]

Packaging and artwork

Album cover was designed by Barney Bubbles. The design is an homage to the 1963 Blue Note album Midnight Blue by Kenny Burrell. Many versions of the artwork were made, with slightly different base colours.

It originally appeared with a warning label that read "WARNING: This album contains country & western music and may cause offence to narrow minded listeners." An alternative label read "WARNING! This album contains country & western music and may produce radical reaction in narrow minded people."

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Robert Christgau	B− link
Rolling Stone	link
Stylus Magazine	(not rated) link

Track listing

Side one

1. "Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used to Do)?" (Hank Williams) – 1:40
2. "Sweet Dreams" (Don Gibson) – 3:00
3. "Success" (Johnny Mullins) – 2:41
4. "Hot Burrito #1" (Gram Parsons, Chris Ethridge) – 3:23
5. "Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down" (Merle Haggard) – 2:09
6. "Brown to Blue" (George Jones, Virginia Franks, Country Johnny Mathis) – 2:40

Side two

1. "A Good Year for the Roses" (Jerry Chesnut) – 3:10
2. "Sittin' and Thinkin'" (Charlie Rich) – 3:02
3. "Colour of the Blues" (Lawton Williams, George Jones) – 2:21
4. "Too Far Gone" (Billy Sherrill) – 3:28
5. "Honey Hush" (Lou Willie Turner) – 2:15
6. "How Much I Lied" (Gram Parsons, Pam Rifkin) – 2:55

Note: The Rykodisc version has the original tracks and bonus tracks on one CD. The Rhino version has two CDs with the original tracks on the first CD.

Bonus tracks (1994 Rykodisc)

1. "He's Got You" (Live) (Hank Cochran) – 4:07
2. "Cry! Cry! Cry!" (Live) (Johnny Cash) – 2:45
3. "There Won't Be Anymore" (Live) (Rich) – 2:23
4. "Sittin' and Thinkin'" (Live) (Rich) – 2:55
5. "Honey Hush" (Live) (Turner) – 2:31
6. "Psycho" (Live) (Leon Payne) – 3:36
7. "Your Angel Steps Out of Heaven" (Jack Ripley) – 1:58
8. "Darling, You Know I Wouldn't Lie" (Wayne Kemp, Red Lane) – 2:37
9. "My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You" (Lee Ross, Bob Wills) – 2:04
10. "Tears Before Bedtime" (Early Version) (Costello) – 2:27
11. "Hot Burrito #1" (Live) (Parsons, Ethridge) – 3:46

Bonus disc (2004 Rhino)

All songs written by Costello unless noted.

1. "Stranger in the House" (duet with George Jones) – 3:39
2. "We Ought to Be Ashamed" (duet with Johnny Cash) (James, Montgomery) – 2:47
3. "Radio Sweetheart" (Live) – 3:15
4. "Stranger in the House" (Live) – 3:56
5. "Psycho" (Live) (Payne) – 3:35
6. "If I Could Put Them All Together (I'd Have You)" (Live) (Even Stevens) – 2:28
7. "Motel Matches" (Live) – 2:21
8. "He'll Have to Go" (Live) (Joe Allison/Audrey Allison) – 2:51
9. "Girls Talk" (Live) – 1:46
10. "Too Far Gone" (Lost Session version) (Sherrill) – 3:11
11. "He's Got You" (Lost Session version) (Cochran) – 3:51
12. "Honky Tonk Girl" (Loretta Lynn) – 2:26
13. "That's Why I'm Walking" (Melvin Endsley & Stonewall Jackson) – 2:22
14. "Wondering" (Joe Werner) – 2:21
15. "Darling, You Know I Wouldn't Lie" (Kemp, Lane) – 2:37
16. "My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You" (Ross, Wills) – 2:04
17. "Blues Keep Calling" (Janis Martin) - 2.07
18. "Tears Before Bedtime" (Early Version) – 2:27
19. "Psycho" (Payne) – 3:32
20. "Cry, Cry, Cry" (Cash) – 2:45
21. "I'll Take Care of You" (Brook Benton) – 3:11
22. "Your Angel Steps Out of Heaven" (Ripley) – 1:59
23. "Brand New Heartache" (Live) (Felice Bryant/Boudleaux Bryant) – 2:29
24. "There Won't Be Anymore" (Live) (Rich) – 2:32
25. "Sittin' and Thinkin'" (Live) (Rich) – 2:51
26. "Honey Hush" (Live) (Turner) – 2:30
27. "Hot Burrito #1" (Live) (Parsons, Ethridge) – 3:46

Personnel

• Elvis Costello – vocals, guitar
• Steve Nieve – piano, organ
• Bruce Thomas – bass
• Pete Thomas – drums

Additional personnel

• John McFee – lead guitar, pedal steel guitar

Charts

Album

References