My Aim Is True

My Aim Is True
Studio album by Elvis Costello
Released	July 22, 1977 (UK) March 1978 (U.S.)
Recorded	Pathway Studios, London, 1976–1977
Genre	Pub rock, new wave
Length	32:56
Label	Stiff (UK) Columbia (U.S.) Demon/Rykodisc (October 19, 1993 Reissue) Rhino (August 11, 2001 Reissue) Hip-O (2007 Reissue)
Producer	Nick Lowe
Professional reviews
Allmusic link Pitchfork Media (9.8/10.0) link Robert Christgau (B+) link Rolling Stone link BBC (very favourable) link Sputnikmusic link
Elvis Costello chronology
My Aim Is True (1977) This Year's Model (1978)

My Aim Is True is the début album by Elvis Costello.

The album was recorded at Pathway Studios in Holloway, London Borough of Islington, over the course of 1976 during late-night studio sessions, in a total of twenty-four hours. It was the first of five straight Costello albums produced by Nick Lowe.

The musicians who were featured on the album were uncredited on the original release (due to contractual difficulties), although the backing band was made up of members of the band Clover.

In 2003, the TV network VH1 named My Aim Is True the 80th greatest album of all time. In 2003, the album was ranked number 168 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.^[1]

On November 8, 2007, Costello reunited with the members of Clover from the original recording sessions to perform the songs from "My Aim Is True" for the first time ever in public at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. The event was a benefit for the Richard de Lone Special Housing Fund, which assists those with Prader-Willi Syndrome.

Background

Costello (born Declan MacManus) had been performing in clubs and pubs in Liverpool and London since 1970 and had created some demo tapes, but he had had little success in obtaining a recording contract. When Stiff Records was founded in 1976, Costello submitted his demos there and found some interest, but initially they wanted him as a songwriter for Dave Edmunds. Edmunds, however, was reluctant, so the company had Costello and Clover re-record some of his songs, with Lowe producing, to try and persuade him. The new recordings were good enough on their own for Stiff Records to abandon that idea.^[2]

The label then suggested that he share a debut album with Wreckless Eric, but Costello had written enough songs, most of them at home late at night so as not to wake his wife and young son or on the Underground while commuting to work, to have an entire album of his own.^[2] Costello called in sick to his day job (as a data-entry clerk) in order to rehearse and record the album with Clover, which was cut in a series of six four-hour sessions for about £1,000.

Costello stayed at his day job as the first two singles, "Less Than Zero" and "Alison", were pre-released without much success. Finally, the label decided to release the album in the summer of 1977, and he was asked to quit his job and become a professional musician. Stiff Records would match his office wages and gave him a record advance of £150, an amp, and a tape recorder.^[2] Three weeks after its release, Costello was on the cover of a music paper. He described this situation as being "an overnight success after seven years."^[2]

The song "Watching the Detectives" is the theme song for the PBS program History Detectives.

Packaging and Artwork

Album cover was designed by Barney Bubbles (uncredited).

The cover art features rows of tiny black and white checks (surrounding the photo of Costello) on which the phrase "Elvis Is King" is written. Costello's pose on the cover would become an iconic look for him, with the Buddy Holly glasses and the knees bent inwards together. He struck a similar pose in the photo on the back of the original sleeve.

Initially, the LP cover had a black & white photo on the front, and a yellow back. The first 1000 UK copies also came with a form asking the buyer to send in the address of a friend, who would then receive a free copy. The form was titled: HELP US HYPE ELVIS. The free copies that were sent out in response to returned forms were customised with a large special sticker. The form and the sticker were also designed by Barney Bubbles. First pressings came with writings on the dead wax with on the A side "Elvis is King" and "Proxy Prime Cut" and on the B side "on this side too" and "proxy prime cut too". Early issues were also printed with many different coloured backs.

Later issues then had a green tint on the front picture and a green back. The Demon re-issue originally had a yellow tint on the photo and a yellow back, and the reissue has a green tint photo.

Track listing

All songs written by Elvis Costello unless otherwise indicated.

Side one

1. "Welcome to the Working Week" – 1:22
2. "Miracle Man" – 3:31
3. "No Dancing" – 2:39
4. "Blame It on Cain" – 2:49
5. "Alison" – 3:21
6. "Sneaky Feelings" – 2:09

Side two

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

• Tracklisting notes: "Watching the Detectives", which was released in the UK as a single in October 1977, was not on the original UK release of the album, but was added to the U.S. release as the last track on side one.

Bonus tracks (1993 Rykodisc)

13. "Watching the Detectives" – 3:45
14. "Radio Sweetheart" – 2:25
15. "Stranger in the House" – 3:01
16. "Imagination (Is a Powerful Deceiver)" – 3:38
17. "Mystery Dance" (Demo version) – 2:13
18. "Cheap Reward" (Demo version) – 2:15
19. "Jump Up" (Demo version) – 2:06
20. "Wave a White Flag" (Demo version) – 1:53
21. "Blame It on Cain" (Demo version) – 3:30
22. "Poison Moon" (Demo version) – 1:53

• Tracklisting notes: The Rykodisc reissue placed "Watching the Detectives" after a 5-second silence following "Waiting for the End of the World."

Bonus Disc (2001 Rhino)

13. "No Action" (Early version) – 2:15
14. "Living in Paradise" (Early version) – 3:00
15. "Radio Sweetheart" – 2:31
16. "Stranger in the House" – 3:04
17. "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) (from Live Stiffs) – 2:27
18. "Less Than Zero" (Dallas version) (from Live at the El Mocambo) – 4:19
19. "Imagination (Is a Powerful Deceiver)" – 3:39
20. "Mystery Dance" (Demo version) – 2:15
21. "Cheap Reward (Demo version) – 2:18
22. "Jump Up" (Demo version) – 2:09
23. "Wave a White Flag" (Demo version) – 1:59
24. "Blame It on Cain" (Demo version) – 3:34
25. "Poison Moon" (Demo version) – 1:53

Track Listing (2007 Deluxe Edition Hip-O)

Disc 1:

1. "Welcome To The Working Week"
2. "Miracle Man"
3. "No Dancing"
4. "Blame It On Cain"
5. "Alison"
6. "Sneaky Feelings"
7. "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes"
8. "Less Than Zero"
9. "Mystery Dance"
10. "Pay It Back"
11. "I'm Not Angry"
12. "Waiting For The End Of The World"
13. "Watching The Detectives"
14. "No Action" (early version)
15. "Living In Paradise" (early version)
16. "Radio Sweetheart"
17. "Stranger In The House"
18. "Welcome To The Working Week" (Pathway Studios demo)
19. "Blue Minute" (Pathway Studios demo)
20. "Miracle Man" (Pathway Studios demo)
21. "Waiting For The End Of The World" (Pathway Studios demo)
22. "Call On Me" (Pathway Studios demo)
23. "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes" (Pathway Studios demo)
24. "I Don't Want To Go Home" (Pathway Studios demo)
25. "I Hear A Melody" (Pathway Studios demo)

Disc 2: Elvis Costello & the Attractions: Live at The Nashville Rooms - August 7, 1977

1. Introduction by Dave Robinson
2. "Welcome To The Working Week"
3. "Blame It On Cain"
4. "No Dancing"
5. "Waiting For The End Of The World"
6. "Night Rally"
7. "Hoover Factory"
8. "No Action"
9. "(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea"
10. "Miracle Man"
11. "The Beat"
12. "Less Than Zero"
13. "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes"
14. "Lipstick Vogue"
15. "Watching The Detectives"
16. "Lip Service"
17. "Mystery Dance"
18. "Alison"
19. "Pay It Back" (soundcheck)
20. "Radio Sweetheart" (soundcheck)
21. "Sneaky Feelings" (soundcheck)
22. "Crawling In The USA" (soundcheck)
23. "Alison" (soundcheck)

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. The Hip-O version has the original tracks and bonus tracks on the first CD and a recording of a 1977 concert on the second.

Personnel

• Elvis Costello – vocals, guitar, piano and drumsticks on "Mystery Dance"
• Nick Lowe – backing vocals, piano, drumsticks and bass on "Mystery Dance"
• John McFee – lead guitar, pedal steel guitar, backing vocals
• Sean Hopper – piano, organ, backing vocals
• Stan Shaw – organ on "Less Than Zero"
• Johnny Ciambotti – bass, backing vocals
• Mickey Shine – drums
• Andrew Bodnar – bass on "Watching the Detectives"
• Steve Goulding – drums on "Watching the Detectives"
• Steve Nieve – organ and piano overdubs on "Watching the Detectives"

Charts

Album

Certifications

References