"45" is a song from

Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus Order of the British Empire, OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in ...

's 2002 album ''

When I Was Cruel ''When I Was Cruel'' is Elvis Costello's 19th album, recorded in 2001 and 2002 and released in the US by Island Records on 23 April 2002. Although formally credited as solo Costello album, this was the first album to feature his new band, The ...

'', written by Costello. The second single released from the album, it reached number 92 in the UK charts. To date, it is his last single to chart.

Details

Joining Costello on the recording were drummer Pete Thomas, bassist

Davey Faragher David Allen "Davey" Faragher (born August 18, 1957) is an American bass guitarist from Redlands, California. Faragher's career took off and received critical notice as a founding member of the nineties band Cracker, and his subsequent work wit ...

and keyboardist

Steve Nieve Steve Nieve ( "naïve"; born Stephen John Nason, 21 February 1958) is an English musician and composer. In a career spanning more than 40 years, Nieve has been a member of Elvis Costello's backing bands the Attractions, the Imposters and Madnes ...

. They would later be collectively known as The Imposters. The song was written on the day of Costello's 45th birthday. He said, "I don't think there were any rough drafts at all. It all just appeared one afternoon. Sometimes that happens, and then other times you might wait years to come up with a song." On September 29, Costello and Nieve played a stripped back version of the then-unrecorded song on ''

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that first aired from May 25, 1992, to May 29, 2009. It resumed production on March 1, 2010 and ended on February 6, 2014. The fourth incarnation of the ...

''. The story within the song commences in 1945, and then progresses in nine-year increments, through Costello's birth, up until his 45th birthday. Costello said, "it was really just about the measuring of your life in musical signposts and landmarks. Which we all do, I believe." Throughout the song, "45" refers to the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, the playing speed of a 7-inch single, the caliber of a

revolver A revolver (also called a wheel gun) is a repeating handgun that has at least one barrel and uses a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold up to six roun ...

, as well as Costello's age. The B-side, "My Mood Swings", was co-written with then-wife

Cait O'Riordan Caitlín O'Riordan (born 4 January 1965) is a British musician of Irish and Scottish descent. She played bass guitar for the Irish punk/folk band the Pogues from 1983 to 1986. She later played with Elvis Costello (her husband from 1986 to 2002) ...

for the movie ''

The Big Lebowski ''The Big Lebowski'' () is a 1998 crime comedy film written, produced, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars Jeff Bridges as Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski, a Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler. He is assaulted as a result of mistaken i ...

''. The recording, featuring

Marc Ribot Marc Ribot (; born May 21, 1954) is an American guitarist and composer. His work has touched on many styles, including no wave, free jazz, rock, and Cuban music. Ribot is also known for collaborating with other musicians, most notably Tom Wait ...

Jim Keltner James Lee Keltner (born April 27, 1942) is an American drummer and percussionist known primarily for his session work. He was characterized by Bob Dylan biographer Howard Sounes as "the leading session drummer in America".Howard Sounes. ''Down ...

, and

Greg Cohen Greg Cohen (born July 13, 1953) is an American jazz bassist who has been a member of John Zorn's Masada quartet and worked with numerous other noted musicians for over four decades. Career Cohen plays traditional jazz and other styles, includi ...

, appeared only momentarily in the movie on a character's walkman.

Reception

Pulse! described "45" as a, "key song," that was, "remarkably concise — a metaphysical conceit that showcases Costello's formidable lyrical discipline. It is one of the most unguardedly autobiographical Elvis Costello songs ever written." Len Righi said,"Costello spins together, with casual brilliance, a tale of war, marriage, birth and betrayal."

The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...

claimed the song sounded, "as catchy and clever as one of the singles it celebrates."

References

{{authority control 2002 singles Elvis Costello songs Songs written by Elvis Costello 1999 songs