''Get Happy!!'' is the fourth studio album by English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello, and his third with

the Attractions The Attractions were an English backing band for the English new wave musician Elvis Costello between 1977 and 1986, and again from 1994 to 1996. They consisted of Steve Nieve (keyboards and ukulele), Bruce Thomas (bass guitar), and Pete Tho ...

—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 ...

, bassist

Bruce Thomas Bruce Thomas (born 14 August 1948 in Stockton-on-Tees, England) is an English rock bass guitarist, best known as bassist for the Attractions; the band formed in 1977 to back Elvis Costello in concert and on record. In addition to his work ...

and drummer Pete Thomas (no relation). It was released on 15February 1980 through

F-Beat Records F-Beat Records was a record label set up by Jake Riviera in 1979. Its first release, " I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" by Elvis Costello & the Attractions, reached number 4 in the UK charts, the highest singles chart position the label attain ...

in the United Kingdom and Columbia Records in the United States. Following an incident on tour in March 1979 in which Costello drunkenly insulted several American artists, the artist took time off from the Attractions throughout the summer before rejoining them in October to record his next album. Produced by

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after Costello found the material derivative of his previous album '' Armed Forces'' (1979). The sessions were marred with issues but amassed a large number of songs; the final album contains 20 tracks across a single LP. Taking its title from a song of the same name, ''Get Happy!!'' is a departure from Costello's prior works, being influenced by R&B,

ska Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...

and

soul music Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the African American community throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues. Soul music became ...

of the 1960s. Two cover songs,

Sam & Dave Sam & Dave were an American soul and R&B duo who performed together from 1961 until 1981. The tenor (higher) voice was Sam Moore (born 1935) and the baritone/tenor (lower) voice was Dave Prater (1937–1988). Nicknamed "Double Dynamite", "The ...

's " I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" and

the Merseybeats The Merseybeats (also related vocal duo The Merseys) are an English beat band that emerged from the Liverpool Merseybeat scene in the early 1960s, performing at the Cavern Club along with the Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, and other simila ...

' "I Stand Accused", are included. In contrast to the upbeat music, the mostly downbeat lyrics cover recurring themes such as doomed romances. Initial album sleeves reversed the side labels, which was corrected for later reissues. The cover art reflects the soul influence and was designed to resemble a 1960s

Stax Streaming API for XML (StAX) is an application programming interface ( API) to read and write XML documents, originating from the Java programming language community. Traditionally, XML APIs are either: * DOM based - the entire document is read i ...

record, with initial copies boasting a pre-worn sleeve. Initially delayed due to a dispute with

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

and Costello's former label

Radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...

, ''Get Happy!!'' charted at number two in the UK and number 11 in the US, but sold less than ''Armed Forces''. It was supported by a UK tour and three singles, of which "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" reached the UK top five. The album received positive reviews from music critics. Many focused on the quantity of tracks, which they felt varied in quality, although others gave high praise to the record and Costello himself, ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' naming it the second-best album of the year. ''Get Happy!!'' marked a step away from the angry persona Costello had enveloped in his career up to that point. He continued putting more of himself into subsequent works, including 1981's ''

Trust Trust often refers to: * Trust (social science), confidence in or dependence on a person or quality It may also refer to: Business and law * Trust law, a body of law under which one person holds property for the benefit of another * Trust (bus ...

''. Retrospectively, commentators view ''Get Happy!!'' as one of Costello's best works, discussing the number of tracks and highlighting the performances of the Attractions as a standout. Appearing on lists of the best albums of the 1980s by ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'', ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

'' and '' Slant Magazine'', it has been reissued multiple times with bonus tracks and extensive liner notes written by Costello himself.

Background

Elvis Costello and

—bassist

, drummer Pete Thomas (no relation) and keyboardist

—supported his third studio album '' Armed Forces'' on the Armed Funk tour in America, which lasted from February to April 1979. The tour was plagued with issues, including drug and alcohol problems, aggressive behaviour from Costello and his manager

Jake Riviera Jake Riviera (born Andrew Jakeman, February 1948, in Edgware, Middlesex, England) is a British music business entrepreneur, best known for his management of such performers as Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe and as co-founder (with Dave Robinson) o ...

to the press, and poor performances that led to critical and audience backlash. In March, Costello engaged in a drunken exchange with Stephen Stills, where he insulted various American musical artists, including James Brown and

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

, using racial slurs. Although Costello quickly apologised in a press conference, details of the exchange was leaked to the public and he received additional backlash; he received death threats and ''Armed Forces'' was pulled from radio stations. By the tour's end, Costello's reputation in America was nearly destroyed. Bruce Thomas later admitted: "We never really recovered from that tour. Every time Elvis is doing something well, he kind of sabotages it." His reputation in the United Kingdom, however, remained largely unaffected, mostly due to newspapers failing to pick up the story. Author Mick St. Michael compares it to the worldwide response from

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

's 1966 more popular than Jesus comment. Costello first acknowledged the incident in an interview with ''Rolling Stone'' in 1982, feeling that it "outweighs my entire career", but later reflected in his 2015 memoir ''Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink'': "So what if my career was rolled back off the launching pad? Life eventually became a lot more interesting due to this failure to get into some undeserved and potentially fatal orbit." Although he remained with Columbia Records, he did not tour America again until 1981 in support of ''

''. Following the disastrous tour, he decided to reevaluate himself and his career. He ended his relationship with Bebe Buell and reconciled with his wife Mary and son Matthew. Apart from the occasional demo and promotional gig, he and the Attractions took some time off from each other over the summer of 1979; the former produced

the Specials The Specials, also known as The Special AKA, are an English 2 tone and ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry. After some early changes, the first stable lineup of the group consisted of Terry Hall and Neville Staple on vocals, Lynval ...

' debut album in June while the latter recorded an album released in September as ''Mad About the Wrong Boy''. During his time working with the Specials, Costello taped demos at Archipelago, a small eight-track studio in Pimlico, London, and played all instruments himself, yielding versions of "Black and White World", " Riot Act", "Five Gears in Reverse", "Love for Tender", "King Horse", "New Amsterdam" and "Men Called Uncle". According to his biographer Graeme Thomson, Costello had grown to hate the sound of ''Armed Forces'' and aimed to take a different direction for his next album.

Recording

Costello and the Attractions regrouped at London's

Eden Studios Eden Studios was a commercial recording studio, recording facility in west London. It opened in 1967, originally at 11 Eden Street in Kingston upon Thames (now under the Eden Walk shopping centre), before moving to 20-24 Beaumont Road in Chiswic ...

in September and October 1979 to rehearse the new tracks but, having written and performed the material during the Armed Funk Tour in a style similar to ''Armed Forces'', Costello was displeased with the results, finding them derivative and too " new wave". Bruce Thomas recalled: "We sounded like

the Jags The Jags were a British rock band formed in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England, in 1978, composed of Nicole Watkinson (vocals), John Alder (guitar/backing vocals), Steve Prudence (bass), firstly Neil Whittaker and then Alex Baird (drums), M ...

. Bad Elvis and the Attractions impersonators, basically, who played everything fast and in eights." Thomson states that the band's classic sound was now outdated and the initial attempt at "B Movie" sounded like "a desperate attempt" at rewriting "

Oliver's Army "Oliver's Army" is a song written by Elvis Costello and performed by Costello and the Attractions, from the former's third studio album ''Armed Forces'' (1979). The song is a new wave track that was lyrically inspired by the Troubles in North ...

" (1979). Wanting a new direction, Costello immersed himself in

he enjoyed as a teenager and purchased several soul records at London's Camden Town, such as ''Motown Chartbusters Vol. 3'' and Atlantic Records' ''This Is Soul'', which he gave to the band as inspiration. They then went back and re-arranged many of the songs using an R&B sound. The band also grew tired of Eden and relocated to

Wisseloord Studios The Wisseloord Studio is a recording studio in Hilversum, Netherlands. It was officially opened on 19 January 1978 by Prince Claus. The studios were founded by electronics company Philips, to enable their PolyGram artists to record in a prof ...

in Hilversum,

. Returning as producer and engineer were

Nick Lowe Nicholas Drain Lowe (born 24 March 1949) is an English singer-songwriter, musician and producer. A noted figure in power pop and New wave music, new wave,Roger Béchirian, respectively. Recording took place throughout October 1979. Despite the change in scenery, the sessions were enveloped with problems. The band drank frequently, while Béchirian recalled it being a "

cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Ameri ...

haze". Having played the majority of tracks live before going into the studio on previous albums, the new songs were being rearranged frequently and boasted little time to pause. For the Attractions, Nieve suffered an emotional meltdown while Bruce and Pete Thomas were unhappy with their bass and drum sounds, respectively. Béchirian later stated: "It wasn't pleasant at all. You could see the seams coming apart at that point." In addition, Lowe found issues with the studio, even having Costello record his vocals in the booth designed for string instruments: " twas extremely Euro. It was like trying to make a record as the Eurovision song contest was going on all around you." Thomson finds that due to the tense recording sessions, the album's title "seemed more a desperate hope than a playful instruction". The band amassed a large amount of songs during the sessions, with 20 filling the original album; almost all are under two-and-a-half minutes in length. According to Costello, the vinyl cutting and pressing process had to be precise to fit all of them on the two sides of the LP. Two

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

s made the final tracklist: the

B-side " I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" and

' "I Stand Accused". Although covers had appeared in Costello's live sets and as B-sides, ''Get Happy!!'' marked the first appearance of a non-original on one of his UK studio albums. The Archipelago recording of "New Amsterdam" was kept for the final album, as Costello felt it could not be improved upon.

Outtake An outtake is a portion of a work (usually a film or music recording) that is removed in the editing process and not included in the work's final, publicly released version. In the digital era, significant outtakes have been appended to CD and D ...

s that appeared as B-sides included " Girls Talk", a second version of "Clowntime Is Over" and a cover of

Betty Everett Betty Jean Everett (November 23, 1939 – August 19, 2001) was an American soul singer and pianist, best known for her biggest hit single, the million-selling " Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)", and her duet " Let It Be Me" with Jerry Butle ...

's "Getting Mighty Crowded".

Music and lyrics

Musically, ''Get Happy!!'' represents a departure from Costello's previous records, taking influences from the R&B and soul sound of the 1960s, as well as

. Michael Gallucci of ''

Ultimate Classic Rock Townsquare Media, Inc. (formerly Regent Communications until 2010) is an American radio network and media company based in Purchase, New York. The company started in radio and expanded into digital media toward the end of the 2000s, starting wi ...

'' described it as "a throwback to '60s R&B music played with new wave bite". In his book ''Let Them All Talk: The Music of Elvis Costello'', biographer Brian Hinton states that with ''Get Happy!!'', the artist invested in "soul sources with an introspection and bitterness previously alien to the genre". However, not all the tracks took direct influence from R&B and soul. Costello stated that "Human Touch" was influenced by his recent work producing the Specials, while "Men Called Uncle" and "Beaten to the Punch" were influenced by the 1960s Liverpool sound that drew the same styles as the Merseybeats' "I Stand Accused". Some commentators saw the songs on ''Get Happy!!'' as a response to the events of the Armed Funk tour, although in the 2003 reissue liner notes for the album, Costello stated that "Riot Act" was the only track on the album to refer to the incident, further commenting: The album's title is taken from the song of the same name, written by Harold Arlen and

Ted Koehler Ted L. Koehler (July 14, 1894 – January 17, 1973) was an American lyricist. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972. Life and career Koehler was born in 1894 in Washington, D.C. He started out as a photo-engraver, but w ...

. Biographer Tony Clayton-Lea finds it an ironic comment on the LP's lyrical content, which is "steeped in discontent". Indeed, the upbeat songs provide a stark contrast to the downbeat lyrics, particularly on "King Horse". Reviewing the album on release, critic

Robert Hilburn Robert Hilburn (born September 25, 1939) is an American pop music critic, author, and radio host. As critic and music editor at the ''Los Angeles Times'' from 1970 to 2005, his reviews, essays and profiles appeared in publications around the wor ...

of the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...

'' found that the song titles hint at the "jarring encounters" described throughout, naming "Beaten to the Punch", "Temptation", "Possession", "Clowntime Is Over" and "High Fidelity". Biographer David Gouldstone splits the songs into public ones – songs concerned with public issues ("Opportunity", "Clowntime Is Over", "5ive Gears in Reverse" and "Temptation") and personal ones – songs detailing personal conflicts (all other tracks). He further notes that almost all the songs have narrators, with "King Horse" highlighting that they all have human failings. A theme of doomed romance, inspired by the artist's former relationship with Buell, appears in tracks such as "Beaten to the Punch", "Riot Act", "Men Called Uncle", "New Amsterdam" and "B Movie". Additionally, ''The Ringer'' Elizabeth Nelson retrospectively found that Costello intended "Temptation", "Opportunity" and "Possession" to be "a kind of Burroughs-like, cut-up trilogy", dissecting them as "a tortured romance in three acts" or "a plan for military domination". The original album sleeve labels for ''Get Happy!!'' were reversed; side one began with "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" and ended with "Riot Act", while side two started with "Love for Tender" and ended with "High Fidelity", which was corrected for later reissues. Author James E. Perone argues that the swapping is significant, as the album makes "more rhetorical sense" with "Love for Tender" as the opener and "Riot Act" as the closer.

Side one

Opening track "Love for Tender", a deliberate misquote of " Love Me Tender" by

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

, is an upbeat R&B track that immediately demonstrates the soul influence with a

James Jamerson James Lee Jamerson (January 29, 1936 – August 2, 1983) was an American bass player. He was the uncredited bassist on most of the Motown Records hits in the 1960s and early 1970s (Motown did not list session musician credits on their releases ...

-style bass and Motown-era handclaps and percussion. The rushed song uses thematic punning to reference both affection and monetary advances. A reworking of the ''Armed Forces'' outtake "Clean Money", Costello stated that he used the same "

You Can't Hurry Love "You Can't Hurry Love" is a 1966 song originally recorded by the Supremes on the Motown label. It was released on July 25 of 1966 as the second single from their studio album '' The Supremes A' Go-Go'' (1966). Written and produced by Motown p ...

" riff that

the Jam The Jam were an English mod revival/ punk rock band formed in 1972 at Sheerwater Secondary School in Woking, Surrey. They released 18 consecutive Top 40 singles in the United Kingdom, from their debut in 1977 to their break-up in December 1 ...

used for "

Town Called Malice "Town Called Malice" is a song recorded by British band the Jam from the album '' The Gift''. It debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart in February 1982. Overview The title is a play on words of the 1950 Nevil Shute novel ''A Town Like ...

" that was a UK number one in 1982. Nelson found the opening lines ("You won't take my love for tender?") set a precedent for the entire album, in which "one clever but fractious phrase after another unspools as though autogenerated from a demented mail-order catalog". "Opportunity" is the first of several cryptic songs on the album. The partly autobiographical number contains numerous references to being watched or under surveillance, which the narrator is powerless to do anything about except wait for opportunities to come. In his 1989 book ''Elvis Costello: God's Comic'', Gouldstone gives an interpretation of the song as "a dissident aside on the values and organisation of post-war Britain". Perone highlights the track as showcasing Costello's skills as a guitar player. Employing a

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

-ska groove, "The Imposter" is the narrator's attack on a man who has won the affection over a woman he is also in love with; to the narrator, he is an 'imposter' and is surprised no one else sees it.

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

's Stewart Mason argued the track is Nieve's finest performance on record. "Secondary Modern" employs a slower soul groove with downbeat lyrics that Gouldstone finds "enigmatic". Like other tracks, the narrator pleas for a woman to accept him. Interpreting the phrase "secondary modern"–former schools for children that failed grammar school–Gouldstone finds that the phrase might have appealed to Costello due to its "secondary importance" in modern times, which is the final fate of most of his songs' characters. Like "The Imposter", "King Horse" is aimed at tough guys who harass waitresses and stewardesses. Gouldstone comments that "to call someone 'king horse' is in effect to accuse them of being driven by ruthless selfishness, of trampling over other people to reach their desires". Musically, the song uses the guitar figure from the Four Tops' "

Reach Out I'll Be There "Reach Out I'll Be There" (also formatted as "Reach Out (I'll Be There)") is a song recorded by the Four Tops from their fourth studio album '' Reach Out'' (1967). Written and produced by Motown's main production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland, ...

" (1966). AllMusic's Rick Anderson argued that it anticipated the sound Costello would explore on ''Trust'' the following year. "Possession" was written in Holland during a five-minute taxi ride heading back to the studio from a local café. The opening lines and basic quotes are taken from

the Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...

' "

From Me to You "From Me to You" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released in April 1963 as their third single. It was written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon. The song was the Beatles' first number 1 hit on what became the official U ...

" (1963) and took inspiration from, in Costello's words, the "grand marching style" of

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

's "Is Your Love in Vain?" (1978). Reassuring a recurring theme of finance and business throughout ''Get Happy!!'', the song concerns a failed relationship and implies that money be provided rather than love itself. The narrator in "Men Called Uncle" shows distaste for a woman and her older man, whom she calls "uncle". Like other tracks, he displays indifference towards her but deep down desires her love and affection. Perone finds the music similar to the pop styles of the 1960s

British Invasion The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of British culture became popular in the United States and significant to the rising "counterculture" on ...

. The lyrics of "Clowntime Is Over" are vague, but Gouldstone argues that it concerns "some kind of lament". He continues that words and phrases such as "blackmail", "ransom", "somebody's watching" and "a voice in the shadows" offer sinister undertones that indicate an unexpected evil is growing upon us. Reviewer Dave McCullough opined that the song has that "familiar feeling of aggressive assurity, relayed in a sudden jerk at the end of every verse". Musically, Nelson compares the song to " circus music from the

Weimar Republic The Weimar Republic (german: link=no, Weimarer Republik ), officially named the German Reich, was the government of Germany from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional federal republic for the first time in history; hence it is ...

" that is set against a "mechanized march" she likens to Kraftwerk and

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

's Berlin period. On the other hand, "New Amsterdam" stands apart from the rest of the album in that is a

folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Folk Plus or Fo ...

-like acoustic number, having been recorded entirely by Costello himself as a demo. A

waltz The waltz ( ), meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in triple ( time), performed primarily in closed position. History There are many references to a sliding or gliding dance that would evolve into the w ...

, the nostalgic lyrics are about arriving in the

New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. ...

and describe life there as being "almost like suicide". Hinton finds that it is the only song that comes from a non-persona. "High Fidelity" marks a return to the soul influences, with a sound echoing

the Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successf ...

; its opening line also quotes a song title by them. The lyrics are addressed to an ex-partner who now has found a new lover and contain Costello's signature wordplay to reference radios and record players.

Side two

Opening side two is the cover of "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down", a soul track that describes a hurtful love affair. Gouldstone argues that its presence adds "authentic sixties atmosphere" to the LP. On the other hand, the title of "Black and White World" recalls the early days of cinema and the simpler days of childhood. Like "New Amsterdam", the theme of the song is nostalgia, reflecting on days of innocence gone by, and also combines ideals of time, the media and battles between the sexes set against, in Gouldstone's words, "powerful and gripping music". "5ive Gears in Reverse" implies that society is digressing rather than progressing, with the chorus concerning hopelessness and futility. Driven by a guitar riff and a bassline, it is sung "lustfully" rather than "lustily". Hinton finds the track also acts as a "''raison d'etre''" for the album, or "backwards into the future". Both "B Movie" and "Motel Matches" contain wordplay that references Costello's life while on the road for three years, similar to the lyrics on ''Armed Forces''. Described by McCullough as "a quivering skeleton of a song", the former is addressed to a woman, seemingly putting her down and casually references violence towards her. The latter, while not as brutal, describes an unsatisfactory affair taking place in a motel room; Hinton states that "emotion overtakes cleverness". Returning to ska rhythms is the ambivalent "Human Touch", in which the narrator is digusted by his partner and the world, begins drinking heavily and physically assaulting her, yet he longs for the "human touch" from her. Gouldstone finds that the music mimics the disintegration of his mind. Hinton likens the track to ''

This Year's Model ''This Year's Model'' is the second studio album by the English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello, released on 17March 1978 through Radar Records. After being backed by Clover for his debut album '' My Aim Is True'' (1977), Costello formed t ...

'' "Lip Service" (1978) or, in theory, Costello's take on the Beatles' "

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 double album ''The Beatles'' (also known as "the White Album"). It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. Following t ...

" (1968). Hinton also draws Beatles comparisons for "Beaten to the Punch", which contains the same bassline as "

Taxman "Taxman" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1966 album '' Revolver''. Written by the group's lead guitarist, George Harrison, with some lyrical assistance from John Lennon, it protests against the higher level of progre ...

" (1966). The energetic rock song "Beaten to the Punch" is an attack on a man and his "juvenile macho attitudes". Costello based "Temptation" on Booker T. & the M.G.'s' "

Time Is Tight "Time Is Tight" is an instrumental recorded by Booker T. & the M.G.'s for their soundtrack to the 1968 film '' UpTight''. Background The group recorded two versions of the song – the shorter (3:14), slower version was released as a single in 1 ...

" (1969), a song which concerns alcoholism and defenselessness. Similar to other tracks on the album, "Temptation" is addressed to a man and is presumed by Gouldstone to concern the troubles of living in a competitive and bureaucratic society. Regarding the cover of "I Stand Accused", the author argues that it could pass as one of Costello's originals due to the performances and use of thematic punning. The final track, "Riot Act", reflects on a past relationship with "abject desolation" rather than disdain. Costello gives a tender vocal performance that displays emotion and builds into a near-scream by the end. Hinton calls it the "first genuinely relaxed song on the whole LP". With an arrangement Mason considered "almost bombastic", Hinton compares the music to the English band

Procol Harum Procol Harum () were an English rock band formed in Southend-on-Sea, Essex in 1967. Their best-known recording is the 1967 hit single " A Whiter Shade of Pale", one of the few singles to have sold over 10 million copies. Although noted for ...

Packaging and artwork

According to Hinton, the cover artwork for ''Get Happy!!'' was designed to resemble a Stax record from the 1960s. Designed by Barney Bubbles, and featuring a clash of changing colours, the geometric sleeve contains three identical images of Costello photographed from above, with his hands in the pockets of a buttoned-up coat and his face appearing "almost deformed". The UK release featured a pre-worn sleeve: the front came with a fake coffee mug stain while the back featured a large circle, giving the effect that the vinyl itself was worn through the packaging; the effect was omitted from other editions. Original copies also lacked a lyric sheet.

Release and promotion

Originally intended for release in early January 1980, ''Get Happy!!'' was delayed due to legal issues. In December 1979,

Radar Records Radar Records was a UK-based record label formed in late 1977 by Martin Davis (managing director) who had previously worked at United Artists Records, and Andrew Lauder, who had previously been head of A&R at the UK divisions of Liberty Recor ...

founder Andrew Lauder and Riviera left the label and formed a new independent label,

. However, any UK signee to Radar's was also signed to the label's parent company,

Warner Bros Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

, and Warner disliked both Costello and Lowe leaving without recompense. The dispute eventually went to court. Costello attempted to release the first chosen

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

, "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down", on the Specials' label

2 Tone Records 2 Tone Records was an English independent record label that mostly released ska and reggae-influenced music with a punk rock and pop music overtone. It was founded by Jerry Dammers of the Specials and backed by Chrysalis Records. History ...

, but Warner blocked its release due to the ongoing legal proceedings. Once resolved, the song, backed by "Girls Talk", was rush-released as the first single on 8February and reached number four on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

in early March. ''Get Happy!!'' followed it in the UK a week later on 15February 1980, over a year after its predecessor, released with the catalogue number XXLP 1. In the US, it was issued through Columbia the week of 25February. Throughout March 1980, Costello and the Attractions toured the UK for the first time in almost a year, playing in smaller venues in lesser-known cities compared to previous live outings. Drawing on material from his four albums up to that point—primarily ''Get Happy!!'' and ''This Year's Model''—and covering various soul tunes to reflect Costello's renewed appreciation, the shows were greeted positively. Supporting act

Clive Langer Clive Langer (born 19 June 1954 in Hampstead, London, England) is an English record producer and songwriter, active from the mid-1970s onwards. He usually works with Alan Winstanley. He composed the music for the films '' Still Crazy'' and '' ...

praised the Attractions: "I was amazed by them live. The power. They would just come out of the dressing room and attack." However, due to his alcohol and drug abuse, Costello himself suffered several moments of instability during the shows, including forgetting lyrics, freezing in place and poor vocals. It culminated on 1April, when he decided he had enough and fully quit music. "High Fidelity" was issued on 12" vinyl as the second single from ''Get Happy!!'' three days later and reached the UK top 30. The retirement did not last long, as the band were back on the road throughout Europe in mid-April, although a car accident resulted in Nieve being temporarily replaced by

the Rumour The Rumour was an English rock band in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They are best known as the backup band for Graham Parker, whose early records (from 1976 to 1980) were credited to Graham Parker & The Rumour. However, The Rumour also ...

's guitarist

Martin Belmont Martin Belmont (born 21 December 1948) is an English rock and country-blues guitarist, best known for being a founding member of Graham Parker & The Rumour. Life and career Belmont was born in Bromley, Kent, England. After working as a roadie ...

. Nieve's absence led to poor shows, while the setlists were amended and featured almost no tracks from ''Get Happy!!'', save for recent single "High Fidelity". In June, "New Amsterdam" was released as an EP of the same name with bonus tracks Costello had recorded at Fulham's T.W. and Ampro Studios, including "Just a Memory", "Ghost Train" and "Dr. Luther's Assistant". "New Amsterdam" was also issued a single, backed by "Dr. Luther's Assistant", the same month. Aided by rising expectations and coverage on soul stations, ''Get Happy!!'' reached number two on the

UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...

and number 11 on the US ''Billboard'' Top LPs & Tape chart. However, it sold less copies than its predecessor ''Armed Forces'' and was thus viewed as a commercial disappointment. Béchirian recalled: "Jake ivieraactually laughed about having a ''Get Happy!!'' house in his garden made with all the unsold records." Thomson opines that the incident with Stills most likely played a role in its lesser performance in America, but also states that the label were unsure how to market the album there and radio stations disliked the change in musical direction and less pop-friendly tunes compared to ''Armed Forces''. Costello also chose not to tour in America due to the incident, which further affected promotion. F-Beat Records was also struggling financially at the time. The promotional campaign included over 100,000 free posters, over 500 record store window displays, magazine adverts and radio and television ads, which proved fraught for the label. Lauder later admitted: "We had overpressed on the album based on the sales of ''Armed Forces'', which was a platinum album. We had a situation where we were shipping out lots of records and they were all coming back. Having paid for all the advertising and all the publicity, financially it was a tough one to make."

Critical reception

While not receiving the acclaim of its three predecessors, ''Get Happy!!'' received generally positive reviews from music critics on release. Many commented on the amount of tracks present on the LP, finding they varied in quality. Ira Robbins of ''

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference ...

'', in particular, found the 20 tracks range from "ace to awful" and with a condensed track listing, ''Get Happy!!'' would have been "incredible": "As it is, bad items detract from good ones. The album also suffers from a stupefying maze of verses, choruses and refrains." Continuing his mixed review, Robbins found the album lacked a coherent or pervasive theme, felt rushed and noted the stepped-down production from ''Armed Forces'', concluding, "don't bother to get happy; I'm sure Costello wouldn't." ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'' Eve Zibart was also critical towards the production, stating: "Where

Phil Spector Harvey Phillip Spector (born Harvey Philip Spector; December 26, 1939January 16, 2021) was an American record producer and songwriter, best known for his innovative recording practices and entrepreneurship in the 1960s, followed decades later by ...

painstakingly built a

wall of sound The Wall of Sound (also called the Spector Sound) is a music production formula developed by American record producer Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios, in the 1960s, with assistance from engineer Larry Levine and the conglomerate of session ...

, producer Nick Lowe has constructed a chain-link fence. It works to the advantage of several numbers, but Lowe overdoes it." Chris Brazier of '' Melody Maker'' also complained about "uneven" material and the 1960s-style production. Discussing the artist himself, Robert Christgau wrote that ''Get Happy!'' establishes "not his fecundity but his fallibility" in ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, th ...

'', noting the presence of "lotsa duds", but observed some memorable "tropes and hooks". Red Starr, writing in '' Smash Hits'', remarked that it was "short on memorable songs" but that "repeated plays reveal hidden depths". Meanwhile, ''

''s Tom Carson felt that "if the new album is hard to get into, it's also difficult to ignore", concluding: "He's succeeded in making his obsessions belong to us. For better or worse, we'll all ride them out together to the end." Nevertheless, many offered high praise towards ''Get Happy!!'', with ''

Creem ''Creem'' (often stylized in all caps) is a monthly American music magazine, based in Detroit, whose main print run lasted from 1969 to 1989. It was first published in March 1969 by Barry Kramer and founding editor Tony Reay. Influential crit ...

'' Jeff Nesin proclaiming: "If you care about rock 'n' roll you must have this album." In ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'', Robert Palmer deemed ''Get Happy!!'' Costello's most satisfying work up that point, commenting on the "stylistic range, emotional depth, melodic richness and verbal invention" in the songs, where the "writing has never been stronger".

Joel Selvin Joel Selvin (born February 14, 1950) is an American San Francisco-based music critic and author known for his weekly column in the ''San Francisco Chronicle'', which ran from 1972 to 2009. Selvin has written books covering various aspects of p ...

of the ''

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H. de Young. The ...

'' also placed it among the artist's best work, highlighting the "distinctive" songwriting and Lowe's production, which he felt created a "sense of being both precise and off-hand". Meanwhile, ''

Sounds In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the ...

'' magazine's Dave McCullough was highly positive, writing that the album "soars to a pinnacle of Costello's combined creative force, by the end leaving the listener quite breathless." Paul Ramble was also positive in ''NME'', drawing positive comparisons to ''Armed Forces'' and announcing: "It's a record you didn't expect. It looks like fun and it is. Maybe it's only a temporary lapse, but Elvis has gotten off the treadmill and gotten happy. Get it." Other reviewers praised Costello himself as an artist. '' Billboard'' magazine found the artist "hasn't lost any of his stunt or verve on this snappy LP", which they predicted would be "a sure bet for AOR radio". '' Cash Box'' agreed, deducing: "What can you say about the new wave kingpin except that he gets better with age." The reviewer argued that the amount of tracks on the LP "should make any record buyer happy with the quality and quantity of the material", a sentiment echoed by Hilburn who, in the ''Los Angeles Times'', selected ''Get Happy!!'' for the month's disc derby with

the Clash The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave movements that emerged in the w ...

's ''

London Calling ''London Calling'' is the third studio album by English rock band the Clash. It was originally released as a double album in the United Kingdom on 14 December 1979 by CBS Records, and in the United States in January 1980 by Epic Records. T ...

'' (1979). Commenting on the number of tracks, he argued that "by including 20 tunes in the LP, ostellodemonstrated his disregard for critics and businessmen". Deeming ''Get Happy!!'' "a vibrant work by someone who both understands rock 'n' roll's history and aggressively seeks to shape its future", Hilburn felt it was not as "powerfully framed" as ''Armed Forces'', but "still bristle with the independence that has characterized the British rocker's brief but provocative career." ''Get Happy!!'' placed at number two on lists of the best albums of 1980 by ''NME'' (behind

Joy Division Joy Division were an English rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist Ian Curtis, guitarist/keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris. Sumner and Hook formed the band after atte ...

's '' Closer'') and ''Trouser Press'' (behind the Clash's ''London Calling''), while the album placed seventh on ''The Village Voice''s annual

Pazz & Jop Pazz & Jop was an annual poll of top musical releases, compiled by American newspaper ''The Village Voice'' and created by music critic Robert Christgau. It published lists of the year's top releases for 1971 and, after Christgau's two-year abs ...

music critics' poll, beating out such better selling releases as

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

's '' Off the Wall'', Stevie Wonder's '' Hotter than July'' and

Pete Townshend Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (; born 19 May 1945) is an English musician. He is co-founder, leader, guitarist, second lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the Who, one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s. Townsh ...

's ''

Empty Glass ''Empty Glass'' is the second solo studio album by English rock musician Pete Townshend, and his first composed of original material, released on 21 April 1980 by Atco Records. The album deals with issues that Townshend was struggling with at ...

''.

Legacy

''Get Happy!!'' was a turning point in Costello's career, being the first step away from the angry persona that he had embodied up to that point. He began adding more of himself into the material, later stating: "There was really the need in me to reflect something else: a bit more tenderness, a bit more regret, because you make mistakes in your life and you have to sing about those as well as the things you're very confident or cocky about." Throughout mid-1980, Costello began writing new songs and revising older, unused ones that would reflect this new form of thinking, debuting a few during live performances during the summer. His next album, 1981's ''Trust'', would be envisioned by the artist as combining the "melodic lushness" of ''Armed Forces'' and the "rhythmic drive" of ''Get Happy!!''. Gouldstone further comments that the album marked the beginning of Costello's "most fruitful period" that yielded the "trilogy of magnificent albums": ''Get Happy!!'', ''Trust'' and ''

Imperial Bedroom ''Imperial Bedroom'' is the seventh studio album by English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello, and his sixth with the Attractions—keyboardist Steve Nieve, bassist Bruce Thomas and drummer Pete Thomas (no relation). It was released on 2July 19 ...

'' (1982). In 2019, Squeeze guitarist

Chris Difford Christopher Henry Difford (born 4 November 1954) is an English singer, musician, songwriter and record producer. He is a founding member and songwriter of the rock group Squeeze. Musical career Born in Greenwich, London, Difford has written l ...

named the album as an inspiration, stating, "''Get Happy!!'' was a big album for me. I just loved the lyrics. I loved the performances on that record. It's brilliant." Costello would produce Squeeze's 1981 album '' East Side Story''.

Retrospective appraisal

Retrospective reviews have been very positive, and ''Get Happy!!'' has since been considered one of Costello's best works. Writing in ''

The New Rolling Stone Album Guide ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'', previously known as ''The Rolling Stone Record Guide'', is a book that contains professional music reviews written and edited by staff members from ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. Its first edition was published in 1 ...

'', critic

Rob Sheffield Robert James Sheffield (born February 2, 1966) is an American music journalist and author. He is a long time contributing editor at ''Rolling Stone'', writing about music, TV, and pop culture. Previously, he was a contributing editor at '' Ble ...

dubbed it a "tour de force", a sentiment echoed by senior

editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine, who hailed ''Get Happy!!'' as more than a "genre exercise". Finding the inconsistent quality of its tracks part of its overall charm, he ended that the album "bursts with energy and invention, standing as a testament to how Costello, the pop encyclopedia, can reinvent the past in his own image". Meanwhile, Chris Jones of

BBC Music BBC Music is responsible for the music played across the BBC. The current director of music is Bob Shennan, who is also the controller of BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music, and the BBC Asian Network. Officially it is a part of the BBC's Radio ...

declared it Costello's finest album and "the greatest coherent statement he ever created" in 2008. In 2015, Gallucci wrote that the album contains some of the artist's best songs from the period. He continued that despite being dismissed as a novelty during discussions of Costello's works from the 1980s, ''Get Happy!!'' "may be his most jubilant LP ever", with all 20 tracks packing "more muscle, hooks, heart and, yes, soul than many of his more acclaimed records that followed." Discussing the album for its 40th anniversary, Nelson described the LP as "a bracing time capsule of a singer-songwriter at the height of his powers and coming apart under pressure", drawing comparisons to the Beatles' "

White Album White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

" (1968). She further labelled it "a landmark in maximalist efficiency" that anticipated works by the Minutemen,

They Might Be Giants They Might Be Giants (often abbreviated as TMBG) is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years, Flansburgh and Linnell frequently performed as a duo, often accompanied by a ...

and

Aesop Rock Ian Matthias Bavitz (born June 5, 1976), better known by his stage name Aesop Rock, is an American rapper and producer from Long Island, New York. He was at the forefront of the new wave of underground and alternative hip hop acts that emer ...

, ultimately appraising it as a successful comeback record: "a dizzying display of desperation and talent that remains a fascinating, frantic flare from a sinking ship." Some commentators highlighted the performances of the Attractions. Deeming ''Get Happy!!'' an album of chemistry rather than "individual cameos", Thomson states that the record showed the backing band at "their rawest and roughest", with "little sophistication" from ''Armed Forces''. Nelson agreed, finding their performances stand out with individual styles that become "almost automated", thereby "embroidering Costello's frenzied impulses into supple, insinuating grooves that can seem at times almost oblivious to the man raving over them". Perone notes that Pete Thomas's bass drum is higher in the mix, giving the tracks a "four-on-the-floor style" that differentiates ''Get Happy!!'' from other albums Costello made with the Attractions. In lists ranking Costello's albums from worst to best, ''Get Happy!!'' has consistently ranked among his best. In 2021, writers for '' Stereogum'' placed it at number three, arguing that Costello composed a one-of-a-kind album in which "no pop songwriter has provided so efficient and complete an experience since the Beatles circa '' Hard Day's Night'' 964" They concluded, "''Get Happy!!'' is all strong medicine and weapons-grade hooks." A year later, writing for '' Spin'' magazine, Al Shipley placed it at number six, referring to it as "an incredible burst of energy" in which "the Attractions' manic performances and some of Costello's most deranged wordplay give the album a frenetic charge even beyond their other early albums." The same year, Gallucci also placed it at number five in ''Ultimate Classic Rock'', stating "there are better Costello albums but few as enjoyable". ''Get Happy!!'' has made appearances on several lists of the best albums of the 1980s, including in 1989 by ''Rolling Stone'' at number 11, in 2002 by ''

'' at number 26, and in 2012 by '' Slant Magazine'' at number 68. Additionally, ''Rolling Stone'' placed it at number 65 on its list of the best albums of the past 20 years in 1987. It was also placed at number 298 in the third edition of English writer

Colin Larkin Colin Larkin (born 1949) is a British writer and entrepreneur. He founded, and was the editor-in-chief of, the ''Encyclopedia of Popular Music'', described by ''The Times'' as "the standard against which all others must be judged". Along wit ...

's ''

All Time Top 1000 Albums ''All Time Top 1000 Albums'' is a book by Colin Larkin, creator and editor of the ''Encyclopedia of Popular Music''. The book was first published by Guinness Publishing in 1994. The list presented is the result of over 200,000 votes cast by th ...

'' (2000). Based on its appearances in professional rankings and listings, the aggregate website Acclaimed Music lists ''Get Happy!!'' as the 12th most acclaimed album of 1980, the 76th most acclaimed album of the 1980s and the 537th most acclaimed album in history.

Reissues

''Get Happy!!'' was first released on CD through Columbia and

Demon Records Demon Music Group (DMG) is a record company owned by BBC Studios that is mainly concerned with back-catalogue rights and re-issuing recordings as compilations on physical media (CDs and vinyl) via supermarkets and specialist stores. History DM ...

in January 1986. Its first extended reissue through Demon in the UK and

Rykodisc Rykodisc is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, operating as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance. History Claiming to be the first CD-only independent record la ...

in the US on CD came in April 1994. This reissue presented sides one and two in order of the record itself rather than the LP labels and came with a slew of bonus tracks.

Rhino Records A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species ...

reissued the album in 2003 as a two-disc set; disc one contained the original 20-track album and disc two contained additional bonus tracks on top of the Rykodisc ones, one of which was a live version of "High Fidelity" that Costello states was his way of performing in the style of Bowie's 1976 album ''

Station to Station ''Station to Station'' is the tenth studio album by English musician David Bowie, released on 23 January 1976 through RCA Records. Regarded as one of his most significant works, the album was the vehicle for Bowie's performance person ...

''. The album was remastered and reissued by UM^e on 6 November 2015, who spread the content across two LPs.

Track listing

All songs written by Elvis Costello, except where noted. Side one # "Love for Tender" – 1:57 # "Opportunity" – 3:13 # "The Imposter" – 1:58 # "Secondary Modern" – 1:58 # "King Horse" – 3:01 # "Possession" – 2:03 # "Men Called Uncle" – 2:17 # "Clowntime Is Over" – 2:59 # " New Amsterdam" – 2:12 # " High Fidelity" – 2:28 Side two # " I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" (

Homer Banks Homer Banks (August 2, 1941 – April 3, 2003) was an African American songwriter, singer and record producer. Although best known by many for his songwriting for Stax Records in the 1960s and 1970s, some of his own releases from the 1960s are co ...

Allen Jones Allen Jones may refer to: *Allen Jones (Continental Congress) (1739–1798), Continental Congress delegate *Allen Jones (artist) (born 1937), British pop artist *Allen Jones (record producer) (1940–1987), American record producer * A.J. Styles (A ...

) – 2:06 # "Black and White World" – 1:56 # "5ive Gears in Reverse" – 2:38 # "B Movie" – 2:04 # "Motel Matches" – 2:30 # "Human Touch" – 2:30 # "Beaten to the Punch" – 1:49 # "Temptation" – 2:33 # "I Stand Accused" ( Tony Colton, Ray Smith) – 2:21 # " Riot Act" – 3:35

Personnel

According to the 1994 reissue liner notes: * Elvis Costello – vocals, guitar, organ on "Possession", all instruments on "New Amsterdam" *

– piano, organ *

– bass, harmonica on "I Stand Accused" * Pete Thomas – drums Technical *

Keith Morris Keith Morris (born September 18, 1955) is an American singer and songwriter known for his role as frontman of the hardcore punk bands Black Flag, Circle Jerks, and Off!. Born and raised in Hermosa Beach, California, he formed Black Flag at the ...

as VAT 239 7568 14 – photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Certifications

Notes

References

Sources

* * * * * * * *

External links

* {{Authority control 1980 albums Albums produced by Nick Lowe Columbia Records albums Elvis Costello albums F-Beat Records albums Hip-O Records albums Rhino Records albums Rykodisc albums Universal Music Enterprises albums