From the cosmos to a quotidian sense however, headgear is nowhere but “Home Is Anywhere You Hang Your Head,” as "Mr. Misery" is “contemplating murder again/ He must be in love.” And dejection turns into psychotic obsession in “I Want You” when the florid and folk-y troubadour-ian intro segues into something more unseemly and paranoid, slowly building in menace and intensity to the extent that you’re left wondering if “every breath you take,” may be the last:
It’s the stupid little details that my heart is breaking for
It’s the shoulders that you shake and what they’re shaking for
It’s knowing that he knows you now after only guessing
(I want you)
It’s the thought of him undressing you or you undressing
(I want you)
He tossed some tatty compliment your way
(I want you)
And you were fool enough to love it when he said
(I want you)
(I want you).
The truth can't hurt you it's just like the dark
It scares you witless
But in time you see things clear and stark
(I want you)
Go on and hurt me then we'll let it drop
(I want you)
I'm afraid I won't know where to stop . . .
“Did you ever think there's far too many people in the world?” The title character in “Poor Napoleon” asks, in a far more disturbingly insidious than idly innocent manner — and if it is idle, more akin to the connection between inactive hands and the devil’s workshop. The further ambiguity and blurring of the lines between the bitter and the sweet comprised in “blood and chocolate” finds a correlation with the conflation of aggression and affection: “One day they'll probably make a movie out of all of this / There won't even have to be a murder just a slow dissolving kiss.”
Article comments
1 - Lisa McKay
Great take on this, Gordon. Blood & Chocolate is one of my top three Costello favorites, the other two being This Year's Model and whichever happens to be my third favorite this week.
2 - Vern Halen
Tokyo Storm Warning is a great tune from B&C too. I liked this way better than King of America. In fact, although there have been nice moments throughout his career, this for me might be the last great Elvis album.
3 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Lisa--thanks for the comment. I also have a revolving door of favorites, usually with This Year's Model and Armed Forces (which share in a 6-way tie for #1 best LP ever from anyone), but also B&C Get Happy and Trust edge their way in, too.
4 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Vern--don't give up hope: just think what'll happen if EC & Diana Krall get divored--there will no doubt be a "really, really pissed-off divorcees' version of Blood and Chocolate" (not that I wish this prospect on them)
I also have an appreciation for much of his more recent more-tangential projects, but there's some good high fueled tracks from the inconsistent "When I Was Cruel" and "Brutal Youth." You are right about "Blood" vs. "King"--though there are some choice cuts on King, I'm more apt to grab Blood and Chocolate when I'm in the mood for some older works. Thanks for the comment.
5 - Andy
B&C is the closing of the door on the "angry" Elvis years. But to say that the years after this have been lacking is just not paying attention. While most post 1986 albums have tunes that are not on par with his greatest works, the music is 99% better than most musicians output. Albums like Spike, The Juliet Letters, Brutal Youth and even last years The Delivery Man give me as much pleasure as his earlier songs.
6 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Andy--you touched upon the most truthful statement that I shoud've mentioned: even the most lacking of EC's songs is considerably better than the best of most other artists. Thanks.