"Lovable" initially came up in the Elvis mix sounding strong. Costello's rockabilly song is just much better written, more memorable and witty than most of Elvis' Sun songs. Costello sang it with great gusto, and a sharp arrangement. Yet hearing them back to back, it's still no "Milkcow Blues Boogie" - much less being any competition to "Baby, Let's Play House."
[Counter examples, songs where Costello has achieved maximum visceral or magnetic presence: "Lipstick Vogue" "I Want You" "The Name of This Thing Is Not Love" and definitely the infamous live 1977 SNL performance of "Radio, Radio."]
On the other hand, Elvis could never have sung "Lovable," even though it would have been broadly right down the center of his performing style. Elvis would never have been able get his mouth around all that college boy wordplay.
Which gets us to Elvis' second point of advantage over Costello: emotional directness. Costello might come up with lots of witty moves that Elvis couldn't have fathomed, smart college boy stuff. That doesn't necessarily always make for superior music, though.
Costello certainly understands this, and often compensates. He gets Hank Williams. Nonetheless, Costello's extreme self-consciousness sometimes gets between him and the audience at least a bit, despite his best intentions.
For example, one Costello song that distinctly lost points in my Elvis mix has been "God's Comic." Now, Costello wrote a classic song with a catchy and distinctive melody, exceptionally witty lyrics, and a totally unique sound from anything else in the history of recorded music.
Yet it very clearly loses something significant in the Elvis mix. It sounds limp, efette or enfeebled. This isn't a matter of not having enough beat. Simple old "Love Me Tender" has more basic emotional impact.
"God's Comic" has a witty lyric and high comic production to backlight the central emotional angst of the outstanding melody. From the lyrics, it would seem to be of the there's-no-God-looking-out-for-us variety.
Yet for all that brilliance and even real feelings behind it, the song loses a little but significant bit of effect for all the contrivance. He loses emotional pressure in the hose going through all the intellectual kinks.
Article comments
1 - Lono
Al - dude, brohan... you have WAY TOO MUCH free thinking time. Seriously. As the world's greatest rock thinker (with an ode to the Duke on the side), I don't think this much about the two even when I am shitting without a newspaper.
Frankly, they can't be compared in my eyes. Sure, they share a name (with Deckland McManus help)... but should I do a piece on Axl Rose vs my truck Axl? No. The reason is because one Axl is a monster asshole and the other fixes my truck.
Sorry, honestly don't mean to sound angry... I am just riffing.
2 - Eric Olsen
I find this analysis very interesting and informative and also agree with the conclusion. I am unaware that there are rules for what you can and cannot compare - I'd say the analysis itself proves its own worth. And that metal device between the truck wheels is spelled "axle"
3 - Antfreeze
Can't argue with ya Albert. Neat entry.
Presley's advantage here is partly one of material. All the great simple songs have been writ. There's nothing left but the puns, wordplays, and modified old adages that pass for songwriting today. Presley was a black man in a white boy's body. Too much soul and rhythm for a white boy. That was the magnetism. Match it up with that face and that voice, tough combo to top. Plus Scotty Moore on guitar. Costello is a great songwriter who has come up with some great simple songs, (Pump it up) he's just cool enough not to copy other's work. Presley's advantages are primarily genetic and he made no real innovations to music. Costello innovates, Presley regurgitates.
4 - Amber Nussbaum
I loved the examples you chose, particularly from Costello's catalog. The Other End of The Telescope is another rather visceral vocal performance of his that I have always liked.
Great post!
5 - Temple Stark
Fair to both sides. You CAN do it. :-)
Nice writing.
Since the only Elvis Costello song I ever liked was Veronica, I'll stick with Elvis the First. Bossanova is my favorite there - most of the time.
6 - Distorted Angel
[Counter examples, where Costello breaks on through to the other side or at least has a happy relationship: ...hmm. I'm drawing a blank here.]
Well, I think he's at least leaning in that direction in North, although it's arguably not his best work, and isn't in a genre that would benefit from a comparison to Presley (or Lennon-McCartney, for that matter).
7 - Mark Saleski
though not really the only catlyst, presley was definitely a part of initial wave (call it a revolution if you want) of rock and roll. this is why he's the king.
you'll get no argument with me about costello the songwriter. he's the man.
8 - Jim Carruthers
If you need to break it down in analysis, Presley was a brilliant performer who suffered from questionable quality control in the volume of material, while Costello is a brilliant songwriter who suffers from questionable quality control on what he records.
Both men are omnivorous fans of popular music in many categories.
For an example of how Costello has QC problems (since Peter Guarlnick has already written two benchmark books on Presley) I point to "The Judgment" which Costello wrote for Solomon Burke on his Anti album, and which EC performed on his most recent. The Burke version is authoritative, while the EC version sounds like what it is, a songwriter's demo. Which is where it should have stayed.
Anyways, Happy 70th Elvis!
9 - Temple Stark
>>> If you need to break it down in analysis, Presley was a brilliant performer who suffered from questionable quality control in the volume of material, while Costello is a brilliant songwriter who suffers from questionable quality control on what he records.
That further summarizes things beautifully. The Elvis' sure bring out the clearheadness in people.
I think we can take things one step further. Do you think ice-skater Elvis Stojko would dance better to Presley or Costello?
10 - Eric Olsen
another issue is the distinction between a career based upon sincerity vs one based upon irony - in almost all instances irony turns sour over time
I think it both funny and revealing that Costello's greatest performance is on a cover ("Peace Love and Understanding," which he belts out without a hint of irony)