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Fun Music Information -> Elvis Costello

Album cover parody of My Aim Is True (With Bonus Disc) by Elvis Costello
Parody album cover
click to see the original

This is the most recent information about Elvis Costello that has been submitted to amIright. If we have more information about Elvis Costello, then we provide a link to the section where it appears (the actual page whenever possible).

Our newest site, amIwrong has an albums order quiz where you need to put this performer's albums in order of release.
 
 

Possible Misspelled Names:

These are the alternate spellings of the performer's name we've had to correct in submissions to amIright.

Elvis Costello & the Attractions, Elvis Costello/Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello and The Attractions

Quotes:

Writing about music is like dancing about architecture - it's really a stupid thing to want to do.
- Elvis Costello

Even in a perfect world, where everyone was equal
I'd still own the film rights and be working on the sequel.
- Elvis Costello

Submitted by: LucidLupin
 

Band Name Origins:

  • Originally Declan MacManus, he chose the stage name by combining Elvis Presley with his mother's maiden name. Submitted by: Eschewy
  • His real name is Declan McManus, from a long line of Irish musicians. The other description about using Elvis Presley's name and his Grandmother's maiden name are correct. The current incarnation of the Attractions have been titled The Imposters. Submitted by: Feldes

Music Performer Pseudonyms:

Also known as: Declan Patrick McManus. Submitted by: geojones

Also known as: Declan Patrick MacManus. Submitted by: Colin

Use a Song Title to Answer a Different Song:

Song & Band Name
Song & Band Name
"Car Crash," Our Lady Peace"Accidents Will Happen," Elvis Costello
"What's Your Name?," Lynyrd Skynyrd"Veronica," Elvis Costello
"Fall Down," Toad The Wet Sprocket"Accidents Will Happen," Elvis Costello
"Laughing," The Guess Who"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love & Understanding," Elvis Costello
There are additional songs titles that answer other songs available.

Remove a Letter From a Song Title:

"Big Teas" originally "Big Tears"
Served with a lot of ice, is great for the summer.
Peter
"The Bat" originally "The Beat"
Alyssa Jayne
"The Bet" originally "The Beat"
Alyssa Jayne
"Big Ears" originally "Big Tears"
Candy Welty
"Oliver's Amy" originally "Oliver's Army"
Amy was Oliver's girlfriend or something?
Doug Wells

There are additional song titles with a letter removed available.

Add a Letter to a Song Title:

"Why Don't You Love Men?" originally "Why Don't You Love Me?"
Peter
"Why Don't You Glove Me?" originally "Why Don't You Love Me?"
Peter
"Allison" originally "Alison"
A variant spelling of the name. Both are common.
Nancy
"The Beast" originally "The Beat"
Alyssa Jayne
"Olivier's Army" originally "Oliver's Army"
As in Laurence Olivier
Samantha Wayland

There are additional song titles with a letter added available.

Change a Letter:

"Why Don't You Love Ma" originally "Why Don't You Love Me"
Peter
"Why Don't You Live Me" originally "Why Don't You Love Me"
More existentialism?
Peter
"Why Don't You Move Me" originally "Why Don't You Love Me"
Peter
"Oliver's Arty" originally "Oliver's Army"
Sutch
"Latching The Detectives" originally "Watching The Detectives"
That's one way to keep them from the job.
Peter

There are additional song titles with a letter changed available.

Song Parody Lyrics:

Original Song Name
Parody Song Name
Parody Author
"Veronica""Harmonica"Warren Baker
"Alison""Anderson"John A. Barry
"Pump It Up""Suck It Up"Warren Baker
"Waiting for the End of the World""Hiding in the Tree Like a Squirrel"metaphorsbwithu
"Less Than Zero""Dress Like Zorro"metaphorsbwithu
"Watchin' The Detectives""Watchin For Infections (the Nurse Ballad)"Malcolm Higgins
"This Year's Girl""This Year's Toy"Rex Ungericht
"Watching The Detectives""Blocking The Inspections"Malcolm Higgins
"Oliver's Army""To Love Her's Barmy"the_conqueror_of_parodies
"Alison""Albertsons"Rick Duncan

There are additional song parodies available.

Songs for Commercials, That Haven't Been Done Yet:

Song Name
Product
Submittor
Harpies BizarreLoose Women promopickle
Almost BlueSmurfs cartoon showVic George
Pump It UpBicycle PumpsIndra.v
Almost BluePromo for 'Charlie & The Chocolate Factory'Pickle*
Accidents Will HappenAuto InsuranceA dude
There are additional commercials that haven't been done yet available.

Bad Choices for On Hold Music:

Song Name
Company/Organization
Submittor
Accidents Will HappenAnything potty-training relatedbrainstem
Radio RadioSinclair or Infinity BroadcastingTim Hall
It's Been A Good Year For The RosesClassic Rock Magazinepickle*
Accidents Will HappenNASCARnewave
Accidents Will HappenService King Collision RepairBig Mark
There are additional on hold music ideas available.

Songs for Duets, That Haven't Been Done Yet:

First Band/Song Name
Second Band/Song Name
New Song Name
Submittor
Valerie
   Steve Winwood
Veronica
   Elvis Costello
Valerie And Veronica
Edward
My Name Is
   Eminem
Alison
   Elvis Costello
My Name Is Alison
Grimley Fieendish
Fell In Love With A Girl
   White Stripes
Veronica
   Elvis Costello
Veronica Fell In Love With A Girl
I knew there was something suspecious about her!
B.C.
Love Hurts
   Roy Orbison
Twenty-Five Fingers
   Elvis Costello
Love Hurts With Twenty-Five Fingers
Ladies..... I feel your pain.
Hed Automatican
There are additional duets that haven't been done yet available.

If Groups Combined, Their Names Might Be:

Elvis Costello Ate My Baby
Elvis Ate My Baby combined with Elvis Costello
Submitted By: JeReMy
Abbott & Costello
Gregory Abbott combined with Elvis Costello
Not exactly the same people, sadly...but those are the two performers' respective last names.
Submitted By: John
Abba and Costello
Abba combined with Elvis Costello
Okay, I stole this idea, but it had to be on the list.
Submitted By: Rick Duncan

Misheard Lyrics:

"Tokyo Storm Warning"
Misheard Lyrics:
Tell Keo, "stop whining"
Original Lyrics:
Tokyo storm warning
"Watching the Detectives"
Misheard Lyrics:
That girl's not one with the feet that sell fame. Shrink that - so correct
Red dolls and derelict eagle eggs.
Original Lyrics:
Nice girls not one with a defect, cellophane shrink-wrapped, so correct.
Red dogs under illegal legs.
"Waiting for the End of the World"
Misheard Lyrics:
The man from the television crawling through the train
I wonder whose scum is stinking up this town
Original Lyrics:
The man from the television crawled into the train
I wonder who he's gonna stick it in this time
"Pump It Up"
Misheard Lyrics:
You wanna talk to her,
You wanna talk to her
Original Lyrics:
You wanna torture her,
You wanna talk to her
There are additional misheard lyrics available.

Misheard Lyrics Stories:

"Allison"
Misheard Lyrics:
Allison, my anus, too.
Original Lyrics:
Allison, my aim is true.

Story about this misheard lyric by: Maya Weiss

There are additional misheard stories available.

Song Parody Fragments:

"What's so funny about Peace Love and Understanding"
Better Lyrics:
What's so funny 'bout Eli and Petyon Manning
Original Lyrics:
What's so funny 'bout peace love and understanding
Submitted by: Tom

Funniest Song Lyrics:

"Brilliant Mistake"
The Funny Lyrics:
She said that she was working for the ABC News
It was as much of the alphabet as she knew how to use
Why They're Funny:
Elvis recorded this in the 80s--if he thought they hired ditzy newscasters back then, I wonder what he thinks of the current crop of lip-glossed loons...
Submitted by: Doug
"Radio, Radio"
The Funny Lyrics:
You better do as you are told.
Why They're Funny:
If he had followed this advice, he never would have played this song on SNL in '77.
Submitted by: Brian Kelly

Nonsensical Song Lyrics:

"Watching The Detectives"
The Nonsensical Lyrics:
Red dogs under illegal legs
Why They're Nonsensical:
What in the world is this line supposed to mean??!?
Submitted by: ParaGlock
"She"
The Nonsensical Lyrics:
She may not be what she may seem inside her shell.
Why They're Nonsensical:
What is she, a turtle?
Submitted by: Rpollck

Song Lyrics That Name Check Celebrities:

"Oliver's Army"
The Lyrics:
Though it could be arranged
With just a word in Mr. Churchill's ear
Who They Mention:
Winston Churchill
Submitted by: Paul
"Complicated Shadows"
The Lyrics:
You can say just what you like in a voice like a John Ford film
Take the law into your hands
You will soon get tired of killing
In those complicated shadows
Who They Mention:
Filmmaker John Ford
Submitted by: Tania WYEP
There are additional celebrity lyrics available.

Song Lyrics That Mention Other Songs:

"Suit Of Lights"
The Song Lyrics:
And I thought I heard "The Working Man's Blues"
He went out to work that night and wasted his breath
Song They Mention:
Working Man's Blues - Merle Haggard
Submitted by: Tania WYEP
 

Songs That Open With Their Titles:

"This Year's Girl"
Opening Lines:
See her picture in a thousand places 'cause she's this year's girl.
Comments:
Submitted by: Brian Kelly
 

Song Title Space Change:

"No Act Ion" originally "No Action"
Submitted by: Yvette Bristle
"Lips Tick Vogue" originally "Lipstick Vogue"
Submitted by: Yvette Bristle
"Butt On My Lip" originally "Button My Lip"
Submitted by: Yvette Bristle
"Al Is On" originally "Alison"
Submitted by: George Straitjacket
"Ali's On" originally "Alison"
Submitted by: U. Carrie Oats

Band Name Anagrams:

Elves Lost Coil Submitted by: Serafina Bannock
Cool Elves' Silt Submitted by: Serafina Bannock
I Love Colt Less Submitted by: Serafina Bannock
Close Sill Vote Submitted by: Serafina Bannock
Cool Elves Slit Submitted by: Serafina Bannock

There are additional Band Name Anagrams available.

Song Title Anagrams:

"In Laos" originally "Alison"
Submitted by: Hannah Montanalestes
"Sail On" originally "Alison"
Submitted by: Hannah Montanalestes
"As Lion" originally "Alison"
Submitted by: Hannah Montanalestes
"Lo, A Sin" originally "Alison"
Submitted by: Hannah Montanalestes
"I Do Ad; I Roar" originally "Radio Radio"
Submitted by: Lauryn Canna

There are additional Song Title Anagrams available.

Real Places Mentioned in Songs:

"Oliver's Army"
The Lyrics:
Hong Kong is up for grabs
London is full of arabs
We could be in palestine
Overrun by a chinese line
With the boys from the mersey and the thames and the tyne
.......
.......
If you're out of luck you're out of work
We could send you to johannesburg
Why:
Hong Kong London Palestine Mersey, Thames, Tyne Johannesburg
Submitted by: Paul
 

Super Short Pop Songs:

"Welcome To the Working Week" Length: 1:22
The leadoff track to his debut album, My Aim Is True.
Submitted by: Todd W. Zimmerman

What A Band is Best Known For (aside from their music):

"Being banned from SNL"
Elvis Costello & the Attractions were banned from Saturday Night Live for 20 years for performing "Radio Radio" instead of "Less Than Zero" in a 1977 episode.
Submitted by: dxman

Movies Named After Song Titles:

"Less Than Zero"
Submitted by: Brian Kelly

Other Artists:

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