DU Album of the Day: Elvis Costello and the Attractions - "Get Happy" (as requested by Tikki)

[LynneSin]

I thought I would share the request that Tikki sent me for this album...)

DU Album of the Day: "Get Happy"- Elvis Costello and the Attractions

For those who first heard the words and music of Elvis Costello in the 1970's it was like attending Graduate School classes in Rock and Pop.

We were being schooled in an expanded rock vocabulary teamed with a tightly wound sound; the new wave of balladeer not the least bit afraid of being as angry as he wanted to be or as heartbroken as the end of first love.

Little by little, or for some with a Big Bang, Elvis and the brilliant Attractions won over reluctant Popsters with their musical probe of the human psyche and consistently clever sounds.

After three dynamic albums released in the late 70's and with a growing recognition and success, Elvis Costello and the Attractions would release in 1980 the 20 track LP "Get Happy".

Now it was confirmed. In this album, as his fans always suspected, much of Elvis' music would come through his devotion to that place in the history of Rock's that is the gospel of Rhythm and Blues.

This is my favorite EC & tA album.

Just some facts about this album

Rolling Stone Magazine listed this as the 11th best album of the 80s.

[bluedigger]

1. Another favorite from my college days.

wtf was he doing at the marina - eating fish and chips?

[RiffRandell]

2. Love it! n/t

[progressoid]

3. Damn. I remember listening to some of those songs on a "mix tape" while driving home from college

in a beat up AMC Hornet.

Or listening to it on a generic Walkman while walking across campus thinking I was one of the few people cool enough to appreciate to EC!

I probably still have that tape. And on mp3 now of course.

[Spike89]

4. One of my favorites, but EC could burp and I'd add it to the playlist

My wife claims I learned to dance from Elvis.

[Tikki]

5. What we remember the most of Elvis & the Attraction's..

early albums was how fierce POP could sound.
"Get Happy" seemed like a strong nod to the R & B of the early 70's; political,
responsive and unfortunately overshadowed by a constant thud and the glare of mirrored balls.


Thanks LynneSin for getting the different aotd's out there.

The Tikkis

[Phentex]

6. Love it!

Another great one.

[Bryan]

7. It's a classic!

One of my top five EC albums, not a bad song on it. The uptempo songs are brief and incredibly tight, and the slower numbers are moody and evocative. I particularly like "King Horse":

Meanwhile back in some secluded spot
He says, "Will you please?" and she says, "Stop"
If I ever lose this good thing that I've got
I never want to hear the song you dedicated tonight
'Cause you see I knew that song so long before we met
That it means much more than it might


It's just been [url=http://www.amazon.com/Get-Happy-Elvis-Costello-Attractions/dp/B004WBC40M/ref=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1330558862&sr=1-4]rereleased on vinyl[/url]; for the completist, I recommend the [url=http://www.amazon.com/Get-Happy-Bonus-CD-Dlx/dp/B0000B1A5O/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1330558862&sr=1-2]OOP 2003 Rhino remaster[/url], which has an awesome thirty-track bonus disc of demos and b-sides.