The Very Best of Elvis Costello

~ Release by Elvis Costello (see all versions of this release, 6 available)

Tracklist

1▼CD
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1(What’s So Funny ’Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding
engineer:
Roger Bechirian
producer:
Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer)
bass guitar:
Bruce Thomas
drums (drum set):
Pete Thomas (drummer)
guitar:
Elvis Costello
organ, piano and synthesizer:
Steve Nieve
vocals:
Elvis Costello
part of:
New York Post: 100 Greatest Covers (2007) (number: 65) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 284)
cover recording of:
(What’s So Funny ’Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding
lyricist and composer:
Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer)
publisher:
Plangent Visions Music, Inc.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions4.23:32
2Oliver’s Army
recording of:
Oliver’s Army
lyricist and composer:
Declan Patrick MacManus
publisher:
BMG Music Publishing Ltd.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions2:59
3Watching the Detectives
producer:
Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer)
drums (drum set):
Steve Goulding (English drummer for the Rumour, Mekons, etc.)
electric bass guitar [bass]:
Andrew Bodnar (bass player)
guitar:
Elvis Costello
organ and piano:
Steve Nieve
vocals:
Elvis Costello
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Elvis Costello (in 1977)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Demon Records Ltd. (in 1984)
recorded at:
Pathway Studios in Islington, London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom (in 1976, from 1977-05 until 1977-06)
part of:
Indie 88: Top 500 Indie Rock Songs (number: 354) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 355)
recording of:
Watching the Detectives
lyricist and composer:
Declan Patrick MacManus
publisher:
BMG Music Publishing Ltd., BMG Songs, Inc. and Universal Music Publishing International MGB Ltd.
Elvis Costello4.153:44
4Alison
producer:
Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer)
drums (drum set):
Mickey Shine (Clover drummer) (in 1976)
electric bass guitar [bass]:
Johnny Ciambotti (in 1976)
guitar:
Elvis Costello (in 1976) and John McFee (singer, songwriter, guitarist for The Doobie Brothers) (in 1976)
organ and piano:
Sean Hopper (US Keyboardist for Huey Lewis & the News) (in 1976)
background vocals:
Sean Hopper (US Keyboardist for Huey Lewis & the News) (in 1976), Johnny Ciambotti (in 1976) and Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer) (in 1976)
vocals:
Elvis Costello (in 1976)
recorded at:
Pathway Studios in Islington, London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom (in 1976)
part of:
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 318) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 396)
recording of:
Alison (in 1976)
lyricist and composer:
Elvis Costello
publisher:
Universal Music Publishing International MGB Ltd.
Elvis Costello3.853:21
5(I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea
recording of:
(I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea
lyricist and composer:
Declan Patrick MacManus
Elvis Costello & The Attractions43:08
6Accidents Will Happen
recording of:
Accidents Will Happen
lyricist and composer:
Declan Patrick MacManus
publisher:
Universal Music Publishing MGB Limited
Elvis Costello & The Attractions3:01
7Pump It Up
producer:
Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer)
performer:
The Attractions (Elvis Costello) and Elvis Costello
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Elvis Costello (in 1978)
part of:
Indie 88: Top 500 Indie Rock Songs (number: 181)
recording of:
Pump It Up
lyricist and composer:
Elvis Costello
publisher:
BMG Music Publishing Ltd. and Universal Music Publishing MGB Australia
Elvis Costello & The Attractions4.63:15
8I Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down
producer:
Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer)
cover recording of:
I Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down
composer:
Homer Banks (soul singer and songwriter) and Allen Jones (producer/songwriter/musician/engineer)
Elvis Costello & The Attractions4.52:07
9Radio Radio
producer:
Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer)
part of:
Indie 88: Top 500 Indie Rock Songs (number: 239)
recording of:
Radio, Radio
lyricist and composer:
Elvis Costello
premiered by:
Rangeline Hill (from 2025 to present) and Midwinter's Dream (Indy) (from 2025-05-01 to present)
Elvis Costello & The Attractions53:06
10Clubland
recording of:
Clubland
lyricist and composer:
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello & The Attractions3:43
11Good Year for the Roses
producer:
Billy Sherrill (US songwriter/producer/arranger)
lead vocals:
Elvis Costello
cover recording of:
A Good Year for the Roses
lyricist and composer:
Jerry Chesnut
recording of:
A Good Year for the Roses
lyricist and composer:
Jerry Chesnut
Elvis Costello4.253:06
12Man Out of Time
recording of:
Man Out of Time
lyricist and composer:
Elvis Costello
publisher:
BMG Music Publishing Ltd.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions5:27
13I Wanna Be Loved
cover recording of:
I Wanna Be Loved
lyricist and composer:
Farnell Jenkins
Elvis Costello & The Attractions4:47
14Everyday I Write the Book
recording of:
Everyday I Write the Book
lyricist and composer:
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello & The Attractions3:53
15Indoor Fireworks
producer:
T‐Bone Burnett (musician, songwriter and producer) and Larry Kalman Hirsch (Producer & Engineer) (task: with)
recording of:
Indoor Fireworks
writer:
Elvis Costello
The Costello Show featuring his Confederates44:08
16Shipbuilding
recording of:
Shipbuilding
lyricist:
Elvis Costello
composer:
Clive Langer
publisher:
Plangent Vision Music and Warner Bros. Music (publisher; do NOT use as release label)
Elvis Costello & The Attractions4:51
17This House Is Empty Now
recording of:
This House Is Empty Now
writer:
Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello
publisher:
Plangent Visions Music Ltd. and Windswept Pacific
Elvis Costello with Burt Bacharach5:08
18I Want You
Elvis Costello & The Attractions6:41
19God Give Me Strength
recording of:
God Give Me Strength
lyricist:
Elvis Costello
composer:
Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello with Burt Bacharach6:09
20She
recording engineer:
Gareth Cousins and Simon Rhodes (senior recording engineer at Abbey Road Studios)
assistant engineer:
Paul Hicks
producer:
Trevor Jones (South African score composer)
mixer:
Gareth Cousins
bass guitar:
Trevor Barry
drums (drum set):
Paul Clarvis (percussionist)
instruments:
Clem Clempson
piano:
Dave Hartley (pianist)
vibraphone:
Frank Ricotti (percussionist)
vocals:
Elvis Costello
orchestra:
London Symphony Orchestra
conductor:
Geoffrey Alexander
arranger:
Julian Kershaw
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Island Records (NOT for release label use! A division of UMG Recordings, Inc.) (in 1999)
recorded at and mixed at:
Abbey Road Studios in St John's Wood, Westminster, London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom
cover recording of:
She (Seven Faces of Woman)
lyricist:
Herbert Kretzmer
composer:
Charles Aznavour
publisher:
Essex Music International, Inc. and Standard Music Publishing Ltd.
translated version of:
Tous les visages de l’amour
Elvis Costello2.53:06