My Aim Is True

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My Aim Is True
Studio album by Elvis Costello
Released	July 22, 1977 (UK) March 1978 (U.S.)
Recorded	Pathway Studios, London, 1976–1977
Genre	Rock, Pub rock
Length	32:56
Label	Stiff Records (UK) Columbia Records (U.S.) Demon/Rykodisc (October 19, 1993 Reissue) Rhino (August 11, 2001 Reissue)
Producer(s)	Nick Lowe
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Pitchfork Media (9.8/10.0) link Robert Christgau (B+) link Rolling Stone link
Elvis Costello chronology
	My Aim Is True (1977)	This Year's Model (1978)

My Aim Is True is the debut album by Elvis Costello.

The album was recorded at Pathway Studios in Islington, London, over the course of 1976 during late-night studio sessions, in a total of twenty-four hours.

The cover art features rows of tiny black and white checks (behind the photo of Costello) on which the phrase "Elvis Is King" is written. Costello's pose on the cover would become an iconic look for him, with the Buddy Holly glasses and the knees bent inwards together.

The musicians who featured on the album were uncredited on the original release (due to contractual difficulties), although the backing band was made up of members of the band Clover, who would later back Huey Lewis as The News.

In 2003, the TV network VH1 named My Aim Is True the 80th greatest album of all time. In 2003, the album was ranked number 168 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Contents 1 Background 2 Track listing 2.1 Bonus Tracks (1993 Rykodisc) 2.2 Bonus Disc (2001 Rhino) 3 Personnel 4 Charts 5 Certifications 6 References

[edit] Background

Costello had been performing in clubs and pubs in Liverpool and London since 1970, and had created some demo tapes, but had had little success in obtaining a recording contract. When Stiff Records was founded in 1976, Costello submitted his demos there and they were interested, but initially they wanted him as a songwriter for Dave Edmunds. Edmunds, however, was reluctant, so the company had Costello and Clover re-record some of his songs, with Lowe producing, to try and persuade him. The new recordings were good enough on their own for Stiff Records to abandon that idea.^[1]

The label then suggested that he share a debut album with Wreckless Eric, but Costello had written enough songs, most of them at home late at night so as not to wake his wife and young son or on the Underground while commuting to work, to have an entire album of his own.^[1] Costello called in sick to his day job (data-entry clerk) in order to rehearse and record the album with Clover, which was cut in a series of six, four-hour sessions for about £1,000.

Costello stayed at his day job as the first two singles, "Less Than Zero" and "Alison" were released without much success. Finally, the label decided to release the album in the summer of 1977 and he was asked to quit his job and become a professional musician. Stiff Records would match his office wages and gave him a record advance of £150, an amp, and a tape recorder.^[1] Three weeks after its release, Costello was on the cover of a music paper. He described this situation as being "an overnight success after seven years."^[1]

[edit] Track listing

Note: The Rykodisc version has the original tracks and bonus tracks on one CD. The Rhino version has two CDs with the original tracks on the first CD.

All songs written by Elvis Costello unless otherwise indicated.

1. "Welcome to the Working Week" – 1:22
2. "Miracle Man" – 3:31
3. "No Dancing" – 2:39
4. "Blame It on Cain" – 2:49
5. "Alison" – 3:21
6. "Sneaky Feelings" – 2:09
7. "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes" – 2:47
8. "Less Than Zero" – 3:15
9. "Mystery Dance" – 1:38
10. "Pay It Back" – 2:33
11. "I'm Not Angry" – 2:57
12. "Waiting for the End of the World" – 3:22
13. "Watching the Detectives" – 3:45

• Tracklisting notes: "Watching the Detectives" was not on the original UK release of this album, but rather was issued as a single in October 1977. On the U.S. version it was placed at the end of side one.

[edit] Bonus Tracks (1993 Rykodisc)

1. "Watching the Detectives" – 3:45
2. "Radio Sweetheart" – 2:25
3. "Stranger in the House" – 3:01
4. "Imagination Is a Powerful Deceiver – 3:38
5. "Mystery Dance" (Demo version) – 2:13
6. "Cheap Reward" (Demo version) – 2:15
7. "Jump Up" (Demo version) – 2:06
8. "Wave a White Flag" (Demo version) – 1:53
9. "Blame It on Cain" (Demo version) – 3:30
10. "Poison Moon" (Demo version) – 1:53

• Tracklisting notes: The Rykodisc reissue placed "Watching the Detectives" after a 5-second silence following "Waiting for the End of the World."

[edit] Bonus Disc (2001 Rhino)

1. "No Action" (Version) – 2:15
2. "Living in Paradise" (Version) – 3:00
3. "Radio Sweetheart" – 2:31
4. "Stranger in the House" – 3:04
5. "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) (Live Stiffs) – 2:27
6. "Less Than Zero" (Dallas version) (Live at the El Mocambo) – 4:19
7. "Imagination (Is a Powerful Deceiver)" – 3:39
8. "Mystery Dance" (Demo version) – 2:15
9. "Cheap Reward (Demo version) – 2:18
10. "Jump Up" (Demo version) – 2:09
11. "Wave a White Flag" (Demo version) – 1:59
12. "Blame It on Cain" (Demo version) – 3:34
13. "Poison Moon" (Demo version) – 1:53

[edit] Personnel

• Elvis Costello – vocals, guitar, piano and drumsticks on 9
• Nick Lowe – backing vocals, piano, drumsticks and bass on 9
• John McFee – pedal steel guitar
• Sean Hopper – piano, organ, backing vocals
• Stan Shaw – organ on 8
• Johnny Ciambotti – bass, backing vocals
• Mickey Shine – drums
• Andrew Bodnar – bass on 13
• Steve Goulding – drums on 13
• Steve Nieve – organ and piano overdubs on 13

[edit] Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1978	Billboard Pop Albums	32

[edit] Certifications

Organization	Level	Date
CRIA – Canada	Gold	April 1, 1978
RIAA – U.S.	Gold	September 4, 1981
RIAA – U.S.	Platinum	October 12, 2001

[edit] References

v • d • e Elvis Costello

Albums My Aim Is True • Spike • King of America • Brutal Youth • Mighty Like a Rose • Kojak Variety • North • Il Sogno Elvis Costello and The Attractions This Year's Model • Armed Forces • Get Happy!! • Trust • Almost Blue • Imperial Bedroom • Punch the Clock • Goodbye Cruel World • Blood and Chocolate • All This Useless Beauty Elvis Costello and The Imposters When I Was Cruel • Cruel Smile • The Delivery Man Collaborations The Juliet Letters with The Brodsky Quartet • Terror & Magnificence with John Harle • Painted from Memory with Burt Bacharach • The Sweetest Punch with Bill Frisell • For the Stars with Anne-Sofie von Otter • My Flame Burns Blue with The Metropole Orkest • Piano Jazz with Marian McPartland • The River in Reverse with Allen Toussaint Live albums Live at the El Mocambo • Deep Dead Blue • Costello & Nieve Soundtracks G.B.H. • Jake's Progress Collections Taking Liberties • Ten Bloody Marys & Ten How's Your Fathers • The Best of Elvis Costello & The Attractions • Out of Our Idiot • Girls Girls Girls • 2 ½ Years • The Very Best of Elvis Costello and The Attractions 1977-86 • Extreme Honey • The Very Best of Elvis Costello • Singles, Vol. 1 • Singles, Vol. 2 • Singles, Vol. 3 Categories Elvis Costello albums • Elvis Costello songs