Spike (Elvis Costello album)

Spike
Studio album by Elvis Costello
Released 14 February 1989
Recorded 1987-1988
Genre Rock, Jazz
Length 63:50
Label Warner Bros.
Rhino (August 11, 2001 Reissue)
Producer Elvis Costello, Kevin Killen & T-Bone Burnett
Elvis Costello chronology
Out of Our Idiot
(1987)		 Spike
(1989)		 Mighty Like a Rose
(1991)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
Chicago Tribune (Positive)[2]
Entertainment Weekly (B) [3]
Los Angeles Times [4]
The New York Times (Positive)[5]
Robert Christgau (B)[6]
Rolling Stone [7]

Spike is the 12th studio album by the British rock singer and songwriter Elvis Costello, released on and compact disc as Warner Brothers 25848. It was his first album for the label. It peaked at #5 on the UK album chart, and at #32 on the Billboard 200.

Contents

Content

In 1987, Costello began writing with Paul McCartney for the latter's Flowers in the Dirt album. They composed a dozen songs together, which showed up on multiple albums by McCartney and Costello.[8] Two of those songs appear on this album, "Pads, Paws and Claws" and the hit single "Veronica."

As his first album for a new label, in his own words Costello had the budget of "a small independent movie," and having in mind the blueprint for five different albums, decided to make all of them.[9] He brought back his foil from King of America, T-Bone Burnett, to facilitate the sessions and produce the album. Studio time was booked in four different locations: Ocean Way in Hollywood; Southland Studios in New Orleans; Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin; and AIR Studios in London.[10] Four different groups of musicians were assembled in each location. Writing credits on the album are given to both Declan MacManus and Elvis Costello.

The single "Veronica" peaked at #31 on the UK singles chart and at #19 in America, his best showing ever on the Billboard Hot 100. "This Town" was also released as a single but missed both of the main singles chart in both nations. An extended play single was also released for "Baby Plays Around," peaking at #65 in the UK.

The second track, "Let Him Dangle", is a protest song opposing capital punishment, recounting the conviction and execution of Derek Bentley.

Release history

The album was released initially on compact disc in 1989. As part of the Rhino Records reissue campaign for Costello's back catalogue from Demon/Columbia and Warners, it was re-released in 2001 with 17 additional tracks on a bonus disc. The bonus disc included three tracks with Nick Lowe on bass and Attractions drummer Pete Thomas for use as b-sides, recorded at Wessex Sound Studios after the Spike mixing sessions.[11] This reissue is out of print, the album reissued again by Universal Music Group after its acquisition of Costello's complete catalogue in 2006.

Track listing

All songs written by Elvis Costello, except where noted; track timings taken from Rhino 2001 reissue.

  1. "(You're Nobody Till Everybody in) This Town (Thinks You're a Bastard)" – 4:32
  2. "Let Him Dangle" – 4:45
  3. "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror" – 4:07
  4. "Veronica" (Costello, Paul McCartney) – 3:09
  5. "God's Comic" – 5:31
  6. "Chewing Gum" – 3:47
  7. "Tramp the Dirt Down" – 5:41
  8. "Stalin Malone" – 4:09
  9. "Satellite" – 5:45
  10. "Pads, Paws and Claws" (Costello, McCartney) – 2:56
  11. "Baby Plays Around" (Costello, Cait O'Riordan) – 2:47
  12. "Miss Macbeth" – 4:23
  13. "Any King's Shilling" – 6:07
  14. "Coal-Train Robberies" – 3:18
  15. "Last Boat Leaving" – 3:31

2001 bonus disc

Tracks 1-12 are solo demo recordings.

  1. "Miss Macbeth" – 3:51
  2. "...This Town..." – 3:50
  3. "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror" – 4:07
  4. "Coal Train Robberies" – 2:52
  5. "Satellite" – 4:50
  6. "Pads, Paws and Claws" (Costello, McCartney) – 2:08
  7. "Let Him Dangle" – 3:39
  8. "Veronica" (Costello, McCartney) – 3:03 b-side to "So Like Candy"
  9. "Tramp the Dirt Down" – 5:19
  10. "Baby Plays Around" (Costello, O'Riordan) – 2:42
  11. "Put Your Big Toe in the Milk of Human Kindness" – 3:17
  12. "Last Boat Leaving" – 3:29
  13. "The Ugly Things" (Nick Lowe) – 2:56 b-side to "The Other Side of Summer"
  14. "You're No Good" (Clint Ballard, Jr.) – 2:22 b-side to "Veronica"
  15. "Point of No Return" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) – 2:34 b-side to "Baby Plays Around"
  16. "The Room Nobody Lives In" (John Sebastian) – 4:46 b-side to twelve-inch and CD single of "Veronica"
  17. "Stalin Malone" – 3:12 version with recitation

Personnel

Dublin

New Orleans

Hollywood

London

Charts

Chart positions

Chart (1989) Position
Australian Albums Chart[12] 26
Dutch Mega Albums Chart[13] 19
Japanese Albums Chart[14] 61
New Zealand Albums Chart [15] 34
Swedish Albums Chart[16] 13
UK Albums Chart [17] 5
United States Billboard 200[18] 32

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
United Kingdom (BPI)[19] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[20] Gold 500,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ^ Allmusic review
  2. ^ Blair, Iain (1989-03-05). "Elvis Is Back! Costello, That Is, Driving A `Spike` Into Fads". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1989-03-05/entertainment/8903240175_1_release-two-albums-spike-jones-elvis-costello. Retrieved 2011-10-20. 
  3. ^ Raftery, Brian M. (2001-05-04). "Spike Review". ew.com. Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,281099,00.html. Retrieved 2011-08-30. 
  4. ^ Cromelin, Richard (1989-02-05). "Album Review : Costello Opens Floodgates in 'Spike'". articles.latimes.com. Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1989-02-05/entertainment/ca-2121_1_elvis-costello. Retrieved 2011-10-24. 
  5. ^ Pareles, Jon (1989-02-19). "RECORDINGS; Elvis Costello's Happy Marriage Of Lyrics and Music". nytimes.com. The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1989/02/19/arts/recordings-elvis-costello-s-happy-marriage-of-lyrics-and-music.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm. Retrieved 2011-10-21. 
  6. ^ Robert Christgau review
  7. ^ Rolling Stone review
  8. ^ Costello, Elvis. Spike. Rhino Records 8122 72486 2, 2001, liner notes, p. 3.
  9. ^ Ibid., p. 4.
  10. ^ Ibid., p. 25.
  11. ^ Ibid., p. 7.
  12. ^ Steffen Hung. "Elvis Costello - Spike". australian-charts.com. http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?Elvis+Costello&titel=Spike&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-08-12. 
  13. ^ "dutchcharts.nl Elvis Costello - Spike" (in Dutch) (ASP). dutchcharts.nl. MegaCharts. http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Elvis+Costello&titel=Spike&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-10-23. 
  14. ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4871310779. 
  15. ^ "charts.org.nz - Elvis Costello - Spike" (ASP). Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. http://charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Elvis+Costello&titel=Spike&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-10-23. 
  16. ^ "swedishcharts.com Elvis Costello - Spike" (in Swedish) (ASP). Sverigetopplistan. http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Elvis+Costello&titel=Spike&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-09-18. 
  17. ^ "Elvis Costello - Spike". UK Albums Chart. http://www.chartstats.com/release.php?release=43760. Retrieved 2011-10-23. 
  18. ^ Allmusic - Elvis Costello > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums
  19. ^ "British album certifications – Elvis Costello – Spike". British Phonographic Industry. http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx.  Enter Spike in the field Search. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Click Go
  20. ^ "American album certifications – Elvis Costello – Spike". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Spike%22.  If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
Elvis Costello
Studio albums
Live albums
Collaborations
Singles
Classical works
Scores
Collaborations
Compilations
Related articles