Elvis Costello & Lou Reed: Perfect Day

[elbuengaspar]

Lou Reed looks a lot like chabelo

[bellabella501]

Why the hell are you people dissin Lou, he is who he is. He's just in the moment & clearly showing respect for Costello. If you actually open your minds you might get it..... f**k off Lou haters

[lillyandruben]

GEEZ THIS SOUNDS TERRIBLE

[rocktenniscats]

That should be the brilliant Mick Ronson playing the joanna. He did on the original, plus CO- PRODUCED Transformer with Mr. Bowie, and NOBODY knows this! Mick Ronson: Arranger, Producer, Multi-Instramentalist, Mentor, Collaborator, hell of a nice guy....singer, oh....not to mention one of the greatest guitar players of all time.

[domesticcaribou]

"drink sangria in the park.

then later, when it gets dark, shoot heroin."

[paultom123456]

omg

[ANTONIO2713]

meraviglia



[WWiltraut]

Yikes. Perfect mess up of a great song.

[Ellen1600]

Elvis Costello <3

[DizzzyKipper]

It looks like Lou is Jonesing big time and their is tension between him and Elvis

but his voice is iconic so he pulled it off, flashes of genius from Lou throughout his career,his song,his habit.

[jancivil]

@DizzzyKipper yeah, a guy that doesn't give a rat's ass about musicality, there's someone to follow because he got strung out. So compelling. Such genius, keep the needly in your arm Lou, music doesn't need you. Stay home and watch tv and fade out, you poser.

[rabmirja]

Lou is great, Elvis too. But both - no go!

[luchoag]

It seems Lou is uncomfortable without a guitar in his hands.

[StephenPring]

I think Elvis is slightly disappointed with Lou's (lack of) effort.

[Esbenmad]

@StephenPring You can certainly see that from different perspectives. In my ears Lou is totally in the song. He has an amazing voice. Costellos voice is also amazing but in an entirely different way. Great match!

[daveco1270]

doesn't seem like Lou is trying very hard.

[bmfdv]

@daveco1270 uh hello that's lou reeds thing. he's usually on freakin heroin.

[MySundin13]

@daveco1270 hes got throat issues.....cant sing anymore....couldnt really anyway before lol!,,,but hes cool

[masakikatayama]

Beautiful version of a beautiful song.

[raqdreamer]

I went at Reed´s concert in Turin, Italy. Now I want Elvis Costello in Brasil...soon, please.

[mjo36]

In my opinion, this is kind've a bad performance "/

[winton50]

Think of all the great artistes of the last 40 years

How many of them would get through on any of the crappy idol shows?

Elton John? The beatles?, Lou Reed?, Elvis Costello, The Stones?,Oasis?

Van Morrison?

[liveasbjorn]

At about 2:42 do the piano play solo?? It's not a big deal, just an observation I had to share.

[littleswedishboy]

@liveasbjorn Nope, there are two pianos.

[liveasbjorn]

Absolutt den vakreste tolking og fremføring noensinne. Det er ikke mulig å toppe denne, sjelden jeg får fysisk reaksjon pga en låt. Her går melodi, tekst og fremføring en høy gang det meste. Det er bare å bøye seg i støvet for disse tre kunstnerene.

[lindonor42]

Simplesmente lindo!

[olddude1800]

Ok, I know Elvis and Lou will not ever read my comment, but guys your songs are among the most important words I have heard. You are two of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century and your distinctive voices have helped me cope with many tragedies and disappointments. Thanks.

[dickvisa]

Lou Reed and Fabio Capello are the same person

[NerviFrank]

@dickvisa ahahah!

[butterfliesdays]

just a perfect song... love Reed and cry

[themooddisorders]

This is a great match. I think they should make a record together!

[themooddisorders]

These awesome musicians have been around a long time. Elvis Costello is only 56, people think he is so old

[MsEraki]

just perfect..........

[CheckVerb]

I don't think they rehearsed this. If they did, that's kinda sad.

[daPlumber702]

@CheckVerb

have you ever heard the studio version? They were pretty damn money with this live "remix"

[Aginor27]

1:09 arhgrhgh ouch

[slbateamorte]

Só faltas tu para que todos meus dias sejam perfeitos, pois gosto bem mais de mim quando estou contigo, e ainda mais amo nós os dois quando estamos juntos...;)))

[MsMargaretMary]

a perfect combo to sing and play a perfect day

[joakimlowing]

Why does Costello have to sing????? soo bad..

[redlynx69]

@joakimlowing Listen to some of his other stuff. Although I do like his singing in this performance, perhaps its not a perfect example of his excellence.

[stv984]

what is this pathetic performance? are both drunk, old or in drugs?

[kokalola]

I love Kevin Hearn's piano on this.

[DeLarger]

Lou Reed sucks now, big disappointment loved him the 70s though.

[MunchyMcNipples]

@DeLarger C'mon man,,,Lou's days of shooting up and performing in fishnets couldn't last forever.He's still an influential musician and is heavily involved in the arts.Todays music would be much better if more musicians 'sucked' the way Lou does.

[Awagace]

the piano player looks like that guy from little britian! :P

[Mboheiogrl]

beautiful, just beautiful :)

[Vaughanssounds]

Great Version

So glad he fucked Susan Boyle off

[klaxonian]

@Vaughanssounds he's gone back on it now! it's going to be on the album fml

[WhiteDuke64]

Possibile che nessuno ha il coraggio di ammettere che, specie nel ritornello, Costello stona di brutto? Ho amato Elvis Costello, ma sorry, questa non è sicuramente una perla della sua carriera…

[elementz1986]

Two of my favorite people!

[MultiShades]

I didn't know Lou played well with others,,must be a great day

[adrianogando]

IMPRESIONANTE.

[bobfourb]

Greatnes together

[tetchyboozer]

No need for accolades. This speaks (sings) it's own greatness.

[Schmoople]

Perfection.

[NYsmiLez]

there's something inherent about elvis costello's voice that just makes me want to take my clothes off. same goes for the lead singer of the national.

[xtallyx1]

Did Lou Reed turn into a zombie ?

[SlamJaw]

@xtallyx1 He seemed uninterested and out of it, I agree. I love Lou and what he did for music, but he just seems out of it these days.

[TheBassgurl]

I love both of these guys, but this fall slightly short of the mark. Both appear to be out of their range and phrasing zone.

[themooddisorders]

I never thought that would happen! Costello and Reed?

[tylerickythomas]

god...this is pretty aweful. sorry...not feeling it....seems way off. especially Reed's talking.

[zuzu1022]

OK, no offense to lou but, in this performance lou reed is really bad.

[oghaio]

Unha interpretación sublime.Dous xenios, cantando unha canción perfecta. E outros dous, ao piano... non teño palabras... Fantástica. Marabillosa.

[jppless1]

I listen to this song over and over. It is amazing.

[jppless1]

A Perfect  Day. A Perrfect Song.

[ClueSign]

Steve Nieve is the third voice in this trio, ya know...

[gandalfe42]

@ClueSign Is that who is playing the piano? Because that's brilliant.

[ClueSign]

@gandalfe42 Yep, EC's longtime sideman...classically trained and never out of ideas or taste!

[ClueSign]

@gandalfe42 Wait, I think I'm wrong...I just looked closely...that's another dude, not sure who it is...

[aabacchi]

I love this song, but Lou insists on singing it different from the record. All videos on Youtube he is singing it in a weird way. Not good.

[jppless1]

This is absolutely great. I keep listening to it over and over.

[southrules]

Lou is trying too hard to be different here. Just sing the goddamn song old fuck!

[VaughansCountry]

Man this is brilliant im out of it and surfing this is in my favs

[Schmoople]

What a beautiful and calming version of this song. I just love it. It's wonderful.

[maximusoptimus2000]

Lou is drunk

[ilikelimes]

I didn't think one of my favorite songs could get any better... but I love it! Elvis Costello is awesome!

[aloy2020]

Look at it this way: Elvis plays the perfect part of Perfect Day. Lou Reed plays the 'lttle me' part.

There's a ling in the song: "I thought I was someone else, someone good".

If you look at the song as a comparison between the anti-hero Reed and the perfect musician Costello, the interpretation makes sense.

It's the eternal conflict. Lou Reed even echoes this in his body language: the low self-esteem, insecurity of it.

Me: so imperfect. And yet I can conceive of perfection.

[eagleseahorse]

This is real music.Why is there not more like this?

Incredible. Played/watched it over and over........

[shadedness]

What´s wrong with Lou? Costello make the things kind of better! I´ve heard this song since I was fifthteen, and I still love it...

[shadedness]

This song by Reed is just... beautiful. And the performance just fell short of it. Nothing like Transformer!

[twinkieramirez]

Two Greats belting out a great tune. Brings a tear to my eye.

[lennyzzzz]

This is great

[Pattyoday]

This just tore me up...what a great rendition. Elvis C. and Lou Reed together really made it work. wow.....:-)

[Venture73]

Truly amazing. This is the kind of performance that only great artists, like Reed and Costello, can pull off. It's a shame that people don't get to see this kind of performance on American Idol, MTV, etc...all those entities care about is the the manufactured sound and look, pushing what ever is trendy down our throats, and making big buck$ off it all.

[adamkubiw]

i think costello and reed are both really bad live performers, yes their studio songs are fuckin rad but lets face it. they cant sing for shit on a stage. i think any live performance of theirs on youtube can prove that

and now the die hard comments begin

[Lkguest]

This is beautiful! :-)

[plimsoul222]

watch at 2:40 the pianist stops touching keys and the piano "plays itself"

[mattccurtis]

There are two pianists.

[fgrellier]

watch the 2 pianos, you will understand how it "plays itself"...

not everything is a scam!

[silverfinger]

There appears to be two piano players. If you watch, one is behind and to the right of Elvis, unless that is some kind or reflection in a mirror.

[jimoro]

One of the pianists (the one rarely in the picture) is Steve Nieve of the Attractions/Imposters. The other is unknown to be, but perhaps brought in by Brother Lou.

[theseRlyrics]

The other is Kevin Hearn, keyboardist/multi-instrumental­ist for Barenaked Ladies, A Canadian band, solid on their own right.

[SvendBosanvovski]

What a buzz to see these two living treasures demonstrating what great vocal poetry is really about. A faint hint of hurdy gurdy in the piano solo underpins this mysterious conversation between two well lived veterans of song. Wonderful.

[SelimStedo]

Great duo.

[ViniciusGallego]

Lou Reed speach-like singing can work greatly in his own stuff (in his own alone versions, i mean), but sounding together with the very lyrical tone of Costello it clearly didn't work out.

People in here should use the ears a little more instead of just go shouting opinions and ideologies. Because if you listen closely to that you realize that in the final result it doesn't even sound like a complete song, like something finished; and more like a rehearsal or a singing class. Terrible!

[daileyrider]

You're full of shit and obviously do not know anything about the song or Lou Reed.

[ViniciusGallego]

Of course. If I simply say that music is supposed to be good IN THE EAR; not because of some ideology, or some ideas or opinions you have, but IN THE EAR, I'm obviously saying shit because it doesn't make any sense at all. Be happy in blindness, my friend. Be very happy.

[daileyrider]

All right, maybe I was a little stiff with you. I understand what your saying but I believe Music is not only in the ear, it is also in your mind, listen to the beauty of the lyrics with the rawness of Lou's voice set off against Elvis melodic voice.

[dajcei]

Lou wrote it. It's his. It's him. He can sing it however bloody he likes, and anybody else is just a guest in his beautiful world, staring at the pictures he's painting.

[ViniciusGallego]

Of course he CAN. Oh, yes! As much as someone CAN enter your house and spit in your face, or beat up your wife. Yes, people CAN do whatever they like. But that doesn't mean that you must like, that it is good, or usefull.

[dajcei]

He's not entering your house to beat up your wife, he's introducing you to his wife, who has a hairstyle you don't like. But I happen to like it. What I don't like, though, is commenting on youtube. Have to stop.

[tat2sncadillacs]

Wow. I have had the pleasure of seeing both of these people perform in concert. Not together though.

[mdnathan]

Awesome contributiion from Kevin Hearn on that one :)

[VeganaExPuta]

mdnathan:  How terrific of you to acknowledge Kevin Hearn, who so richly deserves the praise.

[vicphine]

mine too herc. gets me every time. elvis does a great job of it too. thanks so much for posting it deerfried. i forgot to record spectacle that night. be nice to see john cale on the show one day too.

[herculesrockafeller]

One of my favorite songs of all time.

[Dilliboy63]

Lou Reed seems to have retained an old habbit of always having his sleeves rolled up.... Not that he still does the spike...

[YULgal]

Reed, along with Leonard Cohen, and Bob Dylan is arguably one of the greatest songwriters of the last 50 years. None of these boys can sing for shit. So f**king what. Go back to your Justin Timberlake cds, you ignorant pussies.

Reed rules.

[ExitMuSlC]

@YULgal well said.

[themooddisorders]

@YULgal Let us not forget Neil Young

[FundedByTheMob]

@YULgal all them boys is hebrew

[paddy9i99]

@YULgal

Leonard Nimoy and Bob Dylan probably the greatest folk guitarists ever.

[johnscott33]

@YULgal Cohen, Costello, Dylan and Reed, Singer songwriters that have sunk beneath "Pop Wisdom" like a stone.

[justsaydotonope]

Lou does a version of this song with Laurie Anderson too.

[h0b0ch1c]

You're all insane. This isn't about hitting notes. Listen to the lyrics and get that Lou Reed's never been about trying to sing "correctly". This is a really cool example of two artists doing a collaboration using their own unique voice without getting swept away by this singing contest culture you're all drenched in. Go watch Idol.

[ViniciusGallego]

Please, don't push too far in the naiveté, man. You youself said it is a collaboration between two artists, who in case happen to be musicians. So the quality or relevance of the material will be in their musical performance, it's not about their "cool" presence or just stand there showing their cool personas.

[h0b0ch1c]

you're not saying anything, man.

[shaunone]

Elvis kicks him to the gutter.

[BlakkDuv]

Elvis kind of stole the show on this.

Everything he puts his hands on turns out beautiful in my opinion.

I know that lou isn't singing but it gives it kind of a cool affect

like elvis is his conscience singing what the ordinary man can only say.

and I know im putting way to much thought into it. lou prolly just cant sing it or choses not to but i like to pretend everythings for a reason :]

[taoslightning]

This is sad, not only really sad but it sucks. Lou can't sing and he can't write anymore either. He's old and he's washed up. Sylvia was responsible for his renaissance and he put out some good records. Then he divorces her and hooks up Laurie Anderson, Now he's singing "oldies" with Costello to audiences that are f--king full of themselves. He needs to retire.

[HighwayJohnny94]

Whatever about your opinions on reed's music, you're entitled to those, but i hate this journalistic shit about his personal life, referencing his girlfriends as if you know them as a couple personally, 'Sylvia was responsible for his renaissance', what goes on outside his art is nobody's business but his own

[audible67]

wait...who is full of themselves?(he asks knowingly)

[jalu30]

I think this is beautiful. It proves EC can really sing. i think their voices go well together

[jefframone]

Lou has never sang so much as just spoken his lyrics.

[streethassled]

but Lou's 67 times cooler.

[myffgryff]

really? not for me. Elvis is king. Costello, not Presley

[Sparkina]

@myffgryff Elvis is king but David Bowie is emperor!

[fetchmybeer]

Elvis is singing it like Lou did on the record. Lou never could sing worth a crap, and this was one of the few songs where he actually "sings" on the record. The problem is he can't sing the song anymore. Elvis can.

[tinyocarina]

God, they are so old! No matter though, I love me some Lou and Elvis.

[SirHatchporch]

I don't get the negative comments. Elvis sounds great here. Lou's singing style is more like speak-singing...always loose and unpredictable. But that's his thing.

[excathead]

Could these guys sound any more out of tune with each other?

[musicsavage]

The problem is that they both don't make no efforts, they sing like they absolutely don't give a shit.Too bad.

[venisfurs]

The problem is you don't have an ear for music,perhaps you should stick to top 40,

[musicsavage]

Yeah boy! Just go ahead. Be agressive with people you don't know and who don't share your points of view, hidden behind your computer screen..

[venisfurs]

Dont feel bad it's not your fault your retarded!

[Vambo1958]

you are clueless, have you ever heard the original? Lou cannot sing with Elvis!

[Kublakhan61]

And his impression was spot on!

[wifisalon]

thanks happymarmoset. I knew I wasn't seeing things.

[happymarmoset]

have a look at the piano player,

i think this is Kevin Hearn, you should find his album "H- Wing" it's hard to describe how good it is. Musically it is stunning, lyrically it is... ah, just listen.

"it's a little bit part in a one man play..."

[wifisalon]

That's Steve Nieve, Elvis' longtime keyboardist. Come on kids, you should know this.

[happymarmoset]

there's two of them, kevin at the top then Steve pops up half way through.

[giovani553]

its beautiful

[Kublakhan61]

Wow that IS bad.

[wifisalon]

A little choppy. Check out the ensemble version with Pavarotti, Sarah Brightman, and about 15 other people. Blow your socks off.

The song btw is brilliant.

[daileyrider]

You guys don't get it do you. That was beautiful. Lou never could sing by the way.

[Seanmoc01]

This is pretty rough.

[wifisalon]

Agreed. Coasting on laurels. As above, the ensemble version -- hello Limewire -- is outstanding.

[icommunication]

poor lou. can't even sing his own shit anymore.

[gjthorn]

Saw him live this past April and he sang this, and it was fantastic--as was everything else he sang. I think we can blame the stylization of this version.

[venisfurs]

yyyyy

[wifisalon]

He never could. Neither could Dylan ever, so bow and be grateful.