Elvis Costello - (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding? (1979)

Declan Patrick MacManus (born 25 August 1954), known as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader than that of most popular songs. His music has drawn on many diverse genres; one critic described him as a "pop encyclopedia," able to "reinvent the past in his own image".

Costello was born Declan Patrick MacManus in St Mary's Hospital, London, the son of Lillian Ablett and Ross MacManus, a musician and bandleader. He is of Irish heritage. Costello lived in Twickenham, attending Hounslow Secondary Modern School, which is now St Mark's Catholic Secondary School, in neighbouring Hounslow. With a musically inclined father (who was a jazz trumpeter and sang with The Joe Loss Orchestra), Costello's first broadcast recording was alongside his dad in a television commercial for R. White's Lemonade (I'm a Secret Lemonade Drinker). His father wrote and sang the song; Costello provided backing vocals. The advertisement won a silver award at the 1974 International Advertising Festival.

Costello moved with his Liverpool-born mother to Birkenhead in 1971. There, he formed his first band, a folk duo called Rusty, with Allan Mayes. After completing secondary school at St. Francis Xavier's College, he moved back to London where he next formed a band called Flip City, which had a style very much in the pub rock vein. They were active from 1974 through to early 1976. Around this time, Costello adopted the stage name D.P. Costello. His father had performed under the name Day Costello, and Elvis has said in interviews that he took this name as a tribute to his father.

To support himself, he worked at a number of office jobs, most famously at Elizabeth Arden -- immortalised in the lyrics of "I'm Not Angry" as the "vanity factory" -- where he worked as a data entry clerk. He worked for a short period as a computer operator at the Midland Bank computer centre in Bootle. He continued to write songs, and began actively looking for a solo recording contract. On the basis of a demo tape, he was signed to independent label Stiff Records. His manager at Stiff, Jake Riviera, suggested a name change, combining Elvis Presley's first name and Costello, his father's stage name.

Read more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_Costello

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[snapperman123]

A superb version of Nick Lowe's classic song

Nick Lowe puts the song across with more tenderness, Elvis with more angst.

You pays your money you takes your choice.

They are great friends going back to the Stiff years - both versions are a joy

Love it

[MaisSimples]

Super, my friend!!! Super crazy!! LOL

[kallemick]

@robertemmet321 covered by elvis costello

[robertemmet321]

This is actually a Nick Lowe tune.

[kallemick]

i have heard of elvis costello before but the reason im listening to him right now is because of my brother elvis costello has an amazing voice honestly

[Tomaszek45345345]

Hes bassist from The Exploited :)

[Rockunstank]

Best cover version ever!!!

[LJH70122]

He's known in these parts (New Orleans) for his brilliant collaborations with Allen Toussaint , but I still love these classics from the 70's .

[formaface]

Top job Joe, over here he was referred to as 'The Real Elvis', on the street.

A brilliant song writer and a great live performer....thanks for the upload.

[PampersPete]

Cool vid, Joe. I never really got into Elvis Costello but never really disliked his music either.