New Elvis Costello Album!

[RainDogToo]

"The Secret, The Profane And Sugarcane"

 

Due out June 2, 2009

 

Working with T Bone Burnett for the third time, Elvis Costello made this new album in Nashville with a string band that included several players from the Plant-Krauss collaboration, Raising Sand. The tracklist is a mix of old and new material, including two songs Costello penned for Johnny Cash, one tune co-written by Loretta Lynn (

[myboyblue]

I'm willing to bet this doesn't suck.

[Wendy]

Great song! I love Elvis!!!

 

Although it is sorta hard to watch Roseanne Cash sitting there not singing!

 

 

 

The lyrics are funnny on this one, especially the alternate verses depending on the locale!

 

From Sulfur To Sugar Cane

 

It's not very far from sulfur to sugar cane

 

Everywhere I travel pretty girls call my name

 

I give them a squeeze and they shoot me a wink

 

I buy their hard-headed husbands a long cool drink

 

You better come up smelling sweet 'cos you're a long time stinking

 

It's a little too late to complain

 

It's not very far from sulfur to sugar cane

 

 

 

 

Now if you catch my eye and it seems to run down your leg

 

It's like striking a match pretty hard upon a powder keg

 

They tell you from the borders to the waters of the gulf

 

If you take all the sugar you will end up in the sulfur

 

And you're burning

 

Hello baby I'm pleased to meet ya

 

I wouldn't do you wrong, honey

 

I wouldn't cheat ya, honey

 

When can I see you again?

 

Wrap you up in cellophane

 

It's not very far from sulfur to sugar cane

 

It's not very far from sulfur to sugar cane

 

 

 

 

Then your eyes fill up with brine

 

When you're drowning in wine

 

It's like the last days of Rome

 

With the despots and divine

 

And there's no place like home for a little doll from China

 

It's a little too late to complain

 

It's not very far from sulfur to sugar cane

 

 

 

 

You can go west to Texas

 

Go east to Mississippi

 

You can run out of money

 

You can run out of pity

 

Throw open your purse until you're crying for mercy

 

Go to Alabama

 

Escape Louisiana

 

I'm digging like a miner North and South Carolina

 

And then if you continue you will end up in Virginia

 

 

 

 

(lyrics sung 2007-09-29 in Kingston, Rhode Island:)

 

I said rape or water torture

 

All the way through Georgia

 

I tried to shake the hand

 

Of everyone in every land

 

And even if they shoot us

 

Down there in Massachusetts

 

I'm singing and I'm smiling

 

Right here in Rhode Island

 

 

 

 

(lyrics sung 2007-09-30 in Bridgeport, Connecticut:)

 

Even though they tried to shoot us

 

On the way from Massachusetts

 

I heard the women will kill you for sport

 

Right here in Bridgeport

 

 

 

 

(lyrics sung 2007-10-02 in Worcester, Massachusetts:)

 

The women in Bridgeport

 

Will kill you for sport

 

But in Worcester, Massachusetts

 

They love my sauce

 

 

 

 

(lyrics sung 2007-10-04 in Portland, Maine:)

 

The women in Bridgeport

 

Will kill you for sport

 

But in Portland, Maine

 

I hear they got no shame

 

 

 

 

(lyrics sung 2007-10-05 in Manchester, New Hampshire:)

 

I heard the women in New Hampshire

 

They love adventure

 

They look quite fancy

 

But they don't wear no pants

 

 

 

 

(lyrics sung 2007-10-06 in Albany, New York & 2007-10-09 in Rochester, New York:)

 

The women in Poughkeepsie

 

Take their clothes off when they're tipsy

 

But in [Albany/Rochester], New York

 

They love the filthy way of talk

 

 

 

 

(lyrics sung 2007-10-08 in Syracuse, New York:)

 

Here in Syracuse

 

I might get falsely accused

 

I'm not here to hurt you

 

I'm here to steal your virtue

 

 

 

 

(lyrics sung 2007-10-12 in Ypsilanti, Michigan:)

 

The women in Poughkeepsie

 

Take their clothes off when they're tipsy

 

But I hear in Ypsilanti

 

They don't wear any panties

 

 

 

 

(lyrics sung 2007-10-16 in Dayton, Ohio:)

 

The women in Poughkeepsie

 

Take their clothes off when they're tipsy

 

But the girls in Dayton, Ohio

 

Say that's something I'd like to try

 

 

 

 

(lyrics sung 2007-10-19 in Bloomington, Indiana:)

 

But if I could find a piano

 

Here in Bloomington, Indiana

 

I would play it with my toes

 

Until the girls took off their clothes

 

 

 

 

(lyrics sung 2007-10-20 in Bloomington, Illinois:)

 

There's a woman in El Paso

 

That I'd dearly love to lasso

 

But in Bloomington and Normal

 

The girls are far more formal

 

 

 

 

(lyrics sung 2007-10-22 in St. Louis, Missouri:)

 

The women in Poughkeepsie

 

Take their clothes off when they're tipsy

 

I hear there are one or two

 

Who do the same here in St. Louis

 

 

 

 

(lyrics sung 2007-10-24 in Iowa City, Iowa:)

 

The women in these places

 

Are too sober and too straitlaced

 

But the girls in Iowa City

 

Form a welcoming committee

 

 

 

 

(lyrics sung 2007-10-26 in Omaha, Nebraska:)

 

Where the women are either wild or chilly as Alaska

 

But none of them as hot as the girls here in Nebraska

 

 

 

 

(lyrics sung 2007-10-27, 2007-10-28 & 2007-10-29 in Chicago, Illinois:)

 

The women in these places say I'd never go that far

 

But that's not what I hear about the girls here in Chicago

 

 

 

 

Where they gargle with the finest champagne

 

They tear off their clothes and exclaim *

 

It's not very far, sugar

 

It's not very far, sugar

 

Pour a little sugar on me, sugar

 

It's not very far from sulfur to sugar cane

 

 

 

 

(* alternate line in early performances:)

 

They can't get the grape and the grain

[TheMaker]

Wow, so exciting!

 

Forgive me if this is a naive and-or stupid question, but what was the second collaboration between Costello and Burnett? I`m only aware of King of America (which is probably my favourite Costello record, hence my excitement).

[RainDogToo]

Wow, so exciting!

 

Forgive me if this is a naive and-or stupid question, but what was the second collaboration between Costello and Burnett? I`m only aware of King of America (which is probably my favourite Costello record, hence my excitement).

I believe it was

[stagerug]

You can watch a performance of

[RainDogToo]

I love his TV show and watch it all the time. I never got into his music though. Not that I don't like it... from what I have heard, I do like it (That Sulphur to Sugar Cane song is great!)... just never gave it much of a chance I guess.

 

For you true Costello fans: where's a good place to start? Any suggestions on a sequence of albums to check out?

 

These are the first few albums I bought and what eventually got me into his music! So, I would recommend these to you.

 

My Aim Is True

This Year's Model

The Delivery Man

Armed Forces

[ih8music]

For you true Costello fans: where's a good place to start? Any suggestions on a sequence of albums to check out?

yeah, that's a daunting task... Costello has been one of the most prolific musicians in rock for some 35 years now.

 

Luckily, there have been numerous compilations of his work... I'd personally start with something focusing on the early years - I have this one, but there are a few others.

[myboyblue]

I love his TV show and watch it all the time. I never got into his music though. Not that I don't like it... from what I have heard, I do like it (That Sulphur to Sugar Cane song is great!)... just never gave it much of a chance I guess.

 

For you true Costello fans: where's a good place to start? Any suggestions on a sequence of albums to check out?

Raindog2 made some good suggestions. I'd also recommend Almost Blue if you like the country side of things. The guys voice is incredible.

[blureu]

Here's a recent compilation of the older 'rock' material. It's a good one.

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d.html/175-067...ZJK0&sr=8-1

[stagerug]

Cool!... thanks. I give 'em a listen.

[blureu]

The press release is out:

 

http://community.nodepression.com/profiles...costello-record

[RainDogToo]

[wilceaux]

The lyrics are funnny on this one, especially the alternate verses depending on the locale!

 

I can't wait to see how he sings it in New Orleans.

[tugmoose]

Dig the new look here. I think he now goes by "El Vis".

[tugmoose]

For you true Costello fans: where's a good place to start? Any suggestions on a sequence of albums to check out?

Good place to start might be When I Was Cruel (released the same day at YHF, BTW), which combined the early attitude with matured songcraft. I've always been a fan of Get Happy! and Trust. This Year's Model will leave you with a lively case of the snides, which in my case has not subsided since 1978.

 

I still love the David Lee Roth quote about why music critics love Elvis so much. After a week at SXSW, I can confirm it's still true. But I'm not sure I'd wanna look like DLR these days.

 

[So Long]

This sounds amazing. I can't wait.

[RainDogToo]

Listen to "Complicated Shadows" Elvis Costello's first single from his new album:

 

http://skopemag.com/2009/04/22/first-singl...-costello-album

[cryptique]

I can't listen at work ... but "Complicated Shadows" was on All This Useless Beauty in 1996. Is this a different song with the same name, or has it been drastically reworked in some way?

[MattZ]

I can't listen at work ... but "Complicated Shadows" was on All This Useless Beauty in 1996. Is this a different song with the same name, or has it been drastically reworked in some way?

 

It's been reworked.

 

I have a buddy that is a music writer/critic and he got an advanced copy of the album. I heard the first few songs last week. The T Bone Burnett influences are everywhere. Think King of America, Part II.

[Central Scrutinizer]

It's been reworked.

 

I have a buddy that is a music writer/critic and he got an advanced copy of the album. I heard the first few songs last week. The T Bone Burnett influences are everywhere. Think King of America, Part II.

I loved that album! That sounds like a ringing endorsement to me.

[MattZ]

I loved that album! That sounds like a ringing endorsement to me.

 

Yeah. This new one struck me as a bit further along on the Americana spectrum than KOA (which had its share of rockers). Wish I had a copy of it. Also, beware of my first impressions. They aren't very reliable.

[blureu]

Article on upcoming Beale Street festival gig:

 

http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/yb/129273824

[RainDogToo]

Elvis Costello Reveals 'Secret' New Album

Elvis Costello

 

May 15, 2009 07:56 AM ET

 

Gary Graff, Detroit

Being able to revisit pieces from his unfinished opera about the life of Danish author Hans Christian Andersen was a welcome "surprise" for Elvis Costello on his new album, "Secret, Profane & Sugarcane."

 

The set, due out June 2 on Hear Music and produced by T-Bone Burnett, includes four songs from "The Secret Songs," a commission by the Royal Danish Opera. They weren't initially planned to be part of "Secret...," but fortuitous circumstances allowed Costello, Burnett and the all-star group of players they'd assembled, and dubbed the Sugarcanes, to take them on.

 

"I started out with songs I felt we could achieve very easily," Costello said during a conference call with reporters to promote his appearance at this year's Bonnaroo Music and Art Festival. "The vividness of those recordings suprised me, and emboldened by them getting into the can pretty quickly...I was able to try these other songs that were a little more intricate. And the ease with which these musicians expressed them allowed me to really sing them and really tell the stories."

 

Costello told Billboard.com that "Secret..." came about because "I had the idea to work with my friend T-Bone Burnett (who also produced 1986's 'King of America' and 1989's 'Spike') and to make an acoustic record." The two recorded it during a three-day session in Nashville with Jerry Douglas on dobro, Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Mike Compton on mandolin, Jeff Taylor on accordion and Dennis Crouch on double bass. "We sat around in a semicircle where we could see each other very readily," Costello recalled. "I was able to direct things and people took the initiative...and they played just beautifully. The playing of the musicians was so responsive it just flowed.

 

"It's mainly, I guess you would say, bluegrass instrumentation, but they're playing my songs. They're not playing traditional bluegrass songs, and they don't sound like bluegrass songs. They're ballad form. Some of them are ragtime...It's always good to try and find new ways to play songs and to find new sounds to express songs you've already written."

 

 

Besides material from "The Secret Songs" the album includes a pair of tunes Costello wrote for Johnny Cash and three co-writes -- two with Burnett, including "The Crooked Line," which features harmony by Emmylou Harris, and one ("I Felt the Chill") with Loretta Lynn.

 

Costello will perform solo on June 13 at Bonnaroo but has shows with the Sugarcanes slated for either side of the festival. He plays in North America in June and August, with a pair of concerts in Japan in early August.

 

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/elvis-...003973492.story

 

 

Anyone know if this has leaked yet?

[you ever seen a ghost?]

i'm pretty sure it has not leaked yet.

 

-justin