Splendid Torch

From Elvis: 50 Songs for the 50 Days Prior to Election Day (Part 3)

 Here on PhilosFX, we will bring you an ongoing recapitulation of Elvis Costello's project, "50 Songs for 50 Days."

On Sept 15, 2020, Sir Declan Patrick MacManus, OBE announced he'd be launching a song daily for the next 50 days. These songs will comprise a curated playlist for this time of cultural, political, and environmental upheaval. The announcement was made on his official website and came to my attention via his Facebook page. 

"I hope these songs will amuse, console or even infuriate, because passive indifference is hardly the way forward."--Elvis Costello

It's probably no surprise that the next 50 days takes us up to early November and an important election in the United States of America. 

If you are a fan of Elvis Costello, you will likely already: 

• be connected to his website
• be able to see each new song as it gets added to the playlist 
• have a streaming service lined up to play these tunes (Playlist added to Spotify on 9/17) 
• have access to the lyrics via a comprehensive Wiki.

But what you will not have, and what we at PhilosFX, therefore, pledge to provide, is a recapitulation of all 50 songs, complete with links to lyrics enabling you to read (or sing?) along as each song plays. 

I want this resource for myself and I am more than happy to build it day by day and share it with others as it develops and afterward, for posterity.  Patronize the creator for the original content, and let me know whether this recap adds value by leaving a comment. 

Part 1 (Songs 1-14, Sep 15-28) is available HERE

Part 2 (Songs 15-28, Sep 29-Oct 12) is available HERE

Now we commence with Part 3 as the countdown to the election continues:

No. 29 - "In The Darkest Place" from Painted From Memory (1998).

In the darkest place

I`m lost

I have abandoned every hope

No. 30 - "Everybody’s Cryin’ Mercy" from Kojak Variety (1995).

A bad enough situation

Is sure enough getting worse

Everybody's crying justice

Just as long as there's business first

No. 31 - "Hora Decubitus" (Bedtime) from My Flame Burns Blue (2006).

Life is a beautiful thing

No. 32 - "Newspaper Pane" released for download / streaming on this day (Oct 16) from the forthcoming album Hey Clockface (due Oct 30, 2020). You may also enjoy this video with lyrics. 

I don’t spend my time perfecting the past

I live for the future

Because I know it won’t last

A bent note on a horn I can’t play

Ghosts in the window

That I can’t wish away

No. 33 - "Clowntime Is Over" from Get Happy!! (1980).

Tears on your blackmail

Written to ransom

A point of the fingernail

Says that he`s handsome

No. 34 - "American Gangster Time" from Momofuku (2008).

Next week there'll be some fashionable new sin
For each harlot and each Puritan
Pull off their wings stick them on a pin
And just watch the money roll in

No. 35 - "Weird Nightmare" from Weird Nightmare: Meditations on Mingus (1992).

Weird nightmare
Why must you torment me?
Weird nightmare
Pain and misery
In a heart that’s loved and lost
Take away the grief you’ve caused

No. 36 - "Poor Napoleon" from Blood & Chocolate (1986).

One day they'll probably make a movie out of all of this
There won't even have to be a murder just a slow dissolving kiss

No. 37 - "TRIPWIRE" from Wise Up Ghost (2013).

Torn from the pages of history

Repeated again and again and again

You're either for or against us

And that is how the hatred begins

Tripwire

 

No. 38 - "It's Time" from All This Useless Beauty (1996) 

The party's over
Time we broke up
It always seemed like a bad dream
One where I finally woke up
This magic moment concluding our mutual fate
But if you do have to leave me
Who will I have left to hate?
Who will I have left to hate?

 

 

No. 39 - "New Lace Sleeves" from Trust (1981)

Even presidents have newspaper lovers
Ministers go crawling under covers
She's no angel
He's no saint
They're all covered up with whitewash and grease paint
And you say…
The teacher never told you anything but white lies
But you never see the lies
And you believe

No. 40 - "Stick Out Your TONGUE" from Wise Up Ghost (2013)*

The sugar-coated pill is getting bitterer still

You think your country needs you but you know it never will

So pack up your troubles in a stolen handbag

Don't dilly dally boys rally 'round the flag

Give us our daily bread, give us our daily bread, in individual slices, in individual slices

And something in the daily rag to cancel any crisis

*Most (80%) of the lyrics are borrowed from “Pills & Soap” which was released on 1983's Punch the Clock. Most of the rest of the lyrics (10%) are borrowed from the title song from National Ransom (2010). For the graph, I discounted the small sample from "National Ransom" and split the Album and Year evenly between PTC (1983) and WUG (2013).


No. 41 - "We Are All Cowards Now" from Hey Clockface (2020)

They're draping stones with colours
And a roll of stolen names
Except those we never cared about
And those we need to blame
We'll extinguish that flame, just the same
We are all cowards now

No. 42 - "How Much I Lied" written by Gram Parsons from Almost Blue (1981)

A thief can only steal from you
He cannot break your heart
He can never touch the precious things inside
Someone like you should surely be
Miles and miles away from me
Then you'd never care how much I lied

No. 43 - "All The Rage" from Brutal Youth (1994)

The twitching impulses to speak your mind

I'll lend you my microscope and maybe you will find it

Is it in that ugly place that's just behind your face?

No. 44 - "National Ransom" from National Ransom (2010)

Did you find how to lie? 
Did you find out how to cheat?
The elite bleat, their obsolete
So what are your prospects?

No. 45 - "American Tune" written by Paul Simon and released as a single by The Imposter (2017)

We’ve lived so well, so long
Still, when I think of the road we’re traveling on
I wonder what went wrong
I can’t help it, I wonder what’s gone wrong

No. 46 - "This Sad Burlesque" from The Juliet Letters (1993)

P.S. Well by now you know the worst of it
And we’ve heard all the alibis that they’ve rehearsed
The smug predictions
If it’s not a contradiction
Please have faith in human nature
And have mercy on the creatures in this sad burlesque

No. 47 - "Crawling To The U.S.A." from Crawling to the U.S.A. (Spanish Edition) (2020)*

Me dijo “no te creas tan especial no vas a impresionarme”
Ponle precio a mi lealtad y puedes desnudarme
De sur al norte de rodillas
Sólo el este los esquiva

*Released in 1979, re-released as a bonus track on the 1993 Rykodisc version of This Year's Model, and covered by Gian Marco and Nicole Zignago on this Spanish version of the single. 

No. 48 - "I’ve Been Wrong Before" from Kojak Variety (1995)

The night we met

The night that I won't forget

You seemed what I'd been waiting for

But baby, I've been wrong before

No. 49 - "Man Out Of Time" from Imperial Bedroom (1982)

There's a tuppenny-ha’penny millionaire
Looking for a fourpenny one
With a tight grip on the short hairs
Of the public imagination

No. 50 - "(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding?" from Armed Forces (1979)

As I walk through this wicked world

Searching for light in the darkness of insanity

I ask myself, "Is all hope lost?"

Is there only pain and hatred and misery?

Wait, what!?

Like the best gifts, this bonus song was truly "unexpected." I will include this 51st song and any subsequent songs in the forthcoming recap post with summary stats.

No. 51 - "Couldn’t Call It Unexpected" from Mighty Like A Rose (1991)

So toll the bell or rock the cradle
Please don't let me fear anything I cannot explain
I can't believe, I'll never believe in anything again

Thank you for stopping by PhilosFX. Comments are always welcome.

Elvis Costello's "50 Songs for 50 Days," Part 2

Here on PhilosFX, we will bring you an ongoing recapitulation of Elvis Costello's project, "50 Songs for 50 Days."

On Sept 15, 2020, Sir Declan Patrick MacManus, OBE announced he'd be launching a song daily for the next 50 days. These songs will comprise a curated playlist for this time of cultural, political, and environmental upheaval. The announcement was made on his official website and came to my attention via his Facebook page. 

"I hope these songs will amuse, console or even infuriate, because passive indifference is hardly the way forward."--Elvis Costello

It's probably no surprise that the next 50 days takes us up to early November and an important election in the United States of America. 

If you are a fan of Elvis Costello, you will likely already: 

• be connected to his website
• be able to see each new song as it gets added to the playlist 
• have a streaming service lined up to play these tunes (Playlist added to Spotify on 9/17) 
• have access to the lyrics via a comprehensive Wiki.

But what you will not have, and what we at PhilosFX, therefore, pledge to provide, is a recapitulation of all 50 songs, complete with links to lyrics enabling you to read (or sing?) along as each song plays. 

I want this resource for myself and I am more than happy to build it day by day and share it with others as it develops and afterward, for posterity.  Patronize the creator for the original content, and let me know whether this recap adds value by leaving a comment. 

Part 1 (Songs 1-14) is available HERE

Now we commence with Part 2:

No. 15 - "20% Amnesia" from Brutal Youth (1994)

The wine you drink has never seen a grape
And now your sci-fi suit has lost its shape
But it's a dangerous game that comedy plays
Sometimes it tells you the truth, sometimes it delays it

No. 16 - "Beyond Belief" from Imperial Bedroom (1982)

History repeats the old conceits
The glib replies the same defeats
Keep your finger on important issues
With crocodile tears and a pocketful of tissues

No. 17 - "Walk Us UPTOWN" from Wise Up Ghost (2013)

Will you walk us uptown
Will you gather us near
As cowards flee
And traitors sneer
Keep a red flag flying
Keep a blue flag as well
And a white flag in case
It all goes to hell

No. 18 - "The River In Reverse" from The River In Reverse (2006)

So count your blessings when they ask permission
To govern with money and superstition
They tell you it's all for your own protection
'Til you fear your own reflection
But the times are passing from illumination
Like bodies falling from a constellation
An uncivil war divides the nation

No. 19 - "Welcome To The Working Week" from My Aim Is True (1977)

All of your family had to kill to survive
And they're still waiting for their big day to arrive
But if they knew how I felt, they'd bury me alive
Welcome to the working week

No. 20 - "Riot Act" from Get Happy (1980)

Why do you talk such stupid nonsense?
When my mind could rest much easier
Instead of all this dumb-dumb insolence
I would be happier with amnesia

 

No. 21 - "The Other Side Of Summer" from Mighty Like A Rose (1991)

The automatic gates close up between the shanties and the palace
The blowtorch amusements, the voodoo chalice
The pale pathetic promises that everybody swallows
A teenage girl is crying 'cause she don't look like a million dollars
So help her if you can
'Cause she don't seem to have the attention span

No. 22 - "Wise Up Ghost" from Wise Up Ghost (2013)

Go on your merry way now if you must
Fool's Gold turns rivets into rust
'Til you don't know who to trust
Wise Up Ghost

No. 23 - "Phonographic Memory" the B-side of “We Are All Cowards Now” released August 28, 2020

Ever since the U.S. Mint was sucked dry and spat out, bookworms paid for rare tomes with wheelbarrows full of banknotes, some of them worthless Confederate money, stashes of which had been secreted in the plinths of various toppled statues.
They bartered with it on a Mississippi square with the irony of victors.
None of it helped the healing.

No. 24 - "Bedlam" from The Delivery Man (2004)

I've got this imaginary radio, and I'm punching up the dial
I've got the A.C. trained on the T.V. so it won't blow up in my eye
And everything I thought fanciful and mocked as too extreme
Must be family entertainment here in the strange land of my dreams

No. 25 - "Red Cotton" from Secret, Profane & Sugarcane (2009)

The Lord will judge us, with fire and thunder

As man continues with all his blunders

It's only money

It's only numbers

Maybe it is time to put aside these fictitious wonders

Man is feeble

Man is puny

And if it should divide the Union

There is no man who should own another

When he can't even recognize his sister and his brother

No. 26 - "Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further?" from The River in Reverse (2006).

Mama get up early, early in the morning
Papa's already gone
Going out a-working for half of what he's worth now
You know that it's wrong
What happen to the Liberty Bell I heard so much about?
Did it really ding-dong?
It must have dinged wrong
It didn't ding long

No. 27 - "Green Shirt" from Armed Forces (1979).

Better send a begging letter to the big investigation

Who put these fingerprints on my imagination?

No. 28 - "This Is Hell" from Brutal Youth (1994).

Endless balmy breezes and perfect sunsets framed
Vintage wine for breakfast
And naked starlets floating in Champagne
All the passions of your youth
Are tranquillized and tamed
You may think it looks familiar
Though you may know it by another name
This is Hell

Stay tuned, there's more to come! 

Recap of EC's 50 Songs for 50 Days (Part 1: Songs 1-14)

Here on PhilosFX we will bring you an ongoing recapitulation of Elvis Costello's newly announced project, 50 songs for 50 Days.

Sir Declan Patrick MacManus, OBE announced today (Sept 15, 2020) that he'd be launching a song daily for the next 50 days. These songs will comprise a curated playlist for this time of cultural, political, and environmental upheaval. The announcement was made on his official website and came to my attention via his Facebook page. 

"I hope these songs will amuse, console or even infuriate, because passive indifference is hardly the way forward."--Elvis Costello

It's probably no surprise that the next 50 days takes us up to early November and an important election in the United States of America. 

If you are a fan of Elvis Costello, you will likely already be connected to his website. You will be able to see each new song as it gets added to the playlist. You will also already have a streaming service lined up to play these tunes (Playlist added to Spotify on 9/17). And, if you are interested in the music or the lyrics, you will have access to repositories of those resources such as the comprehensive Wiki.

But what you will not have, and what I, therefore, seek to provide, is a list of all 50 songs in one place. I want this resource for myself and I am more than happy to build it day by day and share it with others as it develops and afterward, for posterity.  Patronize the creator for the original content, and let me know whether this recap adds value by leaving a comment. 

Here goes! 

No. 1 - “(You’re Nobody 'Til Everybody In) This Town (Thinks You’re A Bastard)” from Spike (1989).  

It was a song with a topical verse which I'm afraid he then proceeded to sing
Something about the moody doomed love of the Fish-Finger King

No. 2 - "Waiting For The End Of The World" from My Aim Is True (1977).

Hiding from a scandal in the national press
They had been trying to get married since they stole the wedding dress
You may see them drowning as you stroll along the beach
But don't throw out the lifeline till they're clean out of reach

No. 3 - "Why Can’t A Man Stand Alone?" from All This Useless Beauty (1996). 

Must he be burdened by all that he's taught to consider his own?

His skin and his station, his kin and his crown, his flag and his nation

They just weigh him down

No. 4 - "Jimmie Standing In The Rain" from National Ransom (2010).

Eyes going in and out of focus
Mild and bitter from tuberculosis
Forgotten man
Indifferent nation

No. 5 - "Night Rally" from This Year’s Model (1978).

They're putting all your names

In the forbidden book

I know what they're doing

But I don't want to look

No. 6 - "Hurry Down Doomsday (The Bugs Are Taking Over)" from Mighty Like A Rose (1991).

In time you can turn these obsessions into careers
While the parents of those kidnapped children
Start the bidding for their tears

No. 7 - "All This Useless Beauty" from All This Useless Beauty (1996). 

Nonsense prevails, modesty fails

Grace and virtue turn into stupidity

While the calendar fades almost all barricades to a pale compromise

While our leaders have feasts on the backsides of beasts

They still think they're the gods of antiquity

No. 8 - "Brilliant Mistake" from King Of America (1986).

 

He thought he was the King of America

Where they pour Coca Cola just like vintage wine

Now I try hard not to become hysterical

But I'm not sure if I am laughing or crying

No. 9 - "Less Than Zero" from My Aim Is True (1977).

He said he heard about a couple living in the USA

He said they traded in their baby for a Chevrolet

Let's talk about the future now we've put the past away

No. 10 - "Withered and Died" from Goodbye Cruel World (1995).*

This cruel country has driven me down

Teased me and lied, teased me and lied

I've only sad stories to tell to this town

My dreams have withered and died

*This song, written by the great Richard Thompson, was originally released in 1984. "Withered and Died" did not make the original cut-list for that year's album, Goodbye Cruel World. However, the song appears as a hidden track on the 1995 Rykodisc/Demon reissue of Goodbye Cruel World. For the graph, I split the "Year" credit evenly between 1984 and 1995. 

 

No. 11 - "Shut Him Down" (with Michael Leonhart Orchestra & Jswiss) from the new album, Hey Clockface coming out Oct. 30, 2020.

Say something once
Does it make a true?
To me
To you
And everyone you knew

No. 12 - "Tokyo Storm Warning" from “Blood & Chocolate (1986)

So you look around the tiny room and you wonder where the hell you are

While the K.K.K. convention are all stranded in the bar

They wear hoods and carry shotguns in the main streets of Montgomery

But they're helpless here as babies 'cause they're only here on holiday

No. 13 - "REFUSE To Be Saved" from Wise Up Ghost (2013)

They're hunting us down here with Liberty's light
A handshaking double-talking procession of the mighty
Pursued by a T.V. crew and coming after them
A limousine of singing stars and their brotherhood anthem
The former dictator was impeccably behaved
They're mopping up all the stubborn ones who just refuse to be saved

No. 14 - "No Flag" from the new album, Hey Clockface coming out Oct. 30, 2020.

No time for this kind of love
No flag waving high above
No sign for the dark place that I live
No God for the damn that I don't give

End of Part 1 with 14 down and 36 to go. More to come! Go to Part 2.

How to Say "ten" in Over 80 Languages

Ahoy! Happy 10th PhilosFX Day!

At midnight GMT (8 pm Eastern) between 6 and 7 Aug, we ended 10 years of blogging on PhilosFX. Thanks for coming along for the ride!

In our first decade, we've attracted at least one visitor from 224 of 242 countries around the world.

To celebrate both the 10-year milestone and our international audience, please find below a table for how to say the number "ten" in over 80 different languages, everything from Afrikaans to Zulu!  

References:

• In Different Languages (Russian is missing)
• Rocket Languages 

Here is a compilation of links to previous PhilosFX Day celebrations. Enjoy!

9. Happy 9th PhilosFX Day!    
8. Happy 8th PhilosFX Day!
7. Happy 7th PhilosFX Day!
6. Happy 6th PhilosFX Day!
5. The 2015 version
4. Musings from the Batman
3. Lots of stats
2. Basically, a one-liner
1. First-year in review 
0. Launch!


Cheers!

DBD

Celebrating Nine Years of PhilosFX!

Ahoy! And, Happy PhilosFX Day!

At midnight GMT (8 pm Eastern) between 6 and 7 Aug, we ended 9 years of blogging and started year 10. Thanks for coming along for the ride! 

Here is a compilation of links to previous PhilosFX Day celebrations. Enjoy!

8. Happy 8th PhilosFX Day! https://philosfx.blogspot.com/2018/08/happy-philosfx-day.html

7. Happy 7th PhilosFX Day! https://philosfx.blogspot.com/2017/08/happy-philosfx-day.html

6. Happy 6th PhilosFX Day! https://philosfx.blogspot.com/2016/08/happy-6th-philosfx-day.html

5. The 2015 version: http://philosfx.blogspot.com/2015/08/happy-philosfx-day.html

4. Musings from the Batman: http://philosfx.blogspot.com/2014/08/happy-philosfx-day.html

3. Lots of stats: http://philosfx.blogspot.com/2013/08/happy-3d-birthday-philosfx.html

2. Basically, a one-liner: http://philosfx.blogspot.com/2012/08/happy-2d-birthday-philosfx.html

1. First-year in review: http://philosfx.blogspot.com/2011/08/happy-birthday-philosfx.html

0. Launch! http://philosfx.blogspot.com/2010/08/launch.html


Cheers!

DBD

Happy PhilosFX Day!

Happy PhilosFX Day!

At midnight GMT (8 pm Eastern) between 6 and 7 Aug, we ended 8 years of blogging and started year 9. Thanks for coming along for the ride!

A Method for Ranking Wes Anderson Films, or What's with the Low Tomatometer for 'Life Aquatic'?

I was inspired by a recent ad for the new Wes Anderson film, "Isle of Dogs." Have you seen this ad? I love it! (Isle of It.)



ScreenJunkies: Every Wes Anderson Movie--er, Film/

The ad suggests we revisit all eight of Wes Anderson’s feature films before we head to the theaters to see his latest. The ad then goes on to cleverly describe Wes Anderson’s uniquely meticulous and quirky approach to filmmaking by illustrating the recurring themes, colors, camera shots, and actors that have inhabited Wes’s World.

I shared the video among friends with this question: “How many have you seen?” A few of my fellow Wesophiles responded. And in the comments, I shared the following links:

• Wes Anderson bio on IMDb http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0027572/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm
• Filmography and awards on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wes_Anderson
• Rotten Tomatoes for all of Wes Anderson's films (what's with the low tomatometer for 'Life Aquatic'?). https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/wes_anderson/

Shocked by Rotten Tomatoes' low tomatometer for one of my favorite Wes Anderson films, I began to wonder: If people like Wes but don’t like 'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou', just how good are the films I haven’t seen? What am I missing?  My favorite is 'The Grand Budapest Hotel,' but I also love Royal Tenenbaums and Life Aquatic. Darjeeling Limited was a bit over-the-top for my tastes.  How would my preferences align with those of the broader public?

I bundled all these lines of inquiry and cooked them down into a single research question: Which is the consensus best Wes Anderson film? 

I Googled "Top Ten Wes Anderson films" and began taking notes in Excel as I am wont to do. The results are shown below for your inspection and review. 

The consensus best Wes Anderson film is The Royal Tenenbaums, released in 2001 when the director was 31 years old. The film earned $52.4 M at the box office, garnered 10 award nominations and won Best Screenplay at the 2001 New York Film Critics Circle Award.

The Grand Budapest Hotel also did quite well, as expected. The Darjeeling Limited is understandably near the bottom of the list. To my dismay, Life Aquatic is in 8th place when the rankings from 10 independent sources are averaged. I guess there is no accounting for taste.

Table 1. Wes Anderson films ranked using scores from 10 independent rating sources

Methodology

I posed my research question to Uncle Google and obtained an index of websites.  I followed the Google Index to each site in sequence. I noted the source, URL, date, and rankings from 1 to n. Some sites rated short films and commercials in addition to feature films, so n ranged from 8 to 24. A total of 27 items in the Wes Anderson oeuvre were identified. The sites and the numbers of items ranked are shown.

Table 2. Index to sources used

Interestingly, the sites ranked different numbers of films. Some ranked 8, some ranked 13, some included short films and commercials in addition to feature films. To control for this and allow me to calculate average scores, I normalized the rankings. A film that was ranked 1 of 8 got 0.125 points. A film that was ranked 1 of 9 got 0.111 points, and so on.

Table 3. Scores for rankings on each of the ten sources

When you look at Table 3, a couple of observations jump out.

1. Four of the ten sites (40%) chose 'The Royal Tenenbaums' as the best Wes Anderson film

2. Five different films received at least one vote for best film, indicating the lack of a clear favorite 

3. Four feature films listed in either Rotten Tomatoes or Wikipedia are not shown here. None of the ten ranking sites I used listed them, and not including them did not change the Top 3. They placed 4, 11, 12, and 13.

Figure 1. Box office and award nomination performance of Wes Anderson films over time

We'll see how well "Isle of Dogs" does in the court of Public Opinion and in the minds of the voting members of various academies. And if I am so inclined, I'll update the tables and figures. Meanwhile, enjoy the Wonderful Worlds of Wes, and feel free to leave a suggestion or question in the comments.

Links to sources cited

http://www.tasteofcinema.com/2017/all-8-wes-anderson-movies-ranked-from-worst-to-best/

http://www.indiewire.com/2017/05/wes-anderson-movies-ranked-rushmore-royal-tenenbaums-fantastic-mr-fox-1201811293/

https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/pictures/rushmore-rush-less-wes-andersons-films-from-worst-to-best-20140307

https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2018/03/wes-anderson-movies-ranked-best.html

https://www.ranker.com/list/movies-and-films-directed-by-wes-anderson/reference?var=8&utm_expid=16418821-388.8yjUEguUSkGHvlaagyulMg.2&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

http://collider.com/wes-anderson-movies-ranked/

http://www.startribune.com/the-wrap-wes-anderson-s-films-ranked/478333703/

http://www.vulture.com/2018/03/every-wes-anderson-film-ranked-from-worst-to-best.html

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2018/mar/23/the-best-wes-anderson-movies-ranked

https://nerdist.com/directors-cuts-ranking-the-films-of-wes-anderson/

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/wes_anderson/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wes_Anderson

Trunkworthy's Fourth 20: Elvis Costello's 80 Best, Least Remembered Songs

Two of my favorite things: EC the Beloved Entertainer, and a movie about The Big Lebowski

Greetings and welcome to PhilosFX. Today we feature a list of songs numbered 61 to 80. These songs are the fourth set of 20 in Trunkworthy's ongoing Elvis Costello Song of the Week program. The program showcases forgotten gems from the more obscure recesses of Elvis Costello's gigantic catalog.

Feast thine eyes.

By now you see the story behind the photo at the top of this post. Song number 79 on this list is EC's "My Mood Swings," which appears on the soundtrack for the Coen Brothers' 1998 hit movie, The Big Lebowski. Just one of many hidden gems in the Costello oeuvre.

I've listed the songs in chronological order by the date they were shared on Trunkworthy. But of course, another way of looking at the list is to sort the songs chronologically by when they were produced. The songs in the fourth set of 20 cover a range of 38 years, from 1979 to 2017. Jorge & Kevin, current hosts at Trunkworthy, took almost 400 days to add these 20 songs.

I don't know about everyone else, but personally, I am really enjoying this program! I'm sure a few fellow Costellophiles will appreciate my attempt to collect and display all of Trunkworthy's sporadic offerings in one handy corner of the web. Elvis has over 600 songs in his repertoire. If you disregard the most popular (and theoretically overplayed) 50%, that still leaves an incredible 300 songs to explore.

Here's hoping Jorge & Kevin keep on going! As long as Elvis is recording, and Trunkworthy is spotlighting, I'll be collecting and displaying here on PhilosFX.

On to the Fifth Twenty!  

Looking for the Backstory?

• This adventure started HERE 
• The first 40 are commemorated HERE
• The Song of the Week reboot is described HERE
• The third 20 are chronicled HERE 

"My Aim is True" Turns 40

22 July 1977 to 22 July 2017

"It was rather like recording in a telephone booth. Overdubs were barely an option. Everything is heard pretty much as it was played."

--Elvis Costello, via Twitter on July 22nd

L.I.N.K.S. (XVI): MAIT Turns 40

In this edition of L.I.N.K.S. (hyperlinks that Lure, Intrigue, Nurture, Kindle, or Stimulate), we focus on the 40th anniversary of the release of "My Aim Is True," Elvis Costello's debut album.

"Recorded in four six-hour late-night sessions in a London eight-track studio, My Aim Is True was the debut album by the audaciously named soon-to-be 22-year-old singer-songwriter Elvis Costello, née Declan Patrick McManus. Produced by Nick Lowe, former bassist for the pub-rock band Brinsley Schwarz and a labelmate on the cheeky upstart indie Stiff Records, it reportedly cost a mere £2,000 to make, and was released in the U.K. on July 22, 1977."

--Best Classic Bands

My favorite links:

1. Paste features Elvis saying he’s actually not angry as angrily as humanly possible

2. Billboard does the impossible and ranks the album's tracks

3. Trunkworthy pays homage to a track that didn't make the album

4. Treblezine focuses on the artist's professed motives of revenge and guilt

And finally,

5. Spill takes the story to a personal level, drawing from the recent Costello autobiography

“I’ve always told people that I wrote ‘Alison’ after seeing a beautiful checkout girl at the local supermarket,” writes Costello in Unfaithful Music on perhaps the most well-known song on My Aim is True; after all the album takes its name from a line in the song. 

“Now she was punching in the prices on cans of beans at a cash register and looking as if all the hopes and dreams of her youth were draining away. All that would be left would soon be squandered to a ruffian who told her convenient lies and trapped her still further.”

Happy PhilosFX Day!

Happy PhilosFX Day!

At midnight GMT (8 pm Eastern) between 6 and 7 Aug, we ended 7 years of blogging and started year 8. Thanks for coming along for the ride!

Choir! Choir! Choir! Rufus Wainwright and 1500 singers sing Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah

I love everything about this music video: the song itself, the crowd, the production--everything. Please click HERE and enjoy immensely.

Happy 6th PhilosFX Day!

We're celebrating 6 years of PhilosFX with a Public Service Announcement.
"Got Your 6" is a nonprofit empowering veterans and strengthening communities.
Keep reading PhilosFX, and check out "Got Your 6" at https://gotyour6.org/

You know how they say that time flies when you're having fun? And that time flies faster as you age? For your humble correspondent, this past year flew by like a Perseid meteor. At midnight UTC (8 pm Eastern) between 6 and 7 Aug, we at PhilosFX completed 72 months (6 years!) of musing, writing, sharing, and inquiring about this wonderful world of ours. 

Six years! Time is flying, so I must be having fun or getting older or both! Here's some evidence to support our claim of a good, productive year worth celebrating:

• Total views have climbed 31% to 263,229 from 201,692 this time last year. We crossed the Quarter of a Million Visits mark!
• First-time views rose 83% to 78,197 vs. 42,619 after five years. 35% of all first-time views are from outside the United States. Lots of new viewers came from Russia to look at the Demitri Martin posts.
• Countries with at least one unique visitor increased to 196 from 189 a year ago. It's getting pretty difficult to attract viewers from the few remaining "never" countries (or, as I prefer to call them, "not yet" countries!). All of the top 48 countries have at least 42 unique visitors. I love being part of an international network.
• In terms of content, we have now published 879 posts (this will be 880), which is a 5% increase over the 836 we had last year. Any bets on when we'll hit 1000? Any requests on a topic?

Speaking of 6, I want to call attention to "Got Your 6," a great non-profit organization that is focused on empowering veterans and enabling them to make lasting positive contributions in communities across the USA. The phrase, "Got Your 6" is mil-speak for protecting you from threats to your rear, or 6 o'clock position. It means, "I got your back." 

As a public service announcement in honor of our favorite blog's 6th birthday, I recommend all PhilosFX readers--especially those with a soft spot for veterans and a passion for community activism--check out "Got Your Six."

"Got Your 6" believes veterans are leaders, team builders, and problem solvers who have the unique potential to lead a resurgence of community across the nation. Got Your 6 uses six pillars to strengthen veterans–jobs, education, health, housing, family, and leadership. Got Your 6 continues to ensure all Americans see veterans as indispensable assets that make our Nation stronger. For more information, please visit https://gotyour6.org/

Bottom line, friends: be focused, happy, and productive. Find and maintain your center. Align your priorities to worthy goals. Unite others on your quest for success. Thanks for reading and celebrating six years of Philosophy + Special Effects here at PhilosFX! Here's to many more...

For the insanely curious or terminally bored, here are links to previous PhilosFX Day posts, which you may enjoy at your leisure:

5. The 2015 version: http://philosfx.blogspot.com/2015/08/happy-philosfx-day.html
4. Musings from the Batman: http://philosfx.blogspot.com/2014/08/happy-philosfx-day.html
3. Lots of stats: http://philosfx.blogspot.com/2013/08/happy-3d-birthday-philosfx.html
2. Basically, a one-liner: http://philosfx.blogspot.com/2012/08/happy-2d-birthday-philosfx.html
1. First year in review: http://philosfx.blogspot.com/2011/08/happy-birthday-philosfx.html
0. Launch! http://philosfx.blogspot.com/2010/08/launch.html