Get Happy!!

Elvis has entered the building...

Elvis Costello's catalogue from the Columbia years* has finally made it's way into the Rhapsody catalogue, this after a slew of redundant reissues following the transfer to Universal (Rhino's double-disc reissues really should've closed the book.) The period (1977-1986) represents the angry young man in his prime, with his first seven albums all classics in their own right (the first four - My Aim is True to Get Happy!! - especially.)

Playlist: The Best of Elvis Costello - The First 10 Years

Anytime there's a transfer to a new label for an old catalogue, there's almost always a greatest hits to coincide with it, and Universal's Hip-O label is no different. The Best of the First 10 years is at least the third to tackle this important period, and you'd think we'd heard the last of it, but truly, it's hard to argue against the 22 tracks chosen as a prime introduction to the Costello library. The album comes into Rhapsody as a 'buy only' option, but nearly every track is there for the taking from the actual albums ('cept "Oliver's Army" which is absent for some unknown reason,) and I've taken the liberty of assembling them for you.

The other collection Universal has for us (Rock And Roll Music - also a 'buy only' option) piques my interest a bit more, with several hard to find songs like "Big Tears," "Baby's Got A Brand New Hairdo" and several live tracks. It's slanted heavily to This Year's Model (which has six songs on it) and attempts to compile Costello's more raucus early material together with some level of success.

Why don't I have my own compilation? I'm not about to narrow it down, I'm afraid... just play the whole damn catalogue and be done with it, I say. Between this and Macca's recent addition, we've got some pretty large cracks in the digital distribution dam... it's only a matter of time. I now can (but will I?) go back and finish some playlists that have been lingering awaiting Costello's appearance for (near) completion.

Bonus treat: Elvis' infamous SNL appearance in December, 1977.

And years later Costello revists that moment with the Beastie Boys.

*'Columbia Years' as defined by US distribution. Costello was on several UK imprints during this time - Stiff, Radar, Fbeat and Demon.

tags: music, elvis costello, video, rhapsody