The Best of Elvis Costello and The Attractions

~ Release by Elvis Costello & The Attractions (see all versions of this release, 6 available)

Tracklist

1▼CD
#TitleRatingLength
1Alison
producer:
Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer)
drums (drum set):
Mickey Shine (Clover drummer) (in 1976)
electric bass guitar [bass]:
Johnny Ciambotti (in 1976)
guitar:
Elvis Costello (in 1976) and John McFee (singer, songwriter, guitarist for The Doobie Brothers) (in 1976)
organ and piano:
Sean Hopper (US Keyboardist for Huey Lewis & the News) (in 1976)
background vocals:
Sean Hopper (US Keyboardist for Huey Lewis & the News) (in 1976), Johnny Ciambotti (in 1976) and Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer) (in 1976)
vocals:
Elvis Costello (in 1976)
recorded at:
Pathway Studios in Islington, London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom (in 1976)
part of:
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 318) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 396)
recording of:
Alison (in 1976)
lyricist and composer:
Elvis Costello
publisher:
Universal Music Publishing International MGB Ltd.
3.853:22
2Watching the Detectives
producer:
Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer)
bass:
Andrew Bodnar (bass player) (from 1977-05 until 1977-06)
drums (drum set):
Steve Goulding (English drummer for the Rumour, Mekons, etc.) (from 1977-05 until 1977-06)
organ and piano [overdubs]:
Steve Nieve (from 1977-05 until 1977-06)
vocals:
Elvis Costello (from 1977-05 until 1977-06)
recorded at:
Pathway Studios in Islington, London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom (from 1977-05 until 1977-06)
recording of:
Watching the Detectives
lyricist and composer:
Declan Patrick MacManus
publisher:
BMG Music Publishing Ltd., BMG Songs, Inc. and Universal Music Publishing International MGB Ltd.
3:41
3(What’s So Funny ’Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding
engineer:
Roger Bechirian
producer:
Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer)
bass guitar:
Bruce Thomas
drums (drum set):
Pete Thomas (drummer)
guitar:
Elvis Costello
organ, piano and synthesizer:
Steve Nieve
vocals:
Elvis Costello
part of:
New York Post: 100 Greatest Covers (2007) (number: 65) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 284)
cover recording of:
(What’s So Funny ’Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding
lyricist and composer:
Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer)
publisher:
Plangent Visions Music, Inc.
4.23:31
4Oliver’s Army
engineer:
Roger Bechirian
producer:
Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer)
bass guitar:
Bruce Thomas
drums (drum set):
Pete Thomas (drummer)
guitar:
Elvis Costello
organ, piano and synthesizer:
Steve Nieve
vocals:
Elvis Costello
recording of:
Oliver’s Army (from 1978-08 until 1978-09)
lyricist and composer:
Declan Patrick MacManus
publisher:
BMG Music Publishing Ltd.
4.352:59
5(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
recording of:
(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
lyricist and composer:
Elvis Costello
2:46
6Pump It Up
producer:
Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer)
performer:
The Attractions (Elvis Costello) and Elvis Costello
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Elvis Costello (in 1978)
part of:
Indie 88: Top 500 Indie Rock Songs (number: 181)
recording of:
Pump It Up
lyricist and composer:
Elvis Costello
publisher:
BMG Music Publishing Ltd. and Universal Music Publishing MGB Australia
4.63:17
7Accidents Will Happen
engineer:
Roger Bechirian
producer:
Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer)
bass guitar:
Bruce Thomas
drums (drum set):
Pete Thomas (drummer)
guitar:
Elvis Costello
organ, piano and synthesizer:
Steve Nieve
vocals:
Elvis Costello
recording of:
Accidents Will Happen (from 1978-08 until 1978-09)
lyricist and composer:
Declan Patrick MacManus
publisher:
Universal Music Publishing MGB Limited
43:01
8Radio, Radio
producer:
Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer)
part of:
Indie 88: Top 500 Indie Rock Songs (number: 239)
recording of:
Radio, Radio
lyricist and composer:
Elvis Costello
premiered by:
Rangeline Hill (from 2025 to present) and Midwinter's Dream (Indy) (from 2025-05-01 to present)
53:06
9I Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down
producer:
Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer)
cover recording of:
I Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down
composer:
Homer Banks (soul singer and songwriter) and Allen Jones (producer/songwriter/musician/engineer)
4.52:06
10A Good Year for the Roses
producer:
Billy Sherrill (US songwriter/producer/arranger)
lead vocals:
Elvis Costello
cover recording of:
A Good Year for the Roses
lyricist and composer:
Jerry Chesnut
4.253:07
11Almost Blue
producer:
Geoff Emerick (British recording engineer)
recorded at:
AIR Studios (Lyndhurst Hall 1991–present) in Hampstead, Camden (London Borough of Camden), London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom
recording of:
Almost Blue
lyricist and composer:
Elvis Costello
22:47
12Beyond Belief
producer:
Geoff Emerick (British recording engineer)
recorded at:
AIR Studios (Lyndhurst Hall 1991–present) in Hampstead, Camden (London Borough of Camden), London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom
recording of:
Beyond Belief
lyricist and composer:
Elvis Costello
3.52:33
13Man Out of Time
producer:
Geoff Emerick (British recording engineer)
performer:
The Attractions (Elvis Costello) and Elvis Costello
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Elvis Costello (in 1982)
recorded at:
AIR Studios (Lyndhurst Hall 1991–present) in Hampstead, Camden (London Borough of Camden), London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom
recording of:
Man Out of Time
lyricist and composer:
Elvis Costello
publisher:
BMG Music Publishing Ltd.
3.55:28
14Clubland
associate producer:
Roger Bechirian
producer:
Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer)
recording of:
Clubland
lyricist and composer:
Elvis Costello
43:42
15Watch Your Step
associate producer:
Roger Bechirian
producer:
Nick Lowe (UK singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer)
recording of:
Watch Your Step
lyricist and composer:
Elvis Costello
3.52:58
16Shipbuilding
producer:
Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley (English record producer)
bass guitar:
Bruce Thomas
drums (drum set):
Pete Thomas (drummer)
guitar and lead vocals:
Elvis Costello
keyboard:
Steve Nieve
solo trumpet and trumpet:
Chet Baker (American jazz trumpeter and vocalist)
recorded at:
AIR Studios (Lyndhurst Hall 1991–present) in Hampstead, Camden (London Borough of Camden), London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom
mixed at:
Genetic Studios in West Berkshire, England, United Kingdom
recording of:
Shipbuilding (in 1983)
lyricist:
Elvis Costello
composer:
Clive Langer
publisher:
Plangent Vision Music and Warner Bros. Music (publisher; do NOT use as release label)
3.254:49
17I Wanna Be Loved
cover recording of:
I Wanna Be Loved
lyricist and composer:
Farnell Jenkins
3:50
18Everyday I Write the Book
producer:
Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley (English record producer)
bass guitar:
Bruce Thomas
drums (drum set):
Pete Thomas (drummer)
guitar and lead vocals:
Elvis Costello
keyboard:
Steve Nieve
background vocals:
Afrodiziak
recorded at:
AIR Studios (Lyndhurst Hall 1991–present) in Hampstead, Camden (London Borough of Camden), London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom
mixed at:
Genetic Studios in West Berkshire, England, United Kingdom
music videos:
Everyday I Write the Book by Elvis Costello
recording of:
Everyday I Write the Book
lyricist and composer:
Elvis Costello
publisher:
Universal Music Publishing MGB Ltd.
43:48
19The Only Flame in Town
producer:
Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley (English record producer)
recording of:
The Only Flame in Town
lyricist and composer:
Elvis Costello
publisher:
Universal Music Publishing MGB Ltd.
3:33

Credits

Release

printed in:U.S.A.
manufactured by:Columbia Records (EMI‐owned 1931–1990, worldwide except US, CA, MX, ES, & JP; largely defunct since Jan 1973)
copyrighted (©) by:CBS, Inc. (US broadcasting company; file no releases here!) (in 1985)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:CBS, Inc. (US broadcasting company; file no releases here!) (from 1977 until 1978, from 1980 until 1985)
licensed from:Riviera Global Record Productions Ltd.
ASIN:US: B00005NEGW [info]