This song is relevant again.

I never expected that. Not for Europe, not in my lifetime.

It's so tragic.

Bratislav, thanks for requesting Elvis Costello and the Attractions! 🔥 Clive Langer wrote this song for Robert Wyatt and wasn't happy with the lyrics he wrote to accompany the music. He asked Elvis to write lyrics for it, which Elvis did and he felt they were the best lyrics he ever wrote. I'm glad he decided to record his own version of it as well for his following album, as it's turned out to be a gem! 💎

It’s one idea - war - it means employment and commodities for tne famly, but war and death for the son
It’s about the Falklands war.

the famous Chet Baker on trumpet!

One of Bowie's favorite songs.

Elvis saved music for me around ‘79, ‘80, I was working long hours and rock had failed to interest me anymore. A coworker told me about Elvis. I was a bit skeptical though I liked his first album.I checked him out. And was very intrigued. Then album after album were incredibly interesting. For thirty years I also added him to my jazz collection. A true musical genius. Always provocative with beauty and a beautifully expressive voice. The bass, piano and drums always tasty.

God I love this song, be nice to hear what you think.

The pianist, Steve Nieve, is classically trained and graduated from Juilliard at 19.  They still tour together.  I’ve seen him 27 times, he’s best when they are together.  

Might want to try “Beyond Belief” for a song with dichotomy.  Deciphering Costello lyrics is not easy.  He’s a lyrical gymnast.

A stupid war. Home and loss trying to punch with how Thatcher was dismantling everything so had to have a fight. Yes we build ships, but we sens the crew out to die. While the shipyards die also. You can't buy a bike for the kid when your dead.

If you actually listen to the lyrics, it's absolutely devastating.

Blue-collared workers from economically-rundown coastal towns were actually excited they're opening the town's shipyards, to build war ships for the Falklands War, bringing about economic prosperity... then their sons were sent to war in those very ships. "I'll be back by Christmas", they naively told their parents. Weeks later they have to re-open the shipyards to replace the war ships lost in the war, as the notifications to the next of kins are being sent to notify of their sons' death in the war.

"Once again. It's all we're skilled in. We will be shipbuilding"

"With all the will in the world
Diving for dear life
When we could be diving for pearls."

Elvis does “King Of America “, Imperial Bedroom “, and the classic standard, “My Funny Valentine, Two Little Hitlers”.

The Robert Wyatt version is gold. This is an anti Falklands war polemic. Beautiful.

The dilemma is building war ships for the Falkland war.

I think the different aspects of mood with the trumpet could be either the emotions of "hooray we have work", but the reality of what that work is.. over time. Also, Horns are often played in bands that send soldiers off to war - and that has a different attitude too, which is generally upbeat because they have to rally the spirits of the people and troops in order to go off to war. Songs like "Over There.." come to mind. I've loved this song since I heard it in the mid-80s. Had no idea its focus was war - (could've been a dangerous job in other ways - life at sea away from home etc) but I did catch on the line - "diving for dear life, when we could be diving for pearls" as being a regret about the way time was being spent and that these ships weren't leading them to happiness. It makes perfect sense now. I grew up to sing jazz so this song was an early exposure to that style.

I remember enjoying the last Costello track we heard, and I really enjoyed this one too. He's been on my list for a while as one of the few classic rock critical darlings I haven't delved into yet. Loved the melodies and melancholic tone in this. Just great songwriting all around. Trumpet solo was on point too. Super tasteful and lyrical, wistful. Very cool to hear it's from Chet Baker, an artist I've heard a bit from and have really loved his tone and style.

I've loved him since 1980 when I was lucky enough to get my paws on Get
Happy. For my tiny South Dakota life it was exciting

also "God give me strength' and 'Broken bicycles' with Anna von Otter

EC has said himself that the trumpet solos are practically another song all together.

EC lived in Liverpool in his younger years, a shipbuilding town, mostly Irish workers, ie his heritage.

Robert Wyatt’s version  (which was recorded first) is also worth a listen. But Chat Baker’s trumpet makes this my favourite.