Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea

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B-side
  
"You Belong to Me"

Genre
  
Punk Rock

Label
  
Radar

Released
  
1978 (1978)

Length
  
3:06

Writer(s)
  
Elvis Costello

"(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea" is a 1978 song by Elvis Costello. Released as a single from his album This Year's Model, it reached No. 16 on the UK Singles Chart. In his album notes for Girls Girls Girls, Costello wrote that the song "[m]ight have been just a poor relation to 'All of the Day (and All of the Night)', 'I Can't Explain' or even 'Clash City Rockers' had it not been for Bruce Thomas' great bassline. Meanwhile I was trying to fit in this lick from an old Pioneers record, though which one I can't recall."

Video

The video features the band performing in an unfurnished, light-drenched, wholly white set, and uses a simple shrinking square zoom effect. It was directed by Paul Flattery for Jon Roseman Productions. After a photo-montage effect with still photographs of Costello, the video opens with him playing the opening guitar riff in close-up. The video then alternates between the band playing together and shots of Costello singing in an increasingly contorted pose.

The video for "Pump It Up" was shot the same day in London, and all the musicians can be seen wearing the same clothes, although drummer Pete Thomas sports a distinctive Union Jack tracksuit top. Bassist Bruce Thomas had cut his right hand on a bottle a few weeks previously and had needed eight stitches. His bandage can be seen clearly in both of the videos.

References

(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea Wikipedia


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