My Aim Is True

Background

Costello had been performing in clubs and pubs in Liverpool and London since 1970 and had created some demo tapes, but he had had little success in obtaining a recording contract. When Stiff Records was founded in 1976, Costello submitted his demos there and found some interest, but initially they wanted him as a songwriter for Dave Edmunds. Edmunds, however, was reluctant, so the company had Costello and Clover re-record some of his songs, with Lowe producing, to try to persuade him. The new recordings were good enough on their own for Stiff Records to abandon that idea.

The label then suggested that he share a début album with Wreckless Eric, but Costello had written enough songs, most of them at home late at night (so as not to wake his wife and young son) or on the London Underground while commuting to work, to have an entire album of his own. Costello called in sick to his day job (as a data entry clerk) to rehearse and record the album with Clover, which was cut in a series of six four-hour sessions for about £1,000.

Costello stayed at his day job as the first two singles, "Less Than Zero" and "Alison", were released without much success. Finally, the label decided to release the album in the summer of 1977, and he was asked to quit his job and become a professional musician. Stiff Records would match his office wages and gave him a record advance of £150, an amp, and a tape recorder. Three weeks after its release, Costello was on the cover of a music paper. He described this situation as being "an overnight success after seven years".

Packaging and artwork

The album cover was designed by Barney Bubbles, who was uncredited on the sleeve. The cover art features rows of tiny black and white checks (surrounding the photo of Costello) on which the phrase "Elvis Is King" is written. Costello's pose on the cover would become an iconic look for him, with the Buddy Holly glasses and the knees bent inwards together. He struck a similar pose in the photo on the back of the original sleeve.

Initially, the LP cover had a black & white photo on the front, and a yellow back. The first 1000 UK copies also came with a form asking the buyer to send in the address of a friend, who would then receive a free copy. The form was titled: HELP US HYPE ELVIS. The free copies that were sent out in response to returned forms were customised with a large special sticker. The form and the sticker were also designed by Barney Bubbles. First pressings came with writings on the dead wax with on the A side "Elvis is King" and "Porky Prime Cut" and on the B side "on this side too" and "porky prime cut too". Early issues were also printed with many different coloured backs. Later issues then had a green tint on the front picture and a green back. The Demon re-issue originally had a yellow tint on the photo and a yellow back, and the reissue has a green tint photo.

Subsequent performances

According to Costello's own website, a second version of the album (with an identical track listing) was recorded over a 2-day period in July 1977. This second version was recorded by Elvis Costello and his new permanent backing band, The Attractions, with the intention of replacing the original tracks contained in My Aim Is True once the initial pressings had sold out. This never came to pass, however, and all released versions of the album continue to use the original recordings with members of Clover as the backing band. As well, although several reissues of My Aim Is True have featured various demos and 1977-era recordings as bonus tracks, the July 1977 album re-recordings have never been issued in any format.

On 8 November 2007, Costello reunited with the members of Clover from the original recording sessions to perform the songs from My Aim Is True. This marked the first ever (and to date only) live public performances of these songs by the original ensemble that recorded them. The event took place at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, and was a benefit for the Richard de Lone Special Housing Fund, which assists those with Prader-Willi Syndrome.

Track listing

All songs written by Elvis Costello.

1. "Welcome to the Working Week" – 1:22
2. "Miracle Man" – 3:31
3. "No Dancing" – 2:39
4. "Blame It on Cain" – 2:49
5. "Alison" – 2:54
6. "Sneaky Feelings" – 2:09

7. "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes" – 2:47
8. "Less Than Zero" – 3:15
9. "Mystery Dance" – 1:38
10. "Pay It Back" – 2:33
11. "I'm Not Angry" – 2:57
12. "Waiting for the End of the World" – 3:22

Bonus tracks (1993 Rykodisc)

13. "Watching the Detectives" – 3:45
14. "Radio Sweetheart" – 2:25
15. "Stranger in the House" – 3:01
16. "Imagination (Is a Powerful Deceiver)" – 3:38
17. "Mystery Dance" (Demo version) – 2:13
18. "Cheap Reward" (Demo version) – 2:15
19. "Jump Up" (Demo version) – 2:06
20. "Wave a White Flag" (Demo version) – 1:53
21. "Blame It on Cain" (Demo version) – 3:30
22. "Poison Moon" (Demo version) – 1:53

Bonus Disc (2001 Rhino)

13. "No Action" (Early version) – 2:15
14. "Living in Paradise" (Early version) – 3:00
15. "Radio Sweetheart" – 2:31
16. "Stranger in the House" – 3:04
17. "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) (from Live Stiffs Live) – 2:27
18. "Less Than Zero" (Dallas version) (from Live at the El Mocambo) – 4:19
19. "Imagination (Is a Powerful Deceiver)" – 3:39
20. "Mystery Dance" (demo version) – 2:15
21. "Cheap Reward (demo version) – 2:18
22. "Jump Up" (demo version) – 2:09
23. "Wave a White Flag" (demo version) – 1:59
24. "Blame It on Cain" (demo version) – 3:34
25. "Poison Moon" (demo version) – 1:53

Track Listing (2007 Deluxe Edition Hip-O)

Disc 1:

1. "Welcome to the Working Week"
2. "Miracle Man"
3. "No Dancing"
4. "Blame It on Cain"
5. "Alison"
6. "Sneaky Feelings"
7. "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes"
8. "Less Than Zero"
9. "Mystery Dance"
10. "Pay It Back"
11. "I'm Not Angry"
12. "Waiting for the End of the World"
13. "Watching The Detectives"
14. "No Action" (early version)
15. "Living in Paradise" (early version)
16. "Radio Sweetheart"
17. "Stranger in the House"
18. "Welcome to the Working Week" (Pathway Studios demo)
19. "Blue Minute" (Pathway Studios demo)
20. "Miracle Man" (Pathway Studios demo)
21. "Waiting for the End of the World" (Pathway Studios demo)
22. "Call on Me" (Pathway Studios demo)
23. "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes" (Pathway Studios demo)
24. "I Don't Want to Go Home" (Pathway Studios demo)
25. "I Hear a Melody" (Pathway Studios demo)

Disc 2: Elvis Costello & the Attractions: Live at The Nashville Rooms – 7 August 1977

1. Introduction by Dave Robinson
2. "Welcome to the Working Week"
3. "Blame It on Cain"
4. "No Dancing"
5. "Waiting for the End of the World"
6. "Night Rally"
7. "Hoover Factory"
8. "No Action"
9. "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea"
10. "Miracle Man"
11. "The Beat"
12. "Less Than Zero"
13. "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes"
14. "Lipstick Vogue"
15. "Watching the Detectives"
16. "Lip Service"
17. "Mystery Dance"
18. "Alison"
19. "Pay It Back" (soundcheck)
20. "Radio Sweetheart" (soundcheck)
21. "Sneaky Feelings" (soundcheck)
22. "Crawling to the USA" (soundcheck)
23. "Alison" (soundcheck)

Personnel