Today’s slow drag is with “American Gangster Time,” from “Momofuku,” released in 2008. The songwriting is credited to Elvis Costello. In addition to capturing one of his most personal songs, in my opinion, “My Three Sons,” and featuring Pete Thomas’ daughter Tennessee on drums, “Momofuku” as a whole, captures perhaps many less than guarded moments, celebrating the utter joy of laying pleasing words over pleasing music with the people he loves. “American Gangster Time” uses a stark and pointed chorus as it lets provocative vignettes dance around, free from repercussion of having spoken your mind. One, two, three, four Somewhere downtown a pretty girl kneels Offers her soft lips and a handful of pills Peels off her dress and then the rest of her skills It buys what she wants and the rest she just steals Spit out in an ab/ab pattern, these end rhymes are made even more remarkable with how they’re near rhymes between the lines as well. The result is a pleasing sound that confounds the harsh cleverness of the sentiment. Anyone else getting “pop princess” vibes? They both live downtown. He speaks between deep swallows of rum While her head is beating like a big bass drum And she wishes he were mute and not just dumb When the trick asked her quick, "Did you come?" Oh, how to be dumb, indeed. Here’s something brilliant you don’t find in pop songs very often; the use of the subjunctive mood: “And she wishes he were mute and not just dumb.” Any other songwriter might have used the incorrect “was,” but not our hero. There are so many senses called upon throughout this piece. The repeating end rhyme of rum/drum/dumb/come anchors this wonderfully oblivious exchange between two people, existing in the same space, but living on two different planes of reality altogether. Capitalism, anyone? It's a drag Saluting that starry rag I'd rather go blind For speaking my mind Or use it just like a gag So, raise it in anger Just let it hang American Gangster Time Hang/Gangster, what a fantastic rhyme pair. The use of the word “drag” carries an exceptional amount of weight, given its double use of “a pity,” and social indignation. Forget dragging the flag, they say don’t even let a flag touch the ground. Do not, outside of an emergency, fly it upside down, don’t carry things with it, and among other guidelines, don’t use it as clothing. We sure do have a lot of rules for something that purports to represent freedom. The juxtaposition of the lengths we can go to for free speech, blindness (literal and figurative alike), and the gags it also can provide, flows through this piece with all the casual world weariness that belies this sort of profound, sharp commentary. He sits back and starts to invent All about some Saigon correspondent "'Till the carbine fell silent and spent I never knew it could be so eloquent" Mr. Costello taps into his outstanding use of word economy as his gives us a view of romanticizing history in such a seemingly overwrought fashion for capitalism. He makes no judgement, it seems, just points it out. Whatever it means, it’s a beautiful vignette. Next week there'll be some fashionable new sin For each harlot and each Puritan Pull off their wings stick them on a pin And just watch the money roll in This verse follows the same /aa/ pattern of each of the preceding verses (save for the first that uses brilliant near rhymes to achieve the same effect). The concluding two verses will use this structure as well, which is quite rare in the Elvis Costello canon, giving this piece a sort of “Momofuku” feel to it, which of course was what he was going for, presumably. The lines themselves present another stunning vignette. I like the close proximity of sins and wings, suggesting angels, as well as casual torture and murder. Again, all in the same pursuit of capitalism. What you got hidden up your sleeve? The tracks of the train that were bidding you to leave When they say that you should flatter to deceive Don't count on any reprieve This verse, my golly, has at least two excellent examples of why a slow drag with Mr. Costello’s work is such a treat. The first one, a brilliant allusion to drug use when “what you got hidden up your sleeve?” collides with “tracks.” And, idiom alert, “flatter to deceive” means to “give the appearance of being better than the true situation.” I can’t imagine who’d give that advice, but it does seem true that if you do it, “don’t count on any reprieve.” The hands of the helpless are raised Your dead little secrets are praised The people stand dumbstruck and dazed By the inches that you have erased Riffing on the title of this piece, perhaps gangsters have just descended upon the helpless who have just raised their hands? Past that tenuous connection, I simply adore the inscrutability of this final verse. What are “dead little secrets”? The mind reels with possibilities. Dumbstruck and dazed, indeed. What are the inches? And why have they been erased? Here we go Bye, bye American Gangster Time — Dig it Again, this has been a slow drag with “American Gangster Time” from 2008’s “Momofuku.” The consistent structure, the high caliber word play, the dreamscapes that are painted in each vignette, “American Gangster Time” would sit well amongst any number of Mr. Costello records, but it seems extra special to have found its home here, where something is made in an instant. The indictment of Capitalism bounces around in my mind as I listen, but even that motif can’t be completely nailed down. And even though I wish people in general would refrain from using this adjective as it pertains to Mr. Costello, I have to concede that “Momofuku” just might fall under this wretched category. Yes, I’d agree that this album is underrated. There’s a gem lurking around every corner. As with this piece, there is mystery, acerbic commentary, and outstanding words lined up in a pleasing manner. Other precious gems from “Momofuku” you’ll enjoy a slow drag with are episodes 7, “Let’s See How Brave You Are,” a slow drag with “No Hiding Place,” episode 35, “A Song in My Heart,” a slow drag with “Turpentine,” episode 48 “Erase Everything Rotten,” a slow drag with “Flutter and Wow,” episode 70, “Gunslinger Swagger,” a slow drag with the absolutely fantastic “Go Away,” and episode 86, “A Fine Fixation,” a slow drag with “Drum and Bone.” And as always, thank you for helping to get the word out about this little passion project. Truly, it means the world. So, until next time, adieu, my little ballyhoo.
Show Notes:
Appreciation written, produced, and narrated by Remedy Robinson, MA/MFA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slow_drag_remedy/ Bluesky Social: https://bsky.app/profile/slowdragwithremedy.com Email: [email protected] “Elvis Costello Wiki Resource, Podcasts” https://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php?title=Podcasts Transcription: https://slowdragwithremedy.weebly.com Podcast music by https://www.fesliyanstudios.com Rate this Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/slowdrag References: Elvis Costello Wiki Resource, “American Gangster Time” https://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php?title=American_Gangster_Time “American Gangster Time” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnRIKlVsk1w Flag Etiquette: https://www.vfw.org/community/flag-etiquette Flatter to Deceive idiom meaning: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/flatter-to-deceive#:~:text=to%20give%20the%20appearance%20of,just%20a%20lull%20in%20hostilities. Purchase “The Most Terrible Time in My Life…Ends Thursday” Listen to the audiobook for free at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq7n1pN8D1Y Comments are closed.
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AboutSlow Drag with Remedy is an Elvis Costello podcast appreciation. It's an exploration of linguistics, language, poetry, and clever wordplay as framed by the peerless poetry of the modern-day master, Elvis Costello. Slow Drag by Song
Poor Napoleon Alibi Church Underground The Big Light Georgie and Her Rival Joe Porterhouse No Hiding Place 20% Amnesia All This Useless Beauty Let Him Dangle King of Thieves Damnation's Cellar Stripping Paper Pidgin English Riot Act Bedlam The Quickening Art Luxembourg Chemistry Class Living in Paradise My Mood Swings Waiting for the End of the World Little Atoms Two Little Hitlers Crimes of Paris You Tripped at Every Step Needle Time Men Called Uncle Peace in Our Time The Loved Ones I Almost Had a Weakness Our Little Angel Invasion Hit Parade Turpentine Miracle Man A Voice in the Dark The Greatest Thing Satellite Hand in Hand Clubland Tart Glitter Gulch Stations of the Cross Science Fiction Twin Possession This Sad Burlesque Flutter and Wow Soul for Hire After the Fall Blue Chair Monkey to Man Mouth Almighty Watch Your Step ...This Town... Distorted Angel Worthless Thing No Dancing Miss Macbeth Charm School Poor Fractured Atlas Brilliant Mistake My Little Blue Window Suspect My Tears Coal Train Robberies Fish 'n' Chip Papers I Hope You're Happy Now Man Out of Time 13 Steps Lead Down Go Away Sweet Pear The Name of This Thing is Not Love Jimmie Standing in the Rain The Deportees Club The Birds Will Still Be Singing Starting to Come to Me Pay It Back Five Small Words Pretty Words Radio Silence Human Hands Night Rally I'll Wear It Proudly Motel Matches Drum and Bone Harpies Bizarre Nothing Clings Like Ivy Why Won't Heaven Help Me Next Time 'Round The River in Reverse A Room with No Number Clown Strike The Invisible Man My Most Beautiful Mistake All the Rage The Town Where Time Stood Still Episode of Blonde e of Blonde No Flag A Slow Drag with Josephine That Bridge I Burned Sour Milk Cow Blues You Little Fool Spooky Girlfriend Suit of Lights There's a Story in Your Voice Dishonor The Stars The Other Side of Summer Mischievous Ghost They're Not Laughing at Me Now White Knuckles Honey, Are You Straight or Are You Blind? Black and White World The World and His Wife
God's Comic The First to Leave Green Shirt The Man You Love to Hate Lip Service American Gangster Time Blame It on Cain The Spell That You Cast Lipstick Vogue The Difference Stella Hurt Tears before Bedtime |