Today’s slow drag is with “Lip Service,” from “This Year’s Model,” released in 1978. The songwriting is credited to Elvis Costello. I fell under Elvis Costello’s spell when I first heard the singular “King of America.” What I’m learning through our slow drags is that there is a pre- and post-idiom and uniquely British expressions era that seems to have peeked around the masterpiece, “Imperial Bedroom.” This, of course, does not mean there are no longer idioms and obscure references, far from it. I mention this quirk because, after falling in love, I quickly went back over his entire catalog in reverse order, from “King of America,” I indulged in “Goodbye Cruel World,” “Punch the Clock,” and so on. Having done so, I noticed that so many songs seemed to get more complex and exotic, even if the number of words and minutes per each piece were relatively short. And “Lip Service” is a prime example of this complicated simplicity that continues to beguile and amuse me all these years later. The title alone, an idiom in itself, promises a bit of tawdry double speak, but even that seemingly obvious bit of wordsmithery takes an unexpected clever turn. You left the motor running But I know you're so attractive Getting in some sharp practice You better not do anything reckless To begin, we must salute Mr. Costello’s utter mastery of subtle poetics. “Attractive” is a pleasing near rhyme with “practice,” which is clever enough, but then “practice” goes on to end rhyme with “reckless.” I’m a Linguist, not a poet, but even if I were, I don’t think I’d know how to accurately categorize the rhyme structure of these first four lines: a/bb/cc maybe, despite there being only four lines, the structure seems to fold back in on itself. It feels as if it’s built like a pyramid, rather than a set of straight lines. Mr. Costello’s clever use of articles and conjunctions are on full display. “You left the motor running” could have been made blatant, and therefore boring, with the use of “my motor” rather than “the motor,” but it’s more fun this way, especially given how the next line completely stymies the notion of sexual arousal with the use of the conjunction, “but.” “But you’re so attractive.” These two lines are brilliant examples of how to flout Grice’s Maxims of conversation, in this instance relation and manner, and part of why this piece will always remain timeless. It’s just too clever to be relegated to any time or place. As if we needed yet another reason to do a slow drag with Mr. Costello’s spectacular canon, I’ve obviously heard the term “sharp practice” since I first heard this piece, but have yet to hear it in another other context, so I just figured I’d heard the line wrong. “Sharp practice,” Mr. Google tells me, is to be dishonest, but in a clever way. Attorneys are often cited as those who are accused of “sharp practice.” Three lines in, and we’re thrown for a loop by “the” and “but,” and now have to puzzle through what’s taking place, which remains foggy yet so provocative when the admonishment of “you better not do anything reckless” rounds out this incredibly melodic, visual, and complicated first verse of what on the surface might sound a bit saucy but nothing more. But if everybody is going through the motions Everybody is going through the motions Are you really only going through the motions? Here we have one idiom, “going through the motions,” meaning to do something thoughtlessly, rephrased three different ways, wrecking giddy havoc in the process. “But” leads the way again, which makes little syntactic sense, lending a strange sensation of forward motion. So, “but if everybody is going through the motions,” does that mean THEN everybody else is too? Which, of course, leads beautifully into are you doing the same thing? Repeating the lines enough actually starts to make it sound a bit tawdry, perhaps. What do you think? Lip service is all you'll ever get from me But if you change your mind You can send it in a letter to me I’ve spared you the repetition of the first line repeated three times that seems to prove the point of lip service, mostly to get to the fantastic contradiction or hypocrisy going on below. I can’t quite put my finger on the exact word for asserting the spoken, yet then requesting the written. Whatever the scientific word, it nevertheless remains incredibly clever. Lip service, as mentioned, is of course an idiom, meaning to say you’ll do one thing, but your actions remain contrary to your words. Insincerity. This is where a bit of the sauciness can’t be overlooked. Lips, kissing, making out. That’s as far as it’ll go, but if you want it to go further, put it in writing. Consent is sexy, and Mr. Costello may have been way ahead of his time with this sentiment. I’m fairly certain that is not what he meant, but it’s just another example of how his words continue to resonate. Don't make any sudden movements These are dangerous amusements When did you become so choosy Don't act like you're above me, just look at your shoes You might recognize “dangerous amusements” as the name of the five-star rated Stu Arrowsmith’s Elvis Costello playlist podcast. I recently asked him how he landed on the title “Dangerous Amusements” for his podcast, and if he’d ever considered another title. This is his thoughtful reply: “Dangerous Amusements was the only title I ever considered for the podcast (although I think “Dragging the Lake” would be a great name, too). I love the juxtaposition of the two words and the idea that something bringing pleasure and amusement can also have a sense of danger or menace: a very Elvis Costello observation to make. I like titles that are subtle rather than obvious, hence taking a phrase from an album track rather than using the name of a hit single or album; Costello fans get the reference immediately whereas other listeners may have to dig a little deeper to find out where it came from. As for the song itself, I think it’s a fine track brilliantly performed by the Attractions on one of the greatest albums ever made.” Thank you, Stu, for your time and for lending your voice once again to Slow Drag with Remedy. As for the title, “Slow Drag with Remedy,” I’d not considered another title either. It was always going to be a sexy slow dance with Mr. Costello’s lyrics. Although, I’ll let you in on a secret. I actually forgot the name of the song is “A Slow Drag with Josephine,” so “Slow Drag with Remedy,” sans the indirect article at the beginning of the title, will forever be slightly flawed, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. And, having mentioned both “Dangerous Amusements” and “Slow Drag with Remedy,” speaking for myself, I’ve always felt there’s a place for a special podcast devoted to the music of Mr. Costello itself. As a Linguist who only hears the words, I have it on good authority that Mr. Costello’s musical arrangements and flourishes rival his lyrics. If you’ve thought about starting a podcast on this subject, get in touch, I’ll be happy to help with the artwork. So, “Dangerous amusements.” The phrase sounds almost like an idiom itself. As it stands, however, it seems to be an Elvis Costello original. Movements/amusements, choosy/shoes. We’re back to a more quantifiable rhyme scheme, but with the added flourish of the near rhyme of choosy and shoes at the end. It’s as if our beloved entertainer is not content with run-of-the-mill type brilliance. Now back to the notion of only getting to kiss, “lip service,” which is not an interpretation, just a musing. I love the potential jab of “when did you become so choosy?” And then there’s one of my favorite allegories, courtesy of the line “don’t act like you’re above me, just look at your shoes.” There’s something about actively asking someone to turn the figurative into the literal by instructing them to look down. It feels wonderfully passive aggressive, especially when it’s in service of turning the tables and putting someone else down. — Dig it Again, this has been a slow drag with “Lip Service” from 1978’s “This Year’s Model.” Sometimes I like to imagine Mr. Costello listening to my words about his words. Just in general it would be a dream come true. But sometimes I imagine him listening, and then proclaiming “that’s not what I meant at all!” As I’ve always asserted, this is an appreciation, an exploration, and not an interpretation. I think knowing what a song is “about” takes away part of the fun, and I’m guessing Mr. Costello might feel the same, evidenced by 600 or so songs. Throughout “Lip Service” I’ve pulled apart every word, and have slow dragged with collocations and juxtapositions, uncovering, remembering, and admiring idioms and expressions. In fewer than 100 novel words, this slow drag has shown us that this piece contains four or maybe more even idioms, one of which changed perspective 3 times by using a conjunction, a pronoun, and then an interrogative. I just love the idioms, and especially the uniquely British expressions that lurk around every corner of an Elvis Costello piece. It’s fun to watch him take these idioms and bust them, bend them to his will in subsequent albums. To my way of thinking, there’s no greater feeling in the world than being an Elvis Costello devotee. Other precious gems from “This Year’s Model” you’ll enjoy a slow drag with are episode 20, “Now It’s Much Too Dangerous,” that’s a slow drag with “Living in Paradise,” episode 40, “Polishing My Precious China,” it’s a slow drag with “Hand in Hand,” and episode 83, “A Catchy Little Melody,” that’s a slow drag with the dystopian “Night Rally.” And that’s it for today’s slow drag, my friend. Thank you for listening. I’ll be back soon with another slow drag. So, please follow the show so you won’t miss an episode. Can you please give the podcast a five-star rating, especially on Apple? Thank you very much. You can find me on Instagram and Bluesky social. Please contact me if you need an invitation code. As a reminder, as I continue writing my second novel, “The Macron and the Breve,” I’ve placed the audiobook version of my first novel, “The Most Terrible Time in My Life…Ends Thursday” on YouTube. Please follow the link provided if you’d like to listen for free. I know you’ll love it. 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/indoorfirewords.bsky.social Email: [email protected] Transcription: https://slowdragwithremedy.weebly.com Podcast music by https://www.fesliyanstudios.com Rate this Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/slowdrag References: Elvis Costello Wiki Resource, “Lip Service” https://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php?title=Lip_Service “Lip Service” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE6oRbX4CLc “Grice’s Maxims” https://www.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/dravling/grice.html “Sharp Practice” meaning: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/sharp-practice “Elvis Costello Wiki Resource, Podcasts” https://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php?title=Podcasts 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 |