Today’s slow drag is with “Our Little Angel,” from “King of America,” released in 1986. The songwriting is credited Elvis Costello’s birth name. This a ballad that is sentimental or it is comical, depending on the time of day, depending on what sort of mood you find yourself in. In whatever frame of mind, it is simply gorgeous. To begin, there is an arbitrary place we are transported to immediately: it is a place known only to ourselves, that fixes the location of the action in our minds. This is the place where I made my best mistakes This is the place even angels don’t understand I’ve seen the disappointment in her face And the collection of engagement rings on her right hand She sits alone apart from the crowd In a white dress she wears like a question mark Friends speak of her fondly / Enemies just think out loud Where is the place you made your best mistakes? It seems difficult to quantify, yet we all know exactly where that place is. What is a “best” mistake? Are they mistakes of no consequence, or mistakes that shatter your world? Your choice. Depending on your preference and what part of the world you live, either on the right or left hand, it seems commonly accepted that it’s the fourth finger where engagement and wedding rings are worn, the ring finger, of course. The reasoning behind the left hand seems to be the most lovestruck reason. The ring finger on that hand is said to have a vein in it that runs directly to your heart. This is known as the “vein of love.” And with the line, “I’ve seen the disappointment in her face,” we know we’ll be treated to yet another piece where Mr. Costello explores the female psyche like few writers can. Notice how he remains a faithful reporter of the scene, providing no judgment, just keen observations. It is left to us to surmise the circumstances surrounding the collection of engagement rings. What sort of question is the white dress meant to convey? Our imaginations are able to spin out, unencumbered by bias or foregone conclusions. It is meant to convey anything you want those images to convey. Stunning. You think you're man enough to please her And you're fool enough to start But you're not going to do a thing to our little angel There's nothing you're thinking tonight that tomorrow won't change Is she vulnerable or is she invisible? What prompts the assertion: “…you’re not going to do a thing to our little angel”? Another striking feature of this first verse of “Our Little Angel” is the melodic feel of the words that don’t seem to have a traditional structured rhyme scheme to it. Of course, we see the signature use of rhyming a word with itself as with the word place. Crowd and out loud joins the middle part of this verse together well, but for the most part, this verse’s thoughts and images hang together by its brushstrokes, as opposed to its frame. The second verse, however, seems to collect itself, takes a step back as it returns to the clever rhymes as it continues its story in earnest. Now the cabaret is frozen and the laughter comes in cans And the lonely hearts club clientele don't know what to do with their hands You think that you'll be sweet to her but everybody knows That you're the marshmallow valentine that got stuck on her clothes But you're not going to do a thing to our little angel There's nothing you're thinking tonight that tomorrow won't change How provocative and insightful. The mindscape is vivid yet not specific. Sticky fingers, the juxtaposition of little sweet candy with the figurative adjective of personality. The lonely hearts club clientele and their hands; we need no more explanation to create a rich mindscape of this scene. You can swim in the depth of these gorgeous lines. The first verse introduced our protagonist, the second describes the scenery. Now, the third introduces the possible antagonist of the story, deploying understated double entendres that are less kind and more coarse than those used when speaking of our little angel. So you mix your drinks and words You make bad jokes you make bad time The floors are there to walk over The walls are there to climb You swear that you'll never go back again once you're inside But you're never the bridegroom / she's always the bride And you're not going to do a thing to our little angel There's nothing you're thinking tonight that tomorrow won't change These wonderful callbacks. She has a collection of engagement rings, but we were never told why? At first it’s a good guess that she’s always the bridesmaid, as the saying goes. Now, we have to re-evaluate that situation. We are in the presence of a true master. “You swear you’ll never go back again.” Bawdy yet brilliant. And then, it all becomes too much. You'll come in a sweetheart and you'll go out a stranger Well you try to love her but she's so contrary Like a chainsaw running through a dictionary So get your mind off the sweet behind of our little angel You're not going to do a thing You're not going to do a thing You're not going to do a thing to our little angel Mr. Costello captures our little angel’s character well, she’s a contrarian, but this is only upon reflection; it is still not as a judgment, it is still only an observation. The wonderful, in my opinion, gibberish about a chainsaw and a dictionary, nevertheless continues to live on, to cause reflection, to force contemplation as to its true intent. And just look at the tact and keen observation: at one end of the spectrum, there are words such as “leery,” and “jackal” that might seem appropriate, yet it’s a tempered, it’s nonjudgmental “get your mind of the sweet behind.” This is an admonishment that can only be given by someone else who has drunk in the vision of our little angel. Like the man said, “you’re not going to do a thing to our little angel.” Oh, but lordy how blunt and beautiful is the line: “you come in a sweetheart and you go out a stranger.” I’m certain it’s probably my second favorite line of Mr. Costello’s. The first favorite is also found on this album and I can’t wait to do a slow drag with it. — Dig it Again, this has been a slow drag with “Our Little Angel” from 1986’s “King of America.” What a wild scene this piece lives in, so comical and heartbreaking at the same time. It just goes to show how it doesn’t have to rhyme to be a work of poetic genius. Is it a sad song? Is it an angry song? Is it sexy? The answer is probably yes to all of these questions. Written more than 30 years ago, yet every revisit remains vivid and universal. This statement, I firmly believe, could be said of the entire “King of America.” With few exceptions, such as “American without Tears,” each song defies a time and place; it just lives in its own space of our creations, much like the place where we’ve made our best mistakes. I highly recommend listening to episode 4 of Slow Drag with Remedy, “The Hangover This Morning Had a Personality.” It’s a slow drag with the darling and frenetic, “The Big Light,” another gem found on “King of America.” So, until next time, adieu, my little ballyhoo. 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 |