Today’s slow drag is with “My Science Fiction Twin,” from “Brutal Youth,” released in 1993. The songwriting is credited to Elvis Costello’s birth name. It’s a seemingly straightforward piece that muses about what life elsewhere might look like. Yet, as this is an Elvis Costello piece, there is far more to it than just mere speculation. It mentions a few recognizable traits, sure, but then twists them into a uniquely Elvis Costello complicated transom knot of images and sounds. My science fiction twin Is doing better than expected He captured a little blonde trophy wife Who's really very well connected And when he calls home with his alibi She says "Is this really necessary?" But she knows that a man can't be a man Unless he's punishing his secretary This smooth, upbeat introduction sets the scene well. “Is doing better than expected” is open-ended and up for interpretation. How should a science fiction twin actually be doing? We’re off to a great start. The blonde wife who is well connected is clearly a cosmic coincidence, wouldn’t you agree? Once again, we have an example of giving women their due. The distance between 1982’s “Imperial Bedroom’s” “Long Honeymoon” of having “thought too late and spoke too soon” and this piece is 12 years of real world experience and world weariness, perhaps. “Do we really have to go through this dog and pony show?” she might be thinking. She seems to know what she’s signed up for. No one’s fooling her. The behavior (both lying and adultery) is not condoned, yet it is nevertheless a simple matter of which battles you choose fight. Likewise, with the secretary. What does it mean to “punish” and why does that make you a man? With this we see brilliant positioning of perceived social mores. He sips in the glow of a '61 vintage Just as the day is dimming With every intention of surrendering To fifty-foot women Who put the fascination back into my science fiction twin Introduced in the first line of the first verse, the “he” referred to in this verse is more than likely the science fiction twin, and what a smooth operator he is. Vintage liquor at sunset. Surrendering, as opposed to punishing, now. He’s a complex creature, to be sure. My science fiction twin Decided to become invisible He has my eyes, my face, my voice But he's only happy when I'm miserable The words flew from his mouth And they were gently gathered by reporters Trying to frame his once infamous flame With tattered pictures of her daughter The lovely repeated /m/ sound found in four repeated words creates a lovely outline for the inside pairing of invisible/miserable and all the other strategically placed consonance found in nearly each line: invisible/voice/infamous/flame/miserable, with the last two lines landing the knock out punch of tabloid fodder. “Trying to frame his once infamous flame.” No sense in mentioning names, but her daughter is really quite attractive, wouldn’t you say? "Her hair is all made out of porcupine Her figure is fantastic" But as you know, they corrupted her So they're being sarcastic To put the fascination back into my science fiction twin The first line, the one about her figure and her porcupine hair is in quotes. The assertion of “as you know” shortens the distance between writer and reader. We’re in on the gag. Now, in addition to punishing and surrendering to a woman, that woman is now corrupted. How and why isn’t clear, but it seems to have been done for mere idle amusement. “To put the fascination back into” his science fiction twin. This alter ego is paying dividends for this fellow. He'll scream and shout Everything is working out just as he predicted Pride and position in the gallery of attempted people Oh and the pain is so sweet That he'll stamp his little feet And you'll even have time to pity me How can you feel content? You'll wonder where this fellow went Again, we’re back to a pronoun to refer to the science fiction twin. It’s as if it’s the stage direction that delineates itself from when the science fiction twin is actually mentioned. The /m/ sound in a previous verse is replaced by the popping explosions of /p/ sounds. Predicted/pride/position/people/stamp/pain/pity. That’s 7 words in a 53 word verse. Then, of course, there is the panting /h/ sound to complement the /p/ sounds of the pronoun used. The adjectives are stacking up as well, this time, however, it’s directed inward, toward the bystander twin. You’ll have time to pity, but how exactly does this make you feel better? Too late, no more time to think, the science fiction twin is gone again, only to reemerge after having re-invented himself once again. My science fiction twin Escorted by his lovely nieces Filled up his purse dictating verse While painting masterpieces His almost universal excellence Is starting to disturb me They asked how in the world he does all these things And he answered "Superbly" It seems hard to believe anyone could get tired of being asked about how wonderful they are, but it does feel as if it dulls the motivation to prove the world wrong when you’re in the middle of proving them right on a consistent and eclectic basis. “His almost universal excellent is starting to disturb me,” might just be of the starkest autobiographical sentiments found in any of Mr. Costello’s reams of words and phrases. Even the answer feels uniquely opaque and clever. Not content to speak of process or time management, it’s a double entendre to describe both the means and methods of how he approaches his work. We cannot blow our own horn, but if the twin says it, why not report on that? He's trapped in his own parallel dimension That's why I'm so forgiving But how could I possibly forget to mention Those fifty-foot women Who put the fascination back into my science fiction twin See, it’s ok if the science fiction twin brags, he’s forgiven since he’s not of this world. Remember a few verses ago, the twin sipping a vintage year, contemplated surrendering to what could be interpreted as stately athletic “Amazons”? Apparently, the twin actually has regained his sense of fascination. It might have taken trial and error, but it is accomplished nevertheless. — Dig it Again, this has been a slow drag with “My Science Fiction Twin” from 1993’s “Brutal Youth.” It’s a silly piece about an alter ego that seems to be a thinly veiled glimpse into the inner thoughts of a genius. But it is also very adept at pulling the curtain quickly before too much is revealed. What I particularly enjoy is the spectacular adjectives scattered throughout: connected, necessary, surrendering, corrupted, sarcastic, forgiving. Part autobiography and part fortune telling, it’s an unexpected piece that continues to amuse and baffle. And that’s it for today’s slow drag, my friend. Thank you for listening. “Brutal Youth” is an exceptional album. It’s a joy to revisit it. I encourage you to re-listen to Episode 8 of “Slow Drag with Remedy,” “The Word She Wanted,” a slow drag with “20% Amnesia,” as well as Episode 26, “Before You Start to Cry,” a slow drag with “You Tripped at Every Step.” Both episodes are slow drags with more gems from “Brutal Youth.” 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 |