Today’s slow drag is with “Fish ‘N’ Chip Paper,” from “Trust,” released in 1981. The songwriting is credited to Elvis Costello. Up tempo, with a charming refrain, “Fish ‘N’ Chip Paper” catches the listener off guard as it runs down a rogue’s gallery of nefarious characters in what seems to be high rent places. When Sunday morning dandruff turns out to be confetti And the cost of living in sin would make a poor man out of Paul Getty The girl of your dreams would have you up on an under age charge And the man of the moment is a lifer at large Even though the news is good and it’s only confetti, the first line of this first verse links “Fish ‘n’ Chip Paper” with two other “Trust” pieces with similar unpolite mentions of the downside of the human condition: “Sunday morning dandruff” joins “New Lace Sleeves” declaration that “good manners and bad breath will get you nowhere.” And, of course, from the “rowdiest but slightest,” “Luxembourg,” there is the catchy observation that “you’re worried about her body / she’s worrying about her bodily odor.” That’s a total of 3 pieces, roughly 20% of the entire “Trust” album dare to broach an unsavory yet universal topic. At least not that I know of, this motif isn’t repeated in any other Mr. Costello lyrics, on any other album. If I’m mistaken, please let me know. The rhyming pair of confetti/Getty swoop in nicely at the end of the alliterative and popping, “poor man out of Paul Getty.” It takes us into the next line with a deceptive lilt in its step. Finishing with an excellent rhyming pair, charge/at large, this first verse is poetically obedient, staying within the lines of an aa/bb structure, as it gets down in the dirt with those who populate this cheery-sounding story. If you've got something to hide, if you've got something to sell If you've got somebody's bride she might kiss and tell Or wind up with a fight fan in the Hammersmith Hotel You better speak up now if you want your piece You better speak up now It won't mean a thing later Yesterday's news is tomorrow's fish and chip paper Now, as for the terms I’d always considered to be British slang, the terms “fight fan” and “Hammersmith hotel” don’t seem to be established idioms as far as I can tell. A fight fan; is that akin to a hooligan? The Hammersmith Hotel; I’d always assumed it was slang for the drunk tank in a rough part of town. Mr. Google tells me though, it’s situated between Shepard’s Bush and Kensington, and is considered to be “one of the safest residential areas of London.” so I’m left wondering what is exactly happening in the Hammersmith Hotel. No good, I hope. The last line in this chorus, “yesterday’s news is tomorrow’s fish and chip paper,” makes no bones of what will become of us all. The notion, way back in 1981 no less, that there is a short lifespan to what is considered “news,” is a reminder of just how many keen observations Mr. Costello peppers his poetry with. These days he writes that: “reading her column was essential, Hetty O’Hara Confidential,” from the the song of the same name. Yet now, “everyone has a megaphone.” The girl says she's leaving and this time she really means it You can just look at the pictures, you don't actually have to read it Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh There's a man in the launderette and he's looking through your underwear for clues And the milkman is working through the News of the Screws There’s a beautiful symmetry, if that’s the word for it, about the mention of “The World” newspaper, of which “news of the screws” was the moniker many knew it by. It’s the term that was given to the British newspaper on account of its proclivity toward sex scandals. When “The World” closed down in 2011 due to its despicable hacking scandal, its last front page read: “Thank You & Goodbye.” Other newspapers ran their own front page opinion regarding this milestone: one read, “paper that died of shame,” another “hacked to death,” and “The Daily Telegraph’s” familiar refrain to any Elvis Costello fan, “Goodbye Cruel World.” He says... If you've got something to hide, if you've got something to sell If you've got somebody's pride she might kiss and tell Or wind up with a fight fan in the Hammersmith Hotel You better speak up now if you want your piece You better speak up now It won't mean a thing later Yesterday's news is tomorrow's fish and chip paper It’s remarkable that, even though “Fish and Chip Paper” is 28 seconds longer than “Luxembourg,” “Luxembourg” serves up 4 fiery verses, whereas “Fish and Chip Paper” only relies on two verses. Is there another piece of his that relies on only two verses? I can’t think of any. Or, it might just be that it is hardly noticeable that there are only two verses. It’s a testament to a singular poetic prowess that is able to make each piece feel complete and satisfying. — Dig it Again, this has been a slow drag with “Fish ‘N’ Chip Paper” from 1981’s “Trust.” It’s said that the entire album was a bit drug and drink fueled. Perhaps I’m naïve, but I both don’t care and don’t particularly notice much difference between, say this, and any number of barn burners from “My Aim is True,” “I’m not Angry,” “Less than Zero,” and “No Dancing” come to mind. “Fish and Chip Paper” is a delicious alliterative feast that details all of its undesirables in a sing/songy way that makes the story seem so much more cheery than it might be. After all, isn’t that part of the charm of an Elvis Costello piece? It’s pieces like this that paved the way for future discordant anthems, such as “The Other Side of Summer.” Genius. And that’s it for today’s slow drag, my friend. Thank you for listening. Other gems from “Trust” that I’ve had the thrill of doing a slow drag with is episode 18, “Rowdiest but Slightest,” a slow drag with “Luxembourg,” episode 41, “Money’s Gone already,” a slow drag with “Clubland,” and episode 54, “You’re So Tough,” a slow drag with “Watch Your Step.” Give them a re-listen to. I think you’ll enjoy them. So, until next time, adieu, my little ballyhoo. Show Notes: ---------------------- Appreciation written, produced, and narrated by Remedy Robinson, MA/MFA Twitter: https://twitter.com/slowdragremedy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slow_drag_remedy/ Email: [email protected] Podcast music by https://www.fesliyanstudios.com Rate this Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/slowdrag ---------------------- References: Elvis Costello Wiki Resource, “Fish ‘N’ Chip Paper”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IHpJQB8Rew “Fish and Chip Papers”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IHpJQB8Rew The term “screw” for a jailer: https://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/12/messages/610.html Other newspapers respond to “The World” shuttering: https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/weekend-herald/20110709/284245231998926 Purchase "The Most Terrible Time in My Life...Ends Thursday" here: https://www.amazon.com/Most-Terrible-Time-Life-Thursday-ebook/dp/B07XLXS5PL/ref=sr_1_1?crid=Y4SGCT62WPEK&dchild=1&keywords=the+most+terrible+time+in+my+life+ends+thursday&qid=1608873405&sprefix=The+Most+Terrible+Time+in+%2Caps%2C195&sr=8-1 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 |