Today’s slow drag is with “Human Hands,” from “Imperial Bedroom,” released in 1981. The songwriting is credited to Elvis Costello. From an album that is rightfully thought of as a masterpiece, “Human Hands” is a worthy cog in the machinery that see lar ger pieces, such as “Man out of Time,” and “Almost Blue” Taking up more oxygen. Very much like the stunning, “Beyond Belief,” and its companion, “Land of Give and Take,” the infectious “Human Hands,” thanks to the 1994 Rykodisc re-release, has made us privy to a nimble editing process. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t revel in these contrasting embellishments. Then again, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t love either version of this piece. I've been talking to the wall and it's been answering me Oh darling, how I miss you I'm just the mere shadow of my former selfishness I crave the silhouette of your kiss With only the blue light of the TV on Lip-reading threats and false alarms There's a boy somewhere holding hands with himself And a girl in a window on the Reeperbahn There’s a lot of exquisitely misplaced feelings and sensory deprivation swirling around in this first verse. A shadow and a silhouette; both defy touch. The walls replace conversation by tricking his ears, and lip reading has replaced sound. The result of a boy holding hands with himself is tantamount to trying to tickle yourself. It seems that our cerebellum, the little brain at the base of the brain stem, predicts what sensation our movements are attempting and successfully dulls the effect. And finally, a girl on the Reeperbahn, one of the tawdriest streets in Hamburg, Germany, referred to as “the most sinful mile,” obscures most possible senses, save for sight, however myopic. The first line in this verse, “I’ve been talking to the wall and it’s been answering me,” was once “there’s nobody burning between these sheets.” This early draft is graphic and situates itself well within the piece. Another pass of revisions, however, and there’s a more universal and descriptive scene that opens the piece. Instead of a libido, it’s merely lonesomeness that is referred to. It’s left to our imagination what the wall has been telling himself, rather than an insistence where the bed needs to be filled. And even though, in both versions, the woman (or women) is not specified, it’s the next line that amps up the swoon factor to the point where many American women seem to instinctively place themselves. The line, “Oh darling, how I miss you,” confirms how we love a British accent. Even at its most broad and insincere, there’s something about this plaintive declaration that will always make our heart skip a beat. Whenever I put my foot in my mouth and you begin to doubt That it's you that I'm dreaming about Do I have to draw you a diagram? All I ever want is just to fall into your human hands The notion of the senses continues with this chorus, the embarrassed feeling that lands a foot in one’s mouth, the ethereal aspect of dreams, and the desire to gather up someone in their arms. This seemingly sweet and earnest appeal is much different from its early draft, which goes, “whenever the money runs out or the drugs wear off / and you start to doubt the household brands / all I ever want is just to fall into your human hands.” These gritty lines are accusatory and a bit too nebulous to hold up the chorus the way the finish product has. Nevertheless, it’s fascinating to watch lyrics come into their full bloom like this. With the kings and queens of the dance hall craze Checkmate in three moves in your heyday But the girls don't listen to your line anymore Now you're part of someone else On the factory floor you still say "Where’s the action?" Now you manufacture happiness And get sold on the cheap for someone's satisfaction With its clever use of metaphor and simile, this verse could easily be used as an entire song. The kings and queens in the first line find themselves as uncredited allusions in the chess game in the second line. The textile production that takes place in the last three lines call out disdainful actions; manufacturing or simply pretending to be happy, either way it seems to get sold off at a price well below asking. All you toy soldiers and scaremongers Are you living in this world, sometimes I wonder In between saying you've seen too much And saying you've seen it all before Tighter and tighter, I hold you tightly You know I love you more than slightly Although I've never said it like this before In keeping with its motif, the senses continue to be played with and then overloaded in this third verse. Vision and touch are stretched to their breaking points, while the proclamation of love is professed yet subverted. In the early version, “are you living in this world sometimes I wonder” read “I can already remember when you were younger.” And while the rhyme of scaremonger/younger are first rate, the polished version has less implication perhaps. So, how exactly does one express their “more than slightly” love? Is this a backhanded compliment? Or is it a shy confession? This is where the chorus plays a crucial role in spinning this notion. “Whenever I put my foot in my mouth” follows the assertion that he’s never said it like this before. Whereas, to tell someone you love them by mentioning when the money runs out or the drugs wear off, might not go exceedingly well. Whenever I put my foot in my mouth and you begin to doubt That it's you that I'm dreaming about Do I have to draw you a diagram? All I ever want is just to fall into your human hands — Dig it Again, this has been a slow drag with “Human Hands” from 1981’s “Imperial Bedroom.” It’s a pop song that tingles most of our senses as it tries to express the need for a companionship. Sight, sound, and touch are all muted and distorted in some way or another. It was once a more direct and bawdier piece that was revised ever so slightly to reflect a more poetic and ethereal atmosphere that would go on to populate so many of Mr. Costello’s wonderful inventions. Nothing is compromised, even though so much has changed. And that’s it for today’s slow drag, my friend. Thank you for listening. Other gems from “Imperial Bedroom” you’ll enjoy a slow drag with are episodes 14, “Silly Beggars Can’t Be Choosers,” a slow drag with “Pidgin English,” episode 31, “Verbal Gymnastics,” a slow drag with “The Loved Ones,” and episode 68, “Nothing but an Afterthought,” a slow drag with “Man out of Time.” 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 Email: [email protected] Podcast music by https://www.fesliyanstudios.com Rate this Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/slowdrag ---------------------- References: Elvis Costello Wiki Resource, “Human Hands”: http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Human_Hands “Human Hands”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6yiii2iWkw “Why Can’t a Person Tickle Himself?”: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-cant-a-person-tickle/ Purchase “The Most Terrible Time in My Life…Ends Thursday” 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 Comments are closed.
|
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 |