Release year : 1989
Spike
By Elvis Costello • Official album • Part of the collection “Paul McCartney as producer, composer, or session musician in the 80s”
Last updated on March 19, 2017
Release year : 1989
By Elvis Costello • Official album • Part of the collection “Paul McCartney as producer, composer, or session musician in the 80s”
Last updated on March 19, 2017
Written by Declan MacManus / Elvis Costello
4:31 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Rickenbacker bass Elvis Costello : Acoustic guitar, Gretch, Melodica, Organ, Piano, Producer, Rickenbacker 6-string, Spider guitar, Tambourine, Vocals Jim Keltner : Extra snare drum Kevin Killen : Producer T Bone Burnett : Acoustic guitar, Producer Ralph Forbes : Electric drums Michael Blair : Bells, Glockenspiel Cait O'Riordan : Lunge maracas Roger McGuinn : Rickenbacker 12-string guitar
Recording : 1988 • Studio Ocean Way, Los Angeles & AIR Studios, London
Let Him Dangle
4:45 • Studio version
Deep Dark Truthful Mirror
4:06 • Studio version
Written by Paul McCartney, Declan MacManus / Elvis Costello
3:09 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Hofner bass Elvis Costello : Electric guitars, Producer, Vocals Mitchell Froom : Chamberlain, Wurlitzer electric piano Jerry Marotta : Drums Kevin Killen : Producer Benmont Tench : Baldwin spinet, Piano T Bone Burnett : Acoustic guitar, Producer Michael Blair : Glockenspiel, Tympani
Recording : 1988 • Studio Ocean Way, Los Angeles & AIR Studios, London
God's Comic
5:31 • Studio version
Chewing Gum
3:46 • Studio version
Tramp the Dirt Down
5:41 • Studio version
Stalin Malone
4:09 • Studio version
Satellite
5:44 • Studio version
Written by Paul McCartney, Declan MacManus / Elvis Costello
2:56 • Studio version • A
Marc Ribot : "alligator" guitar, Electric guitar Elvis Costello : Hofner bass, Piano, Producer, Sub-aqua & acoustic guitars, Vocals Jerry Marotta : Drums Jerry Scheff : Bass Kevin Killen : Producer T Bone Burnett : Producer, Trigger bass Michael Blair : Marimba, Martian-dog bark
Recording : 1988 • Studio Ocean Way, Los Angeles
Baby Plays Around
2:47 • Studio version
Miss Macbeth
4:23 • Studio version
Any King's Shilling
6:06 • Studio version
Coal-Train Robberies
3:18 • Studio version
Last Boat Leaving
3:31 • Studio version
Miss Macbeth
3:51 • Studio version
Written by Declan MacManus / Elvis Costello
3:50 • Demo • B
Elvis Costello : Guitars, Percussion, Piano, Vocals
Recording : Feb 16, 1988 • Studio Eden Studios, London
Deep Dark Truthful Mirror
4:07 • Studio version
Coal-Train Robberies
2:51 • Studio version
Satellite
4:51 • Studio version
Written by Paul McCartney, Declan MacManus / Elvis Costello
2:07 • Demo • B
Elvis Costello : Guitar, Piano, Vocals
Recording : May 1987 • Studio Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin
Let Him Dangle
3:39 • Studio version
Written by Paul McCartney, Declan MacManus / Elvis Costello
3:03 • Demo • B
Elvis Costello : Guitar, Piano, Vocals
Recording : May 1987 • Studio Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin
Tramp the Dirt Down
5:19 • Studio version
Baby Plays Around
2:42 • Studio version
Put Your Big Toe in the Milk of Human Kindness
3:16 • Studio version
Last Boat Leaving
3:29 • Studio version
The Ugly Things
2:55 • Studio version
You're No Good
2:22 • Studio version
Point of No Return
2:34 • Studio version
The Room Nobody Lives In
4:46 • Studio version
Stalin Malone
3:12 • Studio version
From Wikipedia:
Spike is the 12th studio album by the British rock singer and songwriter Elvis Costello, released on compact disc as Warner Brothers 25848. It was his first album for the label. It peaked at No. 5 on the UK album chart. It also reached No. 32 on the Billboard 200 thanks to the single and his most notable American hit, “Veronica,” which reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No.1 on the US Modern Rock chart.
Content
In 1987, Costello began writing with Paul McCartney for the latter’s Flowers in the Dirt album. They composed a dozen songs together, which showed up on multiple albums by McCartney and Costello. Two of those songs appear on this album, “Pads, Paws and Claws” and the hit single ” Veronica“.
As his first album for a new label, in his own words Costello had the budget of “a small independent movie,” and having in mind the blueprint for five different albums, decided to make all of them. He brought back his foil from King of America, T-Bone Burnett, to facilitate the sessions and produce the album. Studio time was booked in four different locations: Ocean Way in Hollywood; Southland Studios in New Orleans; Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin; and AIR Studios in London. Four different groups of musicians were assembled in each location. Writing credits on the album are given to both Elvis Costello and Declan MacManus, Costello’s birth name.
The single “Veronica” peaked at No. 31 on the UK singles chart and at No. 19 in America, his best showing ever on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached No.1 on the US Modern Rock chart. “This Town” was also released as a single but missed both of the main singles chart in both nations. An extended play single was also released for “Baby Plays Around,” peaking at No. 65 in the UK.
The second track, “Let Him Dangle“, is a protest song opposing capital punishment, recounting the conviction and execution of Derek Bentley.
The seventh track, “Tramp the Dirt Down,” is a fiery lament, depicting Costello’s anger at the Thatcher government and its effect on Britain’s society. In the song, Costello expresses his desire to live long enough to see Margaret Thatcher die and vows, “I’ll stand on your grave and tramp the dirt down.” “I wish I’d written ‘Tramp the Dirt Down’,” said singer Natalie Merchant. The song reached No. 79 on the iTunes chart following Thatcher’s death in April 2013. In addition, he played this song at Glastonbury 2013 having previously performed it there on the Pyramid Stage in 1987.
Lyrics are given in the booklet for the eighth track, “Stalin Malone,” but the album recording is an instrumental and does not include vocals. A version with a recitation of the lyrics as poetry appears on the 2001 bonus disc.
Release history
The album was released initially on compact disc in 1989. As part of the Rhino Records reissue campaign for Costello’s back catalogue from Demon/Columbia and Warners, it was re-released in 2001 with 17 additional tracks on a bonus disc. The bonus disc included three tracks with Nick Lowe on bass and Attractions drummer Pete Thomas for use as b-sides, recorded at Wessex Sound Studios after the Spike mixing sessions. […]
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