The 500 - #166 - Imperial Bedroom - Elvis Costello

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

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Album: #166
Album Title: Imperial Bedroom

Artist: Elvis Costello

Genre: New Wave, Baroque Pop, Art Rock

Recorded: Air Studios, London, England

Released: July, 1982

My age at release: 16
How familiar was I with it before this week: One song

Is it on the 2020 list? No
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: Man Out Of Time

For the past twelve years, more than half of my students have been multi-language learners. Some arrive in my class directly from another country and speak almost no English. Most are well on their way to becoming strong English speakers, with several years of experience behind them. No matter their level, I am amazed at how quickly their language skills evolve. My job is, typically, helping them refine their grammar skills and navigate the trickier aspects of the English language -- irregular spellings, rich vocabulary and, often the hardest part, idioms and word play.

Imperial Bedroom, the seventh studio album from Elvis Costello, brims with layered lyrics, clever word play and surprising turns of phrase. Costello is able to blend evocative storytelling with biting sarcasm in his exploration of love, regret and disillusionment. In Shabby Doll, Costello uses the image of a worn out rag doll as a metaphor for someone being cruelly manipulated and discarded in a failed relationship.

Album cover for Shabby Doll single.

However, the stand out track for me is Man Out Of Time, the second single released from this week’s subject, Imperial Bedroom.  The title evokes a sense of desperation and plays on multiple meanings. Is this a person who feels out of place in their own era, or is it someone who has lost relevance? Perhaps it is simply a man who is literally running out of time. In it, the English singer-songwriter flexes his sharp and playful linguistic dexterity, writing with shifting perspectives and fragmented imagery, all of which contribute to a feeling of instability and disorientation. My favourite two verses read:

There`s a tuppeny hapenny millionaire
Looking for a fourpenny one
With a tight grip on the short hairs
Of the public imagination

But for his private wife and kids somehow
Real life becomes a rumour
Days of Dutch Courage
Just three French letters and a German sense of humour

There is so much going on with these eight lines and I loved wrestling with their meaning. In particular, I loved the inclusion of idiomatic phrases lifted from British soldier vernacular, circa 1945. 

• Dutch Courage (alcohol induced bravery),
• French Letters (condoms)
• German sense of humour (irony and a straight-faced, resigned acceptance of life's absurdity)

Recently, my wife and I have been watching a new HBO series called The Pitt. It is a medical drama set in the Emergency Room of The Pittsburgh Trauma Hospital that takes place in real time over 15 one hour-long episodes. The show offers a realistic window into the world of medical professionals under the most stressful circumstances. Consequently, the language and medical jargon they use is not explained to the viewers. One is simply immersed in the chaos and, much like the medical students depicted in the show, figure things out as they happen.

Costello's writing on Imperial Bedroom is similar. It is rich with word play, regional idioms and references that are left for the listener to decipher and interpret. Add to this the ambitious musical choices Costello and his band, The Attractions, create and it is easy to see why this album ranked in the top 200 on The 500. The record, produced by Geoff Emerick, best known for his work with The Beatles, reinvents the Post-Punk and New Wave sound of Costello's earlier releases. It contains orchestral flourishes, jazz influences and even Baroque Pop, a sound made famous by The Beatles with Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys -- #1 and #2 respectively on The 500.

Album covers for Pet Sounds and Sgt. Pepper's.

Unsurprisingly, critics and fans have consider Imperial Bedroom to be Costello's "Sgt. Pepper moment". However, despite the strength of his record, it did not make the 2020 ticket. The updated list placed more emphasis on diversity of genre and contemporary cultural impact. As a result, many selected albums, including Imperial Bedroom, were shuffled down or bounced off to make way for new material, such as To Pimp A Butterfly from Kendrick Lamar and Lemonade by Beyoncé.  But, who knows, with another list likely to be released in the next few years, this clever, witty and ambitious record may crack the docket again. After all, I constantly have a new batch of music listeners to teach the joys of word play.