Elvis Costello & The Imposters - Shipbuilding

[@mikeya983]

For Birkenhead, for Liverpool. The lads that built and the lads that sailed. For my Dad a sailor who I have lost. God bless them all.

[@Paddy955]

❤😢

[@johnf5476]

I remember seeing Elvis Costello supporting Santana at the Crystal palace bowl many years ago , I wasn't too appreciative at the time , wish I could go back and see it again , this guy is a legend

[@mikew2468]

First saw Elvis Costello in 1980 in Bradford...and last saw him a couple of years ago in Warwick.....good to see the lad progress with his career!

[@bubbaz554]

Just amazing. This song has always been my favorite EC song, and this performance just reinforces why. I saw EC live in 2005, and he is amazing live. Don't pass up a chance to see him. You will not be sorry.

[@nickburmanmusic]

I saw him live too a few years ago. You're absolutely right. But people should be warned that they're likely to be in tears at some point!

[@mikecarpenter3819]

Wow, he hated when I sang along (front row) made a mocking face at me in Ottawa in 1981, but my girlfriend jumped the barrier and gave me the guitar pick he threw out at the end of the show, cos she knew I was his biggest fan in Ottawa, at the time.. I still have it!

[@Molotovjack]

Maybe you were too loud and ruined the song for everyone else who had paid for Elvis to sing it instead of you.

[@gregwalker1913]

Playing this in February 2022. Thinking of the threat of war in Europe....again! When will little evil people learn.

[@stephenhall3515]

The most chilling rendition of many by EC so long after its first appearance back in 1983. Although he wrote it for Robert Wyatt, Costello himself and his musicians really 'read' the audience here.

[@micmac09]

Magistral

[@guilherme_b]

I love this music, makes me lost the breath

[@PurityVendetta]

The Elvis Costello and Robert Wyatt versions are both men's interpretations of the sing. For me, as someone who left school just as the monster Thatcher began to realise it's dystopian neo liberal, laissez-faire, free market nightmare project, it's the words that have deep meaning. With the hopeless state of the UK now under the Johnson kleptocricy they seem all the more relevant.

[@communistmole]

When i'm reading comments about how great the 80's were, I always think about Thachter, Reagan and Kohl ...

[@StonefieldJim4]

The 'little has changed' school of thought is embarrassing, if morally nourishing for you. 40 years ago I was looking forward to becoming a teenager, but I remember all too well that morning when mum broke down in tears. I can even remember her dressing gown. My good memory has always been a curse. "We're going to war", she said. I didn't understand what she meant. I understood more, later (not least that there was no 'we', as far as many of us leftists were concerned - and that the Malvinas are Argentina's, no matter how odious their governments were, or are). I love both Costello's and Wyatt's versions of this song. Clive Langer, who composed the music, wrote the tune for Wyatt (whose recording came a little later), but he wasn't happy with his lyrics. He played it to Costello, who came up with his own lyrics. Costello was right to say, in 2014, that they were the best lyrics he's ever written. The British state can no longer mobilise the nation for its deadly adventures. Unfortunately, it can no longer mobilise anything (except lockdowns). This old commie feels more kinship today with conservatives than with the identity, affirmation-obsessed pseudo left, at least where 'conservatives' believe in something approaching democracy. At least there were battles to be fought in the 80s. Your notion that, somehow, this song speaks to today's climate is absurd. The Malvinas War was the life and death of British nationalism. It's utterly inconceivable that a British government could ever again reproduce 'The Falklands Factor'. Politics is dead. Long live politics.

[@mikew2468]

@@StonefieldJim4 it's difficult isn't it. Ukraine is/was a country before USSR absorbed it and "Russia" now seems to want most of it back...and is threatening with nukes...nice folk! Falklands never have been argentinian as the country was formed after the islands became british territory. It seems 0 argentinians live there and the population is 100% falkland islanders who seem not to want to be taken over, killed or deported. It's also debatable whether the islands are off the coast of argentina or chile...but, either way, are 300 miles of ftheir coasts. Not sure how that proximity issue then stacks up with UK/France, UK/Ireland etc. Maybe better to stop invading/taking back/harping on and let the status quo exist.

[@blackiefitzpatrick6611]

Thank you for posting! Brilliant

[@aaronyarlas3553]

Wow, been to 20+ shows and never seen him so this one. Lovely

[@amron2006]

Superb performance

[@nicolaszyx3120]

Great performance

[@jmm1000]

This ones stunning EC

[@carlcruysberghs2298]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@cstoll451]

Great song from Elvis Costello : O.B.E. (Order of the British Empire).

[@Isaiah49v21]

Yes it is. No accident.

[@anvanbommel4678]

Zo amazing prachtig.

[@greensombrero3641]

Krieg ist kein spass

[@army_dreamer_8088]

this isn't german dummy @@greensombrero3641

[@jmm1000]

oh man - Steves hammond is gorgous too!

[@Sammyboy72]

He did co-write it, but he wrote it specifically for Robert Wyatt, so I think both versions have some authenticity :) Costello doesn't think his version gets close to Wyatt's, though personally, I prefer Costello's; Chet Baker is wonderful on it.

[@thecrisiswotcrisis]

And then this.

[@thecrisiswotcrisis]

I've heard so many versions of this. Nothing so heartfelt.

[@Pelicanlake]

Nice to hear Elvis sing 'Ask you' rather then 'Aaarsk you' .

[@johnf5476]

I doubt there is a more pertinent song at the moment

[@BanOxyCred]

Is it worth it? A new winter coat and shoes for the wife And a bicycle on the boy's birthday It's just a rumour that was spread around town By the women and children; soon we'll be shipbuilding Well, I ask you--the boy said, 'Dad they're going to take me to task 'But I'll be back by Christmas' It's just a rumour that's spread around town Somebody said that someone got filled in For saying that people get killed In the result of this shipbuilding With all the will in the world Diving for dear life When we could be diving for pearls It's just a rumour that was spread around town A telegram or picture postcard Within weeks they'll be re-opening the ship yard And notifying the next of kin once again It's all we're skilled in, we will be shipbuilding With all the will in the world Diving for dear life When we could be diving for pearls

[@Pelicanlake]

I like the 'ask' because it reveals his Merseyside upbringing. :-) You know he wrote it so it's not really a 'version' Wyatt's is a cover, a good one but this is far better.

[@theart8039]

Why isn't he "Sir Elvis" by now?

[@Coneman3]

Knighthoods are for incomplete, corrupt MPs, didn’t you know?! 🤣

[@theart8039]

@@Coneman3 Yeah, he'd probably turn it down lol

[@gregstewart6429]

Lyrics: "Shipbuilding" Is it worth it A new winter coat and shoes for the wife And a bicycle on the boy's birthday It's just a rumour that was spread around town By the women and children Soon we'll be shipbuilding Well I ask you The boy said 'DAD THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE ME TO TASK BUT I'LL BE BACK BY CHRISTMAS' It's just a rumour that was spread around town Somebody said that someone got filled in For saying that people get killed in The result of this shipbuilding With all the will in the world Diving for dear life When we could be diving for pearls It's just a rumour that was spread around town A telegram or a picture postcard Within weeks they'll be re-opening the shipyards And notifying the next of kin Once again It's all we're skilled in We will be shipbuilding WITH ALL THE WILL IN THE WORLD DIVING FOR DEAR LIFE WHEN WE COULD BE DIVING FOR PEARLS AZLyrics.

[@kurtphipps7823]

I prefer Robert Wyatts version

[@Sammyboy72]

Why? He's english, it would be nice if he sang in an english accent like Robert Wyatt does. Wonderful song though, and a great version.

[@myaimistrue100]

He's Irish.

[@velvetunderpants44]

He's not Irish.

[@velvetunderpants44]

His parents are.

[@velvetunderpants44]

Incidentally- he DOES sing it in an English accent! Are you aware that there's more than one regional English accent...?

[@YAUUN]

@@velvetunderpants44 He definitely sings with a mid-Atlantic accent, like too many British musicians