Get Happy ! was the fourth studio album from Elvis Costello, and marked a distinct change in sound. The angry, new wave sound of the previous efforts was mostly gone, and replaced with an attempt at music to dance to, and it sounded like Northern Soul at times. It was also unusual in that 20 songs were featured on the album, with a total runtime of just over 48 minutes, but with only three of them lasting over three minutes. There was still the hallmark plethora of great rhymes and witty puns though. The sticker on the front of the album cover informs me than I bought it for £1.99 from Woolworths but I have no idea why it was so cheap !
"I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down" was the big hit from the album, and typified the tone of the songs here. In my student days, this was a track that was guaranteed to get just about everyone onto the dance floor, with usually someone drunkenly living up to to the title. It was only years later that I discovered Elvis didn't write the song, and it was a cover from the 1960s. Sam and Dave's version was a lot slower, and, in my opinion, the much faster tempo given to it by Elvis and The Attractions makes it much better.
At the time I thought Side 2 to be significantly stronger than Side 1, with all the best songs ( apart from "I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down" ) coming towards the end of the album. I can still remember "Possession", "King Horse", "Clown Time Is Over", "New Amsterdam" and "High Fidelity", whereas I had no recollection of the other songs on Side 1.
Listening again to Get Happy ! that impression was re-enforced, with Side 2 being perhaps his most outstanding set of songs up this stage of his career whereas Side 1 was eminently forgettable. There is not a bad song on side 2, in fact they are all outstanding. However, a better album might have been released had some songs on Side 1 been omitted and the run-time reduced.
Focusing on the positives, side 2 opens with "Love For Tender" which has a dance beat with nice hook followed by the smooth, slower "Opportunity" with a soft guitar, organ and the yearning refrain "Whatever you do, don't turn around". Elvis complains "I'm in a foxhole, I'm down in the trench. I'd be a hero but I can't stand the stench".
"The Imposter" continues at a frantic pace after which comes "Secondary Modern", a slow dance pop number with a gentle vocal and with some stand out drumming
The glorious tunes keep arriving with "King Horse" and "Possession" the latter with the lines "You lack lust, you're so lacklustre, is that all the strength you can muster ?"
"Men Called Uncle" is another highlight, and "Clown Time Is Over" is much faster than the version on the compilation "Taking Liberties". "Who's making lover's lane safe again for lovers ?" Elvis enquires....
"New Amsterdam" is another great song and chock-a-block with more clever lyrics. "Till I step on the brake to get out of her clutches, till I speak double Dutch to a real double duchess"
The album closes with "High Fidelity", the second single and perhaps the blandest song on the side, but swings along nicely.
In comparison, Side 1 falls off a cliff after the outstanding "I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down", and in truth it was hard work to sit through to the end of each song. I'm struggling to think of any other album where there is such a disparity between the quality of the two sides !
Track Listing :
Side One :
1. I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down
2. Black And White World
3. 5ive Gears In Reverse
4. B Movie
5. Motel Matches
6. Human Touch
7. Beaten To The Punch
8. Temptation
9. I Stand Accused
10. Riot Act
1. Love For Tender
2. Opportunity
3. The Imposter
4. Secondary Modern
5. King Horse
6. Possession
7. Men Called Uncle
8. Clown Time Is Over
9. New Amsterdam
10. High Fidelity
Released 1980
UK Chart Position : 2
Singles :
I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down ( No 2 - 1980 )
High Fidelity ( No 30 - 1980 )
New Amsterdam ( No 36 - 1980 )
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