Elvis Costello & The Attractions - (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea 

And still is :-)

And how different it was from anything we ever heard before. A true musical revolution.

absolutely. And how it was ours. Our parents moaned about the Sex Pistols and the Damned, tried to stop us watching Old Grey Whistle Test and wouldn't turn over to radio 1 for the chart show or John Peel. Tried to get us into Val Dooooonican or Jim Reeves when we just wanted Blondie and the Undertones. And when I got an earring my mother was horrified. My old man was pretty ok with most stuff but he hated the Pistols track Problems on the Bollocks LP. I remember how even once cool bands like Roxy Music, Slade, Zepplin and Donny Osmond suddenly seemed ancient. (Just kidding about Donny) Today's parents try to be into the same music as their kids, then there was no way they'd listen even if you begged them. Mind you, the racket kids listen to today........

I believe the 70s was the most creative and exciting decade of the 20th Century bar none.

Nothing compared to the 60s and 70s.

You and me both....

Get your kicks at 66

heyy Greg, still got four! years to go! but just could not agree more! wishing you a happy day, from lou xxx

57 here... must have been 12 or 13 when this came out. Loved it instantly even if I might have not have really grasped the lyrics then (non native English speaker), but the angst, edge and razor-sharpness shone right through for me as a kid back then... and this still turns my crank today!

Loved this high school mornings.. It was what I needed to pump me up in Sydney Australia! Thank God for 2JJ back then!!!!!

I can't remember yesterday ffs but I remember hearing this song for first time in a record shop in Belfast city centre

@@briandavis3832 -This wasn't even on the album TYM here in the States... and it's as great as anything on there!

Vern Pascal my brother has it on a record and still has it. As I said I remember walking in to the Record shop and hearing it for the first time. So think 💭 of what I'm saying I remember the first time I had heard it.

@@briandavis3832 Yeah here's my story with the song. The first concert I ever saw (well not including a group called The Smiths,but not the famous Smiths, another group who had one hit a cover of Baby It's You) was Elvis Costello and Squeeze in January of'81. Elvis took the stage and sang Just A Memory to lead off Acapella, and the Girl next to me says" So he's not even gonna play the guitar?" Then he goes into this and needless to say it was great and unforgettable.

@@vernpascal1531 Yeah, the label felt Americans wouldn't relate/understand the song...so left off. B.S.!

I agree though I'd go a few more years in the 1980s. I think the mid 1960s to about 1970 was another great period. Most of the 1970s was kind of the doldrums. Some great songs, but to me was lacking in something compared to what came just before and just after.

@@valentinius62 personally, as I'm more a synthpop fan, I regard the late 80s as less good than 80-85.

@@80ssynthfan48 Ah, I see. I like it as well, but also liked the Industrial and EBM scene as well.

I agree, minus the New Romantic foppishness and Thatcherite gloating. Things picked up for me around 1988 with the beginnings of grunge and then the Manchester scene, and the gradual breaking down of the playlist prejudice against heavy metal. The Ska revival came to an end all too soon, although the yanks picked it up and kept on with it so they could bring it back in the md '90s. They have some use like that - they did the same for punk, especially the Minnesota scene which pioneered hardcore and grunge.

I do want to go to Chelsea!! Lol

true.. the main difference is : Back then, they were exploring new sounds.. everybody was trying to find their own groove Today, they just apply 'formulas'.. tired formulas, may i ad Everybody is trying to play safe.... cowards!!

Try Ren makes music.

To be fair there was a shit ton forgetable and boring music from the 70s and 80s, especially the last half of the 80s

Elvis is so great that this song wasn't even on the American version of TYM! Same with Girls Talk,Crawling To The USA, Radio Sweetheart,Big Tears, and all those other terrific ones from Taking Liberties.

Declan is the one and only true Elvis & MJ in one and same person.

Even video looks 80s

Lol! Somebody on Twitter just asked for some 80ies music suggestions and the first thing I thought of was this song!

@@mortenreippuertknudsen3576 I like that ! So the first Elvis was an Imposter?

Armed Forces fan here..

Zack Zallie agreed but this isn’t on any copy of TYM I have. Is it a B side or on the Import ?

Zack Zallie it’s on “Get Happy” album.

Agreed!

Yep😁 great album.. but got this on a single and taped from John Peel's sessions. Fond memories of early teens at school and my first girlfriends.

YES! plus Andy Partridge

@@vincentcarrotXTC!!!

@@hoeraker❤XTC❤

As a bass player, this is one of my favorite challenges

Get mark king, level 42 to play it for you. 😊

Elvis is the reason I always pick the bass player 😊😉. Amazing talent. ❤️

Where do you play in Thailand?

@@Davido7530 usually around hua hin

Superb drumming - that intro............

@Dr. Bombay nope... Check with Police, U2 etc. Declan & the Attractions was the Velvet Underground of his generation.

@@wuckle On Wiki it says the drummer was influenced by Jimi Hendrix' 'Fire'

Great intro, mate. In fact his drumming on No Action and Lipstick Vogue is also epic.

Hey you should look up a band called The Doublejumps if you like Elvis Costello

Yes!

SAME! ... Have it on Loop! That Guitar Rift ... ; )

I know exactly what your saying! Glad I rediscovered him him this

I know! Me too! It's the best! Like reuniting with a really good old friend

Hey you should look up a band called The Doublejumps if you like Elvis Costello

I agree. ""Watching the Detectives" comes close, but....

100% agree, the lyrics are a masterclass of its own. Elvis Costello invented rap before it became prominent in the 80s lol, this song is one of the greatest songs ever!!

George, there's no "probably" about it.

@@cernegiant398 You are both right.

Songwriters mate, no apostrophe.

He’s top tier, particularly lyrically, but don’t forget (among others) Britain has produced Lennon-McCartney; Jagger-Richards; Difford-Tilbrook; John-Taupin; David Bowie; Kate Bush; …

Here come the men, all dressed in white coats shake you very gently by the throat ones name Gus ones named Alfie I don't want to go to Chelsea!!! I agree. Brilliant!!!

Hey you should look up a band called The Doublejumps if you like Elvis Costello

Just speculating, but could he be referring to the Chelsea in New York? They had a mad hotel there back in the day I believe where artists of that period checked into, but they just ended up living there. And it must have been a very freaky place. (Just a thought)

@@gzus5943 I think its about the snobby people in chelsea london...

​@@swann433 You are probably correct

Man, Joe Jackson was the shhhhhhhit! Even with synth bass.

Don't forget Norman Watt Roy bassplayer for Ian Dury!!!!!!

@@skatrain007 Loved Ian and his band!

Yes agree 😁👍

Great era 👍🏽

Hey you should look up a band called The Doublejumps if you like Elvis Costello

Vote for Pedro!!

Benjamin well said

He is God.

He grew up 10 minutes down the road from me in Merseyside,his writing is so clever.

@@angelariley908 -Is that right? I've been a huge Elvis fan since the late summer of'78 and seen him over 20 times in The States. Always wanted to go to Paris, London, and Liverpool. Have they got statues of The Fab Four there? If not they should.

Was exactly the same 👍

True 👍

I just remember it from the "Americathon" movie. I didn't realize that it was on an album.

mallory the year I was born. Love Elvis Costello though.

He was actually MY boyfriend. I discovered the hard way what a low down womanizer he was. Elvis Costello wrote a song about it...

that's cute as hell :)

I just bet he did! ;)

was that Nick? i hope all you Keatons have prospered since the 80's.

Hey you might like a band called The Doublejumps if you like Elvis Costello

Underrated by who?

@@kyawkyawwin1 politicions lol

True 👍

Hush. There is NO such thing as a posh football club.

Yeah, reminds me of the intro to "Fire" by Jimi Hendrix. Mitch Mitchell does a similar thing.

Hey you should look up a band called The Doublejumps if you like Elvis Costello

Colin, do you remember what studio it was shot in? I like to try and find out where these early videos were done, at the time it was companies like Molinaire, Ewart Television, Trilion, Televison International and even ITN who were the go-to's for simple shot on video music promos.

@@clairecassey5880 Hi there! No, I do not recall the studio name. I was with director Russell Mulcahy - we were observing the shoot as a precursor to us doing music clips. We were with Lexi Godfrey from Jon Roseman Productions - they made Queen's ground breaking Bohemian Rhapsody clip. Great experience for a blue eyed boy like me from Aussie.

In his book he says "we used a solitary box of tricks to delay & detune the guitars, organ even the drums until the whole shebang sounded like a klaxon"

What is a solitary box of tricks? I want one if it makes these sounds.

Nick Lowe was one of Elvis's influences in the very early days, sounds similar to my ear.

wykes14 Nick was producer, so that makes sense. But I do not hear any of the Brinsley Schwarz sound. Nor even the Clover sound. Which was the backing band for the first album. They were both "pub rock" bands, which was a more laid-back sound, But by the second album Elvis is definitely feeding off of the punk angst a little more. And the production is more wall of sound like the sex pistols

Where's my cowboy outfit?

is

He’s still with us ❤

Hey you should look up a band called The Doublejumps if you like Elvis Costello

I've heard him admit that Watching the Detectives was a huge influence. Drummer on that was Stephen Goulding from the Rumour.

Same age.

@@enriccoll3908 Same ball park here - 1965. Loved it instanly when this hit the radio and it hasn't got stale since for me... in fact the older I get the more I appreciate the genius of both Costello and this song!

Lots of influences... Definitely a little Buddy Holly influence in there too

His name is Steve Naive & he's a LEGEND on the keys!

Can't you nearly taste the air ?

True 👍

quite right, agree

He just looked like his dad. Simples.

He REALLY looks like Russ in this vid,I agree.He very deliberately cultivated the whole 'polio legs' image in the early days,didn't he?

Me too ✋