Alison (song)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the song by Jordy, see Alison (C'est ma copine à moi). For similarly-titled songs, see Alison (disambiguation) § Music.

"Alison"
Single by Elvis Costello
from the album My Aim Is True
B-side"Welcome to the Working Week"
Released21 May 1977
Recorded1977
Genre
Length3:21
LabelStiff (UK)
Columbia (US)
Songwriter(s)Elvis Costello
Producer(s)Nick Lowe
Elvis Costello singles chronology
"Less Than Zero"
(1977) 		"Alison"
(1977) 		"(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes"
(1977)

"Alison" is a song written by and first recorded by Elvis Costello in 1977 for his debut album My Aim Is True on Stiff Records. Costello claimed the song was written as an ode to a woman he saw working at a supermarket, though he has remained vague on the meaning. Though Costello's single never charted, it has become one of his most famous songs.

Linda Ronstadt, who covered the song and released her version in 1979, had a moderate hit with it.

Background

The song "Alison" was included on Elvis Costello's debut studio album

The Detroit Spinners.[7] "Alison" is written in the key of E major.[8]

However, in his 2015 autobiography Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink, Costello wrote: "I've always told people that I wrote the song 'Alison' after seeing a beautiful checkout girl at the local supermarket. She had a face for which a ship might have once been named. Scoundrels might once have fought mist-swathed duels to defend her honour. Now she was punching in the prices on cans of beans at a cash register and looking as if all the hopes and dreams of her youth were draining away. All that were left would soon be squandered to a ruffian who told her convenient lies and trapped her still further".[9]

Reception

"Alison" was released as a single in the United Kingdom with a

B-side of "Welcome to the Working Week", and as two singles in the United States; one with a mono version of the same song on the B-side, the other with "Miracle Man". The US (and Canadian) single versions of "Alison" are unique in that it is remixed to add a string section.[10] Record World called it "a stirring ballad" and said that "the strings add a dimension the song lacked in its original version and should help send it to the top."[11]

The single did not chart; as the album on which it was included did reach the top 40 on the album charts, the song did get airplay in the U.S. on

500 Greatest Songs of All Time and Entertainment Weekly voted it as one of Costello's top 10 greatest tunes.[12] The Telegraph named it Costello's second greatest song only after "Oliver's Army", calling it "a wonderful song about unrequited love."[13]

Linda Ronstadt version

"Alison"
Living In The USA
B-side"Mohammed's Radio"
ReleasedApril 1979
Recorded1978
GenreCountry rock, new wave
Length3:20
LabelAsylum Records
Songwriter(s)Elvis Costello
Producer(s)Peter Asher
Linda Ronstadt singles chronology
"Just One Look"
(1979) 		"Alison"
(1979) 		"How Do I Make You"
(1980)

Background

Linda Ronstadt recorded a cover version of "Alison" for her studio album Living in the USA, in 1978, which sold over 2 million copies. Released as the disc's fourth single in the spring of 1979 on Asylum Records, it was produced by her longtime producer Peter Asher. Ronstadt's

B-side to "Alison" was "Mohammed's Radio
", also produced by Asher.

Reception

Ronstadt's version of "Alison" was a moderate hit, reaching number 30 in the U.S. on the

Sun City in South Africa.[17]

References

  1. ^ a b c Herbert, Geoff (18 June 2018). "Elvis Costello tour dates include Turning Stone, Buffalo concerts". Syracuse. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  2. ^ "My Aim is True by Elvis Costello | Classic Rock Review". Classic Rock Review. 10 August 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2022. while the more mellow "Alison" combines slightly jazzy guitars and soulful vocals. This great melancholy pop song was written about a checkout girl at a local supermarket and features the line which gives this album its title.
  3. ^ "Elvis Costello: My Aim Is True". Pitchfork. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Alison". 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Rolling Stone. 9 December 2004. Archived from the original on 20 April 2007.
  5. ^ Girls Girls Girls (Inset). Elvis Costello. USA: Columbia Records. 1988. C2K-46897.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ^ My Aim Is True (Inset). Elvis Costello. USA: Rhino Entertainment. 2001. R2 74285.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ Elvis Costello, Unfaithful Music, p.187
  8. ^ Elvis, Costello (29 March 2004). "Alison". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  9. ISBN 978-0241003466
    .
  10. ^ Doggett, Peter (September 1983). "Elvis Costello: A complete guide to his British and American releases, promos, and rarities". Record Collector. 49. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  11. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 29 October 1977. p. 1. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  12. ^ "Alison". Pump It Up: Elvis Costello's 10 Greatest Tunes. Entertainment Weekly. 9 October 2004. Archived from the original on 14 September 2007. Retrieved 25 June 2008.
  13. ^ "Elvis Costello's 40 best songs". The Telegraph. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  14. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Linda Ronstadt". Billboard. 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  15. ISBN 1-904994-10-5
    .
  16. ^ Griggs, Simon (26 November 1998). "Elvis Costello Interview". Archived from the original on 29 June 2008. Retrieved 25 July 2008.
  17. ISBN 9781317145004
    .
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alison_(song)&oldid=1213258296"