Get Happy
Studio album by Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Released	February 15, 1980
Recorded	October 1979
Genre	New wave, Blue-eyed soul
Length	48:08
Label	F-Beat Records UK Columbia Records US Demon/Rykodisc (April 29, 1994 Reissue) Rhino (September 9, 2003 Reissue)
Producer	Nick Lowe
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Robert Christgau (B) link Rolling Stone (not rated) link Stylus Magazine (favorable) link
Elvis Costello and the Attractions chronology
Armed Forces (1979) Get Happy!! (1980) Taking Liberties (1980)

The fourth album by Elvis Costello, his third with the Attractions, Get Happy!! is notable for being a dramatic break in tone from Costello's previous "trilogy" of commercially successful albums, and for being heavily influenced by R&B and soul music. The cover art was intentionally designed to have a "retro" feel, to look like the cover of an old LP with ring wear on both front and back.^[1] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (710x701, 49 KB)Cover of Elvis Costellos Get Happy!! album. ... A studio album is a collection of previously unreleased, studio-recorded tracks by a recording artist. ... Elvis Costello Declan Patrick Aloysius McManus (born August 25, 1954), better known by his stage name, Elvis Costello, is a popular British musician, singer, and songwriter of Irish descent. ... is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The term New Wave has been used to describe several movements in art. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... F-Beat records was one of the early record labels setup by Jake Rivera before he started Demon Records. ... Columbia Records is the oldest brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888, and was the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. ... After Jake Rivera previously started Stiff Records, Radar Records and F-Beat Records, he founded Demon Records with Andrew Lauder and Elvis Costello in 1980. ... Rykodisc Records is an American record label, and subsidiary of Warner Music Group. ... is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Rhino Entertainment is a specialty record label originally known for releasing retrospectives of famous comedy performers, including Stan Freberg, Tom Lehrer, and Spike Jones. ... is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Bowi EP sleeve (1977). ... The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music, owned by All Media Guide. ... Image File history File links 5_stars. ... Robert Christgau (born April 18, 1942), is an American essayist, music journalist, and the self-declared Dean of American Rock Critics.[1] In print, his name is sometimes abbreviated as Xgau. ... This article is about the magazine. ... This article is about the online music and film magazine. ... Elvis Costello Declan Patrick Aloysius McManus (born August 25, 1954), better known by his stage name, Elvis Costello, is a popular British musician, singer, and songwriter of Irish descent. ... Alternate cover US 1979 and 2002 reissue cover, also known as paint spatter cover For the military meaning, see Armed forces. ... Taking Liberties is an Elvis Costello and the Attractions odds-n-sods collection. ... Elvis Costello (born Declan Patrick McManus August 25, 1954) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter. ... For other uses, see Rhythm and blues (disambiguation). ... This article is about the novel Soul Music. ... Retro is a term used to describe the culture of the past. ...

The title may be a reference to gospel music, where "getting happy" is synonymous with receiving the Holy Spirit (a meaning that Costello himself hints at in the liner notes to the 2003 edition of the album). The title may also refer to the Harold Arlen/Ted Koehler song of the same name. Gospel music is a musical genre characterized by dominant vocals (often with strong use of harmony) referencing lyrics of a religious nature, particularly Christian. ... Get Happy is a term used in the African American Gospel Music tradition, that refers to the experience of receiving the Holy Spirit during a Church service, usually involving ecstatic singing, or during prayer, or spontaneously. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      In mainstream Christianity, the... Harold Arlen (February 15, 1905 – April 23, 1986) was an American composer of popular music. ... Ted Koehler (July 14, 1894—January 17, 1973) was an Jewish-American lyric writer. ...

In 1989, it was rated #11 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 greatest albums of the 1980s. This article is about the magazine. ...

Background

During the American concert tour for Armed Forces in April 1979, Costello engaged in a drunken argument with Stephen Stills and Bonnie Bramlett in a Columbus, Ohio, Holiday Inn hotel bar, during which Costello referred to James Brown as a "jive-ass nigger," then upped the ante by pronouncing Ray Charles a "blind, ignorant nigger." Costello apologised at a New York City press conference a few days later, claiming that he had been drunk and had been attempting to be obnoxious in order to bring the conversation to a swift conclusion, not anticipating that Bramlett would bring his comments to the press. A classical music concert in the Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne 2005 Kasia Kowalska concert in Warsaw A concert is a live performance, usually of music, before an audience. ... Alternate cover US 1979 and 2002 reissue cover, also known as paint spatter cover For the military meaning, see Armed forces. ... Stephen Arthur Stills (born January 3, 1945) is an American guitarist and singer/songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young). ... Bonnie Bramlett (born Bonnie Lynn OFarrell, 11 August 1944, Alton, Illinios), is an American singer known for her distinctive vocals in rock and pop music. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Ohio, USA Coordinates: , Country State Counties Franklin, Delaware, and Fairfield Government  - Mayor Michael B. Coleman (D) Area  - City  212. ... For the song by Elton John, see Holiday Inn (song). ... James Brown, known variously as: Soul Brother Number One, the Godfather of Soul, Mr. ... The word nigger is a highly controversial term used in many English-speaking countries, including the United States, Canada, Britain, and Australia to refer to individuals with dark skin, especially those of African descent who previously were racially classified by the now outdated term Negro. ... For the composer and conductor of the Ray Charles Singers, see Ray Charles (composer). ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

It has been suggested that the R&B influence on the album was an attempt to atone for his comments^[2], but as Costello writes in the liner notes for the 2002 Rhino version,

The band had played some of the songs during the "Armed Funk Tour" and had rehearsed them for the record, but were dissatisfied with the sound, feeling it was too "New Wave"^[4] (some of the original versions can be found on disc 2 of the Rhino release). They then went back and re-arranged many of the songs with an R&B hook. On their U.S. tours, Costello had been able to find a number of R&B records of his favorite artists and having been listening to them during the rehearsals, decided to emulate the feel of those songs.^[3] New Wave was a rock music and pop genre and movement that existed during the late 1970s and the early-to-mid 1980s. ...

The band recorded the album at Wisseloord Studio in Hilversum, Netherlands, in an attempt to isolate themselves from distractions, but they were still able to keep themselves drunk during the recording sessions.^[3] The exception to this was "New Amsterdam" which was recorded solo by Costello in a small studio in Pimlico. is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. ... Pimlico is a small area of central London in the City of Westminster that is primarily residential and well known for its collection of small hotels. ...

With twenty songs on the original album, the vinyl cutting and pressing process had to be precise to fit all of them on the two sides of the record.^[4] A 12-inch record (left), a 7-inch record (right), and a CD (above) Two 7 singles (left), two colored 7 singles (middle), and two 7 singles with large spindle holes (right). ...

The original album sleeve reversed the two sides; side one began with "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" (the current single) and ended with "Riot Act". The second side started with "Love for Tender" and ended with "High Fidelity". Only on the record labels themselves was the true running order revealed. The album was reviewed in the sleeve order by Charles Shaar Murray of the NME amongst others. Charles Shaar Murray is an English music journalist. ... For other uses, see NME (disambiguation). ...

Track listing

All songs written by Elvis Costello unless otherwise indicated. Elvis Costello (born Declan Patrick McManus August 25, 1954) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter. ...

Side one

1. "Love for Tender" – 1:57
2. "Opportunity" – 3:13
3. "The Imposter" – 1:58
4. "Secondary Modern" – 1:58
5. "King Horse" – 3:01
6. "Possession" – 2:03
7. "Men Called Uncle" – 2:17
8. "Clowntime Is Over" – 2:59
9. "New Amsterdam" – 2:12
10. "High Fidelity" – 2:28

Side two

1. "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" (Homer Banks, Alan Jones) – 2:06
2. "Black & White World" – 1:56
3. "5ive Gears in Reverse" – 2:38
4. "B Movie" – 2:04
5. "Motel Matches" – 2:30
6. "Human Touch" – 2:30
7. "Beaten to the Punch" – 1:49
8. "Temptation" – 2:33
9. "I Stand Accused" (Tony Colton, Ray Smith)– 2:21
10. "Riot Act" – 3:35

Bonus tracks (1994 Rykodisc)

1. "Girls Talk" – 1:55
2. "Clowntime Is Over" (Version 2) – 3:44
3. "Getting Mighty Crowded" (Van McCoy) – 2:09
4. "So Young" (Jeff Burstin, Joe Camilleri, Tony Faehse) – 3:23
5. "Just a Memory" – 2:16
6. "Hoover Factory" – 1:43
7. "Ghost Train" – 3:5
8. "Dr. Luther's Assistant" – 3:27
9. "Black & White World" – 1:50
10. "Riot Act" – 2:48
11. "Love for Tender" (Demo, ends abruptly, accidentally left on master) – 1:39 (not listed) ^{[citation needed]}

Van McCoy Van Allen Clinton McCoy (January 6, 1940 - July 6, 1979) was a music producer, musician, and songwriter who had a massive hit with the disco song The Hustle in 1975, after writing hits for soul acts like Gladys Knight and the Pips, and Ruby and the Romantics, as... Joe Camilleri (born 21 May 1948 in Malta) is a legendary Australian singer, songwriter and saxophonist. ...

Bonus Disk (2002 Rhino)

1. "I Stand Accused" (Alternate version) (Colton, Smith) – 3:10
2. "So Young" (Burstin, Camilleri, Faehse) – 3:28
3. "Girls Talk" – 1:56
4. "Human Touch" (Alternate version) – 2:20
5. "Temptation" – 2:28
6. "Motel Matches" (Alternate version) – 2:27
7. "Clowntime Is Over" – 3:46
8. "B Movie" (Alternate version) – 2:26
9. "Girls Talk" – 2:03
10. "Getting Mighty Crowded" (McCoy) – 2:09
11. "From a Whisper to a Scream" (Alternate version) – 2:30
12. "Watch Your Step" (Alternate version) – 2:02
13. "Dr Luther's Assistant" – 3:28
14. "Ghost Train" – 3:07
15. "New Lace Sleeves" (Alternate version) – 3:47
16. "Hoover Factory" – 1:45
17. "Just a Memory" – 2:17
18. "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" (Alternate version) (Banks, Jones) – 2:45
19. "New Amsterdam" (Alternate version) – 2:31
20. "Black & White World" (Demo version) – 1:51
21. "Riot Act" (Demo version) – 2:50
22. "5ive Gears in Reverse" (Demo version) – 2:33
23. "Love for Tender" (Demo version) – 2:07
24. "Men Called Uncle" (Demo version) – 2:06
25. "King Horse" (Demo version) – 2:45
26. "Seven O'Clock" (Demo version) – 2:00
27. "High Fidelity" (Live) – 3:17
28. "Opportunity" (Live) – 2:33
29. "The Imposter" (Live) – 2:11
30. "Don't Look Back" (Live) – 4:41

Note: The Rykodisc version has the original tracks and bonus tracks on one CD. The Rhino version has two CDs with the original tracks on the first CD.

Personnel

• Elvis Costello – vocals, guitar, organ on "Possession", all instruments on "New Amsterdam"
• Steve Nieve – piano, organ
• Bruce Thomas – bass; harmonica on "I Stand Accused"
• Pete Thomas – drums

Elvis Costello (born Declan Patrick McManus August 25, 1954) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter. ... In music a singer or vocalist is a type of musician who sings, i. ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... Organ in Katharinenkirche, Frankfurt am Main, Germany The organ is a keyboard instrument played using one or more manuals and a pedalboard. ... Keyboardist Steve Nieve (born Steven Nason in London, England, on February 19, 1958) is best known for his work with Elvis Costello. ... A short grand piano, with the top up. ... An organ is the following: In anatomy, an organ is a group of tissues which perform some function. ... Bruce Thomas (born August 14, 1948 in Stockton-on-Tees, England) is best known as bassist for The Attractions; the band formed in 1977 to back Elvis Costello on stage and record. ... A sunburst-colored Precision Bass The electric bass guitar (or electric bass) is a bass stringed instrument played with the fingers by plucking, slapping, popping or using a pick. ... A harmonica is a free reed wind instrument. ... Pete Thomas (born August 9, 1954 in Hillsborough, Sheffield, England) is best known as the longtime drummer for Elvis Costello. ... For other kinds of drums, see drum (disambiguation). ...

Charts

Album

It has been suggested that Billboard be merged into this article or section. ...

Certifications

is the 83rd day of the year (84th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ...

References