Elvis and Eastern Europe

invisible Pole · Post by **invisible Pole** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 5:41 pm

Sorry for being a bit self-centred here, but coming from an ex-Soviet bloc country (thank God for 'ex'), I was just wondering whether there are any references in Elvis' lyrics to Eastern Europe or if he had any close encounters with this part of the world.

Lyricwise, one thing that comes to my mind is "Checkpoint Charlie" verse in Oliver's Army.

I also recall reading about Elvis' holiday trip to Soviet Union which was described as disaster. Does any of you know the whole story ?

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 4:44 am

Invasion Hit Parade is about a post-cold war country being invaded by western shite I believe!
Checkpoint charlie is a reference to the Berlin Wall crossing point..innit?

invisible Pole · Post by **invisible Pole** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 2:23 pm

Yes, Checkpoint Charlie was the crossing point between West and East Berlin.
Strangely enough I always thought that the "murder mile" Elvis sings about was the strip of no man's land between the two parts of the city where the communist regime used to shoot people trying to escape to West Berlin. Now I have just read on John E.'s site that it is a "section of North Belfast, Northern Ireland where Protestant loyalists routinely snatched Catholics off the streets in the 1970s to face torture and painful deaths".

The Deliveryman · Post by **The Deliveryman** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 11:05 pm

Elvis has stated that "My Dark Life" was inspired by a trip to Russia. He writes in the liner notes to Extreme Honey:

"Visit St. Petersburg to view art collection looted by Red Army in last days of Second World War and kept in a secret vault until current exhibition. Every incident in "My Dark Life" occurs during that short trip."

There are definitely some references that you can pick up in the lyrics.

wehitandrun · Post by **wehitandrun** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 11:44 pm

Is Luxembourg in eastern europe?

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 3:34 am

No, dear boy, it's a little enclave between France and Germany, so very much Western.

Interesting about My Dark Life. Consumptive Ballerinas.

I spent a year in Berlin, and the East Berlin border staff certainly didn't crack a smile. All except for the one who was perplexed by my passport, which was British, but with 'Jersey' on it, as that's where it was issued (that's the island of Jersey, British 'crown dependency', small island near France, where New Jersey got the name from, WHAR). At the time there was a detective serial called Bergerac on TV that was set there, fancifully inventing endless murder plots, drug smuggglers, etc., in a place where pickpocketing was front page news. They had it on German TV, and this incredibly stern and butch female guard looked up with a big smile and said 'Ah ja, Bergerac!'

Welcome, Invisible Pole. Not sure where your town is. Good to know we have a Pole on board. How obscure is Elvis there? I was on holiday in Gdansk a couple of years ago, lovely town, and lovely area to stay in, and a young guy I met was obsessed with Depeche Mode. They're obviously very big there as every Wednesday he went to a bar in town which was a meeting place for DM freaks, and all the regulars were known by song names, they never used their real ones (like here, but only song names). Weird.

invisible Pole · Post by **invisible Pole** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 4:18 am

Good to be on the board, Otis.
My town is in central Poland, ca. 250km west of Warsaw.

To say that Elvis is not a household name in Poland would be a huge understatement.
I would say that probably 99% of people would not have the slightest idea of who he is or name at least one song of his. (though this may have changed when he got married to Diana Krall, who is very popular here).

On the other hand, however, Elvis' latest albums have all been available here and usually get very favourable reviews in music press ("Painted From Memory,"When I Was Cruel" and "North"), so it again seems to be the question of being appreciated by music critics and having rather
small cult following than being a widely-known musician over here.
Unfortunately, the same applies to artists like Squeeze, Nick Lowe, Graham Parker, Lloyd Cole or Ron Sexsmith.

Though I managed to see Elvis live in London three times (1989, 1994, 1996) I would also love to see him tour Poland one day. Who knows ....

Goody2Shoes · Post by **Goody2Shoes** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 6:22 am

invisible Pole wrote: To say that Elvis is not a household name in Poland would be a huge understatement.

He's not exactly a household name here, either. Except in my household, of course.

Welcome!

sabreman · Post by **sabreman** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 7:45 am

I seem to remember reading that EC and his son went on a trip to Russia around the time of Live Aid. There might be some archived article that mentions it.

I actually found the archived Musician magazine article that mentions it:

"The morning after we met in London, history-buff Elvis/Declan and his ten-year-old son traveled to Russia for a short holiday. Unfortunately, Dad forgot about the American dollars he'd stuffed in the bottom of his bag during a U.S. visit. The Soviet customs commissars pulled out that wad and as quick as you could say "currency smuggler" yanked Declan off to an interrogation room. As the door closed the protesting songwriter saw his boy standing alone in the middle of the Ellis Island of the Evil Empire.
That mess got cleared up just in time for Declan to get back to Britain and sing "All You Need Is Love" at Live Aid.
"

http://www.elviscostello.info/articles/m/mu8603a.html

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 10:56 am

Invis: en route from Warsaw to Poznan? I took that train ride once, maybe I went through Kalisz. The name is familiar.

Were you at the Royal Albert hall in '94? Me too. I think he played three nights. Very good. And The Roundhouse in '96 was even better. I'd never heard Black Sails In The Sunset before and was blown away. And the segue of Distorted Angel to Chelsea that I've mentioned in the past here. Much better venue than the RAH for a rock gig, though of course it's a nice experience to visit such a famous hall. Just very lacking in atmosphere, though. Where was '89? Which was your favourite?

invisible Pole · Post by **invisible Pole** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 12:04 pm

1989 was the solo performance at the Royal Albert Hall, supported by Nick Lowe. He played the venue three days in a row so the following day
I went there before the show and had a picture taken with him !!!

In 1994 I went to London with my wife and this time Elvis played with the Attractions at the Albert Hall, so - who knows - we may have bumped into each other before or after the concert.
This time I managed not only to have another picture taken with Elvis, but also to get his dad's autograph.
I must say, however, that the show suffered a lot due to the bad sound
at the Hall, probably with exception of a few songs played solo or only with Steve (like "Favourite Hour").

My favourite was at the Shepherd's Bush Empire two years later, which I thought was the perfect venue for a rock'n'roll gig - great atmosphere, excellent sound, plus Elvis and the Attractions were simply in superb form. I remember hearing "Unwanted Number" for the first time and
thinking, "God, what a brilliant song".
Do I need to mention that I had another picture taken with Elvis and got him to autograph the first of his four July 1996 singles ? I seem to act like a teenager in this respect ...

Sabreman, thanks for the story about holidays in Russia. I did not know the details.

P.S. Otis, if you know where Poznan is, my town is ca. 100km south-east. Planning to come to Poland again ?

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 2:24 pm

Welcome to the board, Invisible Pole.

You have some great EC stories. It would be great to see a photo of you with him.

To answer the first part of the question, what about 20% Amnesia from Brutal Youth. I think it's about living in the former USSR as it became freer:

"Were you passed out on the sofa?
20% Amnesia
While justice was bartered by a drunken oaf?
20% Amnesia
This is all your country thinks of your life
20% Amnesia
Strip-jack-naked with a stanley knife..."

I believe that is about Yeltsin, who was in power by then. There's also this reference:

"Mr. Gorbachev came cap in hand,
20% Amnesia
from a bankrupt land to a bankrupt land..."

Otis, you were in Warsaw, what, last year, wasn't it? And I wonder if it would be just like you to run into an 'Invisible Pole' at an Elvis concert

...

PlaythingOrPet · Post by **PlaythingOrPet** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 3:01 pm

Welcome, invisible pole, and thank you for instigating a most interesting thread.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 3:23 pm

And the story about EC trying to smuggle US dollars into Russia... hilarious!

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 4:26 pm

Yeah, I was in Warsaw last year, and me go again to there or other parts in the autumn. I've made several work trips there, and have always liked it so much I was very happy to do a house-swap one summer with a woman I knew in Gdansk. I've always liked the Poles I've met. Good beer too. It was hot and sunny on our north coast holiday, although every night the weather forecast told us it would pour the next day! I went to Hel, and came back (it's a peninsular that sticks out above the bay of Gdansk), although nearly froze in the ice cold sea there. Of course it was all very good value from a GBP point of view, and you can eat very well there. Morcheeba were playing at a festival thing in Sopot just after we left, I recall. It was walking on the beach front there that we lost our then 9 year old son. Long story, but eventually he was returned to us in a police van an hour later. Longest hour of my life.

Indeed, the RAH sound was poor for such an august institution, but favourite hour with the full might of the organ was awesome. forgive me if I've said this before, but Nieveworshipping POP would probably have fainted to feel the power surging out of Nieve's enormous organ that night.

Missed the '96 SPE gig. How did I manage that? Hope you will be posting the photos, ole Pole.

Copenhagen Fan · Post by **Copenhagen Fan** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 3:24 am

Checkpoint Charlie is definately a cool place to check out! The area around it is now kind of gentrified in a cool way, although one can still see the stylistic elements of East meeting West in the architecture and the people. Berlin is wacky as hell!

POLE welcome to the board! Where should I visit in Poland?! I'm thinking about going on an Eastern European tur soon!

invisible Pole · Post by **invisible Pole** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 4:43 am

CopFan, there are at least 4-5 places which are a ‘must’. It really depends on what you are looking for.
Otis mentioned Gdansk and he’s absolutely right. It’s a beautiful city with great architecture (especially the Old Town), nice atmosphere and good restaurants. Next to Gdansk you can find Sopot, the most popular seaside resort. If you want to rest on a beach, meet gorgeous Polish girls, and at night ‘do’ some clubbing, you should go there [and let’s be honest, Polish girls are without a doubt the prettiest girls in the world, except, of course for all the girls on this board

].
Another place you have to visit is Cracow (Krakow), the former capitol of Poland, a city of many museums and places of cultural interest. If you like mountain-climbing go to Zakopane, which is just 100km from Cracow. The Tatras mountains are smaller but as beautiful as the Alps.
Believe me, Poland is full of wonderful places, we just have to learn how to promote this country.
(that was sponsored by Polish Tourist Board

)

As this is Elvis Costello forum, I should probably go back to the main topic of this thread, so one more anectode : a few years ago one of tv channels aired BBC documentary on the making of Spike. Guess what they wrote in a tv programme paper ?
“A documentary about an English imitator of Elvis Presley”. I gnashed my teeth at this unbelievable ignorance.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 6:09 am

Welcome iP

invisible Pole wrote:...[and let’s be honest, Polish girls are without a doubt the prettiest girls in the world, except, of course for all the girls on this board ]

You should do well on the board

invisible Pole wrote:As this is Elvis Costello forum, I should probably go back to the main topic of this thread, so one more anectode : a few years ago one of tv channels aired BBC documentary on the making of Spike. Guess what they wrote in a tv programme paper ?
“A documentary about an English imitator of Elvis Presley”. I gnashed my teeth at this unbelievable ignorance.

Well, he has covered Little Sister, His Latest Flame and Suspicious Minds.

Did you ever hear the God's Comic version when Elvis used to do songs that Elvis Presley would sing if he were alive today? They would include (among others) Rio by Duran Duran and Heart of Glass by Blondie. EC would then sing a snippet from the song in his Elvis Presley voice.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 7:55 am

invisible Pole wrote: EC would then sing a snippet from the song in his Elvis Presley voice.

Every hombre who has heard Presley sing is condemned to inexplicably trying to sing like him at least a few times in his life. Or act like Brando.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 8:03 am

Well at least it wasn't the other way round!

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 8:11 am

Presley Doing Costello!!

"From the vaults... (winding dramatic and emotional music....) Elvis Presley sings the songs on My Aim Is True, the record from once-rising young star in the music business, Ael-vis Cahhhs-tah-loh.... oooon Presley Doing Costello!"

Copenhagen Fan · Post by **Copenhagen Fan** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 8:40 am

I prefer Debbie Doing Dallas

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 8:44 am

...he would sing them well too.

Copenhagen Fan · Post by **Copenhagen Fan** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 10:04 am

Mr. Pole> I just like soaking up the flavor of a place......preferably a little darkness and grunginess............no turist stuff, just raw Polishness and Eastern European pain and suffering, with a touch of hipness and kitch chic!

invisible Pole · Post by **invisible Pole** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 10:09 am

verbal gymnastics wrote :
[/quote]Did you ever hear the God's Comic version when Elvis used to do songs that Elvis Presley would sing if he were alive today? They would include (among others) Rio by Duran Duran and Heart of Glass by Blondie. EC would then sing a snippet from the song in his Elvis Presley voice.

Yes, I heard it. He also did U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For".
This seems like a good idea for a thread. Have you ever heard Elvis doing a conscious impersonation of some other musician ? I do not mean being influenced by someone, but rather imitating them for fun, better effect etc.

One song that comes to my mind is "Complicated Shadows". I think it was at the Boston show in May 1996 when Elvis did a funny imitation of Johnny Cash-style guitar solo.
If only Cash had decided to record the song, it might have sounded exactly like this...

Any other examples ?