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In the 1960s, a young Elvis Costello enountered the only pop song he still couldn’t live without
In a 1992 appearance on Desert Island Discs, Elvis Costello chose eight records he would want with him on a deserted island, explaining that this was different from selecting his favourite songs. His choices spanned classical music, jazz and standards, with just one rock band represented, reflecting tastes that reached well beyond his New Wave reputation.
That lone band was the Beatles, through their 1963 album With The Beatles. Costello picked the group’s cover of Smokey Robinson’s “You Really Got a Hold on Me”, linking his first record purchase with his affection for early 1960s Motown and R&B. His other selections included works by Beethoven, Mozart, Purcell and Schubert, alongside music by Duke Ellington, the Joe Loss Orchestra and Frank Sinatra.
In short
- Costello’s 1992 island records spanned classical, jazz and pop.
- His only rock band choice was the Beatles.
- He selected their cover of Smokey Robinson’s “You Really Got a Hold on Me”.
Explained simply
Elvis Costello is a British singer and songwriter who became known in the late 1970s as part of the new wave music scene. His work draws on a wide range of styles, including rock, pop, jazz and older songbook standards.
The Beatles were a Liverpool band whose early records helped shape British pop music in the 1960s. “You Really Got a Hold on Me” was written by American singer Smokey Robinson and first recorded by his group, the Miracles; the Beatles later made their own version. Motown, the record label behind the Miracles’ original, became closely associated with soul and R&B music.