These Elvis Costello Lyrics From 1982 Anticipated His New Style
Elvis Costello’s “Beyond Belief”, the opening track of his 1982 album *Imperial Bedroom*, signalled a shift towards more nuanced music and lyrics. The change mattered because it moved away from the dense, fast sound he had developed with The Attractions and established a more adventurous direction for the album.
Costello switched producer Nick Lowe for Geoff Emerick, whose Beatles engineering work informed the sound he wanted. A subtly slinky beat from drummer Pete Thomas and unusual vocal effects helped shape the track. Its nimble wordplay, black humour and shifting perspectives explore mistrust and contradiction in romantic relationships, setting the tone for the rest of the album.
In short
- “Beyond Belief” marked a new direction for Costello.
- Geoff Emerick produced the more adventurous sound.
- The lyrics examine romantic mistrust with wit and black humour.
Explained simply
Elvis Costello is a British singer and songwriter who first became known for sharp, fast songs recorded with his backing band, The Attractions. In 1982, he released Imperial Bedroom, an album that explored a more varied and carefully layered sound.
Costello had worked with producer Nick Lowe on earlier records, but chose Geoff Emerick for this album; Emerick was known for engineering several Beatles recordings. The Attractions’ drummer, Pete Thomas, also played on the opening track, whose shifting viewpoints and wordplay deal with distrust and mixed feelings in a relationship.