Defend The Indefensible: Elvis Costello's "No Action"

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This tepid, rhythmically challenged warmed-over garage band rehash is a poor excuse for an opening number, nearly derailing his intriguing sophomore album before it gets out out of the gate. He would do the same thing much better when he really hit his stride a few albums later with Get Happy!!!.

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Saturday, 1 April 2006 12:46 (nineteen years ago)

wait till you hear the rhumba remake!

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Saturday, 1 April 2006 12:58 (nineteen years ago)

And another thing: what the heck is a "baker's light"?

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Saturday, 1 April 2006 13:00 (nineteen years ago)

a pun on bakelite?

Bakelite is a synthetic resin chemically formulated and named after its Belgian inventor, Chemist L.H.Baekeland c.1909. It is pronounced "Bay Ka Lite". Originally it was used for molding items that were previously done of celluloid or hard rubber. One of the original uses was for pool balls. It is collectible in all its forms including jewelry, buttons, radio cases, lamps, dresser sets and many more items. It was used commercially for parts especially in electrical wiring. After bakelite and the introduction of so many other plastics and composition materials it was easy to confuse them all. People began to lump all plastics into one generic term "Bakelite".

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Saturday, 1 April 2006 13:02 (nineteen years ago)

yeah I just checked the lyrics, he's referring to a plastic phone!

a literary-minded critic might consider this an example of using an anachronism because it sounds "poetic" or maybe just cuz it rhymes

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Saturday, 1 April 2006 13:05 (nineteen years ago)

His greatest album opener.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Saturday, 1 April 2006 13:08 (nineteen years ago)

Alfred, this thread is about "No Action," not "Accidents Will Happen."

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Saturday, 1 April 2006 14:07 (nineteen years ago)

Nor Brilliant Mistake

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Saturday, 1 April 2006 14:16 (nineteen years ago)

I love this song.

― Alex in Baltimore (Alex in Baltimore), Saturday, 1 April 2006 14:28 (nineteen years ago)

I love this song as well!. Would never have thought to call it tepid.

And I like how it's a bit off-kilter rhythmically. It lends the song a jittery, nervous, "can fall apart at any moment" quality that fits well with agitated mental state Elvis's lyrics convey.

― D. Bachyrycz, Saturday, 1 April 2006 14:47 (nineteen years ago)

yeah i think this is great too!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 1 April 2006 15:44 (nineteen years ago)

it never occurred to me that someone could dislike this song! I think it's a great opener for this album, in fact, one of his best openers ever

― kyle (akmonday), Saturday, 1 April 2006 15:49 (nineteen years ago)

In what possible way is this "rythmically challenged" Ken? The Attractions were a very tight band (moreso than Clover) and you know this yourself. Pete Thomas is totally great on this track. That little ride lick he does in the second verse?! Awesome!

Anyway, great song and great album. It needs no defending.

― Keith C (lync0), Saturday, 1 April 2006 15:55 (nineteen years ago)

P03: Elvis Costello Album Openers

Brilliant Mistake
No Action
Clubland

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Saturday, 1 April 2006 16:09 (nineteen years ago)

Re: Pete Thomas

Am I wrong in rating him as one of the greatest of all rock drummers?

And "No Action": unassailable

― Taylor, Saturday, 1 April 2006 16:13 (nineteen years ago)

This thread title crashed my computer. It's illogical factor stretched the boundaries of spacetime and almost zeroed out my hard drive. But Pete Thomas saved it!

― sleeve, away, Saturday, 1 April 2006 17:27 (nineteen years ago)

Seriously, this song is fantastic. One of my favorite Costello tunes.

Is this an April fools' joke?

― Steev (Steev), Saturday, 1 April 2006 17:33 (nineteen years ago)

well, i don't really see how it's tepid or rhythmically challenged, but whatever. it's an odd song to have a problem with. why don't you complain about some of his more recent stuff, that truly is boring?

speaking of which, the album he just put out of orchestral versions of some of his more well known songs? anyone heard it? opinions? we have it at my radio station and i haven't had a chance to have a listen.

― Emily B (Emily B), Saturday, 1 April 2006 19:48 (nineteen years ago)

I've ripped this song off at least 4 times.

― Eppy (Eppy), Saturday, 1 April 2006 20:00 (nineteen years ago)

Is this an April fools' joke?

http://www.chucklebuckle.com/goofy%20fellow_small2.png

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Saturday, 1 April 2006 20:12 (nineteen years ago)

I must join the choir in declaring this song excellent. Might I also heartily recommend the demo version found as a bonus track on the My Aim is True reissue. They recorded it right after they did "Watching the Detectives," and just left on that same drum sound. What I like even more than the drum sound is the actual drum 'part'--it's basically all fills all the way through! Listen:
http://d63.yousendit.com/E/25RD4ME4U3WVK13ZTVCAMENA7T/14%20No%20Action%20(Demo).mp3

― gooblar (gooblar), Saturday, 1 April 2006 20:24 (nineteen years ago)

Doh!

Try this.

― gooblar (gooblar), Saturday, 1 April 2006 20:25 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, I'm real good at this. Here:
http://s63.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=25RD4ME4U3WVK13ZTVCAMENA7T

― gooblar (gooblar), Saturday, 1 April 2006 20:26 (nineteen years ago)

xpost Emily B: I've only heard the (jazz) orchestral version of "Watching the Detectives," and, I have to say, it's fucking awful.

― gooblar (gooblar), Saturday, 1 April 2006 20:30 (nineteen years ago)

there's good schmaltz, and there's bad schmaltz. a pity that he can't always tell the difference. sigh.

― Emily B (Emily B), Saturday, 1 April 2006 20:36 (nineteen years ago)

This thread title = WTF?!?!?!?!?!!!?!?!!?!?11?!!?!?!!?11???////11/1/11/?!!?!?!?!?11?1/1!?1?1!?/1/!?1?/1!!!?1!!?!!?

― righteousmaelstrom (righteousmaelstrom), Sunday, 2 April 2006 07:23 (nineteen years ago)

this song is great! especially the way he sings "EVERY time i PHONE YOU, i just wanna PUTCHUDOOOOOOWN" at the end. so paranoid and scary.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Sunday, 2 April 2006 07:47 (nineteen years ago)

Is this an April fools' joke?
Aloha, suckers.

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Sunday, 2 April 2006 10:09 (nineteen years ago)

BTW, pretty much everybody OTM.

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Sunday, 2 April 2006 10:33 (nineteen years ago)

nice...'tepid' should have been the tip-off

― Keith C (lync0), Sunday, 2 April 2006 12:41 (nineteen years ago)

hahaha!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Sunday, 2 April 2006 14:18 (nineteen years ago)

Better than anything he's done in, what, the past quarter century? Yeah, probably. At least.

― xhuxk, Sunday, 2 April 2006 18:20 (nineteen years ago)

five years pass...

Happy Anniversary.

― Singularities Going Steady (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 1 April 2012 20:54 (thirteen years ago)

seven years pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK3xJ2nyHiI

― Beware of Mr. Blecch, er...what? (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 23 October 2019 00:09 (six years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnxLjbwmJjM

― Beware of Mr. Blecch, er...what? (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 23 October 2019 00:16 (six years ago)

four months pass...

Hm, Spotify just told me this was one of my favorite albums.

― Lipstick Traces (on a Cigarette Alone) (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 6 March 2020 00:41 (five years ago)

Can't believe it was never mentioned here, but apropos of Kim Shattuck's passing last year, The Muffs did a ferocious cover.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31EKxbyx3Os

― Bougy! Bougie! Bougé! (Eliza D.), Friday, 6 March 2020 01:13 (five years ago)

Heard about that somewhere else, on social media.

― Lipstick Traces (on a Cigarette Alone) (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 6 March 2020 02:18 (five years ago)

three weeks pass...

Every time I Zoom you

― Three Hundred Pounds of Almond Joy (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 1 April 2020 13:15 (five years ago)

And if you had told me a few weeks ago I would be sitting in my bedroom watching Steve Nieve and his wife live streaming from their living room I would have expected you to say...

― Three Hundred Pounds of Almond Joy (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 1 April 2020 18:35 (five years ago)

lol I hadn't seen this thread before and it totally got me

― J. Sam, Wednesday, 1 April 2020 18:38 (five years ago)

three months pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbeMC7ZMnqw

― Two Spocks Clash (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 2 July 2020 22:07 (five years ago)

Also, too bad those lemonade ads of his dad went missing.

― Two Spocks Clash (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 2 July 2020 22:08 (five years ago)

And this, which I will replace, now with commentary from you-know-who:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az0HdhdqfNs

― Two Spocks Clash (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 2 July 2020 22:12 (five years ago)

This one is new:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxkGwcHD9hI

― Two Spocks Clash (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 2 July 2020 22:13 (five years ago)

The Secret Lemonade Drinker plus some Britishes children's animated character I am unfamiliar with:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o77C9epx-VM

― Two Spocks Clash (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 2 July 2020 22:15 (five years ago)

lol i've never seen the mr benn version

― mark s, Thursday, 2 July 2020 22:29 (five years ago)

v deep cut, only one series, 13 eps 1971-72

― mark s, Thursday, 2 July 2020 22:31 (five years ago)

Seems there were books before the BBC version.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr_Benn

― Two Spocks Clash (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 4 July 2020 14:42 (five years ago)

Here is the "Watching the Detectives" session demo version of this song mentioned upthread:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTSZUw8PTy8

― Two Spocks Clash (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 4 July 2020 14:46 (five years ago)

So is that Steve Goulding on drums? Anyway, boy does that underscore what an incredible band the Attractions were. They brought so many ideas and so much personality.

― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 4 July 2020 15:00 (five years ago)

Yes, Steve Goulding on drums and Andrew Bodnar on bass.

― Two Spocks Clash (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 4 July 2020 15:34 (five years ago)

still the most baffling 'indefensible' thread on ILM, 'no action' is one of Costello's greatest songs.

― akm, Saturday, 4 July 2020 15:45 (five years ago)

very bizarre claim at top of thread that the Attractions had a bad rhythm section

― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Saturday, 4 July 2020 15:59 (five years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYmVfF3WX_Q

― Two Spocks Clash (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 4 July 2020 16:22 (five years ago)

I always thought the thread was a joke thread.

― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 4 July 2020 16:26 (five years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9f6JEi3ZuE

― Lipstick O.G. (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 4 July 2020 16:30 (five years ago)

A fantastically sequenced album from start to finish, No Action is perfect, w the actual f

― PaulTMA, Saturday, 4 July 2020 17:10 (five years ago)

one month passes...

Watched the RRHOF induction recently. Shocked and stunned.

― Isinglass Ponys (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 28 August 2020 13:25 (five years ago)

Of EC & the Attractions. SIr Elton's speech was good, Elvis's too. The bad energy with Bruce Thomas made the skin crawl. Then the Imposters played instead of the Atttractions.

― Isinglass Ponys (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 28 August 2020 13:28 (five years ago)

The demo version posted a little ways up sounds like Buddy Holly.

― TO BE A JAZZ SINGER YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SCAT (Jazzbo), Friday, 28 August 2020 13:29 (five years ago)

That makes me think I would like to hear EC and Richard Thompson do "Learning the Game."

― Two Little Hit Parades (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 28 August 2020 13:34 (five years ago)

It's really quite remarkable when you compare his demos to the band versions how many of his early songs are relatively early rock and roll simple, in terms of chords and whatnot. Early Beatles, Buddy Holly or whomever. The band brings so much.

― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 28 August 2020 13:36 (five years ago)

Yeah, trying to think of a comparable matchup, coming up with lint.

― Two Little Hit Parades (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 28 August 2020 13:58 (five years ago)

This interview is good: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/11/magazine/elvis-costello-looks-back.html

― Two Little Hit Parades (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 28 August 2020 14:00 (five years ago)

ten months pass...

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-latin/elvis-costello-this-years-model-spanish-1197730
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kc_MYgfqHXI

― Two Severins Clash (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 19 July 2021 17:57 (four years ago)

is there a more wrong thread title/opening post than this on ILX?

― akm, Monday, 19 July 2021 19:45 (four years ago)

It was an April Fool, as the OP eventually confirms.

― mike t-diva, Monday, 19 July 2021 19:55 (four years ago)

So Nina Diaz singer/guitarist of Girl in a Coma is gonna do the Spanish language version

― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 21 July 2021 15:48 (four years ago)

Good, bad or otherwise...this is so very true.

“Initially I was just sort of shocked,” Krys says, remembering his reaction when Costello brought the concept to him. “And then I started thinking about it. One of the things I’ve always loved about Elvis as an artist is that he really follows the music and not necessarily what people expect."

― earlnash, Wednesday, 21 July 2021 15:54 (four years ago)

two months pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8swSoxoaryw

― Spiral Scratchiti (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 11 October 2021 00:04 (four years ago)

The Rhumba remake, wasn't far off after all...

― Mark G, Monday, 11 October 2021 12:34 (four years ago)

was wondering if he'd do ~that~ line but it looks like he rewrote the entire verse?

― frogbs, Monday, 11 October 2021 14:30 (four years ago)

five months pass...

Released on this day in 1978.

― Mardi Gras Mambo Sun (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 18 March 2022 01:20 (three years ago)

My favorite EC album and still one of my very favorites. It's been reissued way too many times, remastered with more and ore compression but usually baited with different bonuses.

They remastered it yet again last year with only "Radio Radio" and "Big Tears" as a bonus, but it's actually the best it's ever sounded in digital by a good margin. (One caveat - "Big Tears" sounds like it has some unfortunate tape damage that wasn't present on previous releases. Everything else sounds great though.)

Otherwise, among the bonuses, Rhino's reissue still "looks" the nicest with the best print quality, full liner notes, and an extra disc of bonuses. Hip-O or Universal has a deluxe set that added a great February 1978 Washington D.C. show as a bonus, and IMHO it challenges Hollywood High as the best show on that tour (arguably the best tour they ever did).

No CD reissue completely duplicates the original LP pressing's cover, which intentionally made it look like the cover sleeve was printed off-center with color bars exposed to one side. MFSL did with their vinyl reissue but it used the altered, shorter U.S. album tracklist.

Avoid the Rykodisc CD, it's now the most worthless one due to redundancy and poor mastering. (For starters, they used the master for "Living in Paradise.")

― birdistheword, Friday, 18 March 2022 14:44 (three years ago)

*more and more

― birdistheword, Friday, 18 March 2022 14:44 (three years ago)

*they used the wrong master for "Living in Paradise"

― birdistheword, Friday, 18 March 2022 14:45 (three years ago)

and you're already lookin for another
fooooooool like me

― roflrofl fight (voodoo chili), Friday, 18 March 2022 14:51 (three years ago)

otm

― Mardi Gras Mambo Sun (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 18 March 2022 14:54 (three years ago)

two weeks pass...

It's that time of year again.

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2022 00:31 (three years ago)

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