Out of Our Idiot

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Out of Our Idiot" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (November 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

|

1987 compilation album by Elvis Costello

Out of Our Idiot

Compilation album by

Elvis Costello

Released| 4 December 1987
Recorded| 1979–87
Genre| New wave, post-punk, alternative rock
Length| 70:34 (CD)
56:50 (LP)
Label| Demon
Producer| Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Colin Fairley, the Mono-Kings, the Coward Brothers, Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley, Allen Toussaint, J. Henry "T-Bone" Burnett, Larry Hirsch
Elvis Costello chronology
| Blood and Chocolate
(1986)  | Out of Our Idiot
(1987)  | Spike
(1989)

|
|

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
Allmusic| [1]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music| [2]
New Musical Express| 8/10[3]

Out of Our Idiot is a compilation album by English musician Elvis Costello, released in 1987 through Demon Records in the United Kingdom.[4][5] It is composed of rare and previously unreleased Costello recordings dating back to 1979. It was only available as an import in the USA and other markets. The album was credited to "Various Artists" rather than to Costello because the tracks were recorded and credited under a variety of names, including The Costello Show, Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Elvis Costello and the Confederates, The Coward Brothers, Napoleon Dynamite, The Emotional Toothpaste and The MacManus Gang.[5] The songs featured a variety of collaborators, including Jimmy Cliff, Nick Lowe and T-Bone Burnett.[5]

## Content[edit]

The album consisted of previously released tracks and alternate versions of released tracks.[5] The one song that had never been released in any form prior to Out of Our Idiot was Costello with the Attractions' cover of "So Young". "Little Goody Two Shoes" was an early version of "Inch by Inch".[6]

## Track listing[edit]

All songs written by Elvis Costello except as indicated.

### CD version[edit]

1. "Seven Day Weekend" (Costello, Jimmy Cliff) – 2:37
2. "Turning The Town Red" – 3:20
3. "Heathen Town" – 3:06
4. "The People's Limousine" (Costello, T-Bone Burnett) – 3:38
5. "So Young" (Joe Camilleri, Tony Faehse, Jeff Burstin) – 3:27
6. "Little Goody Two Shoes" – 2:27
7. "American Without Tears No. 2" – (Declan MacManus) 3:34
8. "Get Yourself Another Fool" (Frank Haywood, Ernest Tucker) – 4:02
9. "Walking on Thin Ice" (Yoko Ono) – 3:42
10. "Withered And Died" (Richard Thompson) – 3:13
11. "Blue Chair" (single version) (Declan MacManus) – 3:39
12. "Baby It's You" (Burt Bacharach, Mack David, Barney Williams) – 3:15
13. "From Head To Toe" (Smokey Robinson) – 2:34
14. "Shoes Without Heels" (Declan MacManus) – 4:15
15. "Baby's Got A Brand New Hairdo" (Declan MacManus) – 3:21
16. "The Flirting Kind" – 2:58
17. "Black Sails in the Sunset" – 3:09
18. "A Town Called Big Nothing" – 5:44
19. "Big Sister" – 2:16
20. "Imperial Bedroom" (demo version)[citation needed] – 2:47
21. "The Stamping Ground" (demo version)[citation needed] – 3:10

### LP version[edit]

### Side one[edit]

1. "Seven Day Weekend"
2. "Turning the Town Red"
3. "Heathen Town"
4. "The People's Limousine"
5. "So Young"
6. "American Without Tears No. 2"
7. "Get Yourself Another Fool"
8. "Walking on Thin Ice"

### Side two[edit]

1. "Blue Chair"
2. "Baby It's You"
3. "From Head to Toe"
4. "Shoes Without Heels"
5. "Baby's Got a Brand New Hairdo"
6. "The Flirting Kind"
7. "Black Sails in the Sunset"
8. "Imperial Bedroom"
9. "The Stamping Ground"

## Release[edit]

Two versions of Out of Our Idiot were released, a 17-track vinyl LP, and a 21-track CD. Tracks 6, 10, 18, and 19 on the CD were not included on the vinyl release. With the exception of "Little Goody Two Shoes", all of the tracks on Out of Our Idiot were later released as bonus tracks on individual albums when Costello's pre-1987 catalogue was re-released on CD on the Rykodisc and Rhino labels. An alternate version of "Little Goody Two Shoes" was included on the Imperial Bedroom bonus disc.

## Personnel[edit]

### Elvis Costello (solo)[edit]

* ("American Without Tears No. 2 (Twilight Version)", "Blue Chair", "Baby It's You")
* Elvis Costello – guitar, vocals
* Nick Lowe – bass, vocals (on "Baby It's You")
* T-Bone Burnett – rhythm guitar (on "Blue Chair")
* Tom "T-Bone" Wolk – bass (on "Blue Chair")
* Steve Nieve – keyboards (on "Blue Chair")
* Mickey Curry – drums (on "Blue Chair")

### The Coward Brothers[edit]

* ("The People's Limousine")
* Elvis Costello – lead guitar, vocals (as "Howard Coward")
* T-Bone Burnett – rhythm guitar, vocals (as "Henry Coward")
* David Miner – bass
* Ron Tutt – drums

### Elvis Costello and the Attractions[edit]

* ("Seven Day Weekend", "Turning the Town Red", "Heathen Town", "So Young", "Get Yourself Another Fool", "Walking on Thin Ice", "From Head to Toe", "The Flirting Kind", "Black Sails in the Sunset")
* Elvis Costello – guitar, vocals
* Steve Nieve – keyboards
* Bruce Thomas – bass
* Pete Thomas – drums
* Jimmy Cliff – vocals (on "Seven Day Weekend")
* TKO Horns – horns (on "Walking on Thin Ice")

### Elvis Costello and the Confederates[edit]

* ("Shoes Without Heels")
* Elvis Costello – guitar, vocals
* James Burton – guitar
* Jerry Scheff – bass
* Ron Tutt – drums

### The Costello Show, featuring the Attractions[edit]

* ("Baby's Got a Brand New Hairdo")

### Napoleon Dynamite and the Royal Guard[edit]

* ("Imperial Bedroom")
* Elvis Costello – guitar, vocals
* Gary Barnacle – tenor & baritone saxophone
* Annie Whitehead – trombone

### The Emotional Toothpaste[edit]

* ("The Stamping Ground")
* Elvis Costello – guitar, vocals

## References[edit]

1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Out of Our Idiot – Elvis Costello". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
2. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). "Costello, Elvis". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
3. ^ Romney, Jonathan (5 December 1987). "Various Artists: Out Of Our Idiot". New Musical Express. p. 31.
4. ^ Chris Willman (6 March 1988). "A Cache of Costello Collectibles". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
5. ^ a b c d Snow, Mat (5 March 1991). "Q&A". Q Magazine. 55: 34.
6. ^ "little goody two shoes "Inch by Inch" elvis costello - Google Search". www.google.com. Retrieved 4 November 2021.

* v
* t
* e

Elvis Costello

* Discography

* The Imposters: Steve Nieve
* Pete Thomas
* Davey Faragher

* The Attractions: Steve Nieve
* Pete Thomas
* Bruce Thomas

Studio albums|

* My Aim Is True
* This Year's Model
* Armed Forces
* Get Happy!!
* Trust
* Almost Blue
* Imperial Bedroom
* Punch the Clock
* Goodbye Cruel World
* King of America
* Blood & Chocolate
* Spike
* Mighty Like a Rose
* The Juliet Letters
* Brutal Youth
* Kojak Variety
* All This Useless Beauty
* Painted from Memory
* When I Was Cruel
* North
* Il Sogno
* The Delivery Man
* The River in Reverse
* Momofuku
* Secret, Profane & Sugarcane
* National Ransom
* Wise Up Ghost
* Look Now
* Hey Clockface
* The Boy Named If

Live albums|

* Live at the El Mocambo
* Deep Dead Blue
* Costello & Nieve
* My Flame Burns Blue
* Live at Hollywood High

Compilations|

* Taking Liberties
* Ten Bloody Marys & Ten How's Your Fathers
* The Best of Elvis Costello and the Attractions
* The Man
* Out of Our Idiot
* Girls Girls Girls
* 2½ Years
* The Very Best of Elvis Costello and The Attractions 1977–86
* Extreme Honey
* Costello Album (bootleg)
* The Very Best of Elvis Costello
* Cruel Smile
* The Best of Elvis Costello: The First 10 Years
* The Songs of Bacharach & Costello

Singles|

* "Less Than Zero"
* "Alison"
* "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes"
* "Watching the Detectives"
* "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea"
* "Pump It Up"
* "This Year's Girl"
* "Radio Radio"
* "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding"
* "Oliver's Army"
* "Accidents Will Happen"
* "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down"
* "High Fidelity"
* "New Amsterdam"
* "Clubland"
* "From a Whisper to a Scream"
* "Watch Your Step"
* "A Good Year for the Roses"
* "Sweet Dreams"
* "You Little Fool"
* "Man Out of Time"
* "Everyday I Write the Book"
* "The Only Flame in Town"
* "Green Shirt"
* "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"
* "I Want You"
* "Blue Chair"
* "Veronica"
* "The Other Side of Summer"
* "Sulky Girl"
* "13 Steps Lead Down"
* "London's Brilliant Parade"
* "The Other End of the Telescope"
* "You Bowed Down"
* "She"
* "45"
* "Brilliant Mistake"
* "Complicated Shadows"

Other songs|

* "Welcome to the Working Week"
* "Lipstick Vogue"
* "Senior Service"
* "Stranger in the House"
* "Girls Talk"
* "Riot Act"
* "New Lace Sleeves"
* "Beyond Belief"
* "Almost Blue"
* "Shipbuilding"
* "Indoor Fireworks"
* "Jack of All Parades"
* "Suit of Lights"
* "I Hope You're Happy Now"
* "Next Time Round"

Collaborations|

* Terror & Magnificence
* The Sweetest Punch
* For the Stars
* Lost on the River: The New Basement Tapes
* The Resurrection of Rust

Scores|

* G.B.H.
* Jake's Progress

Other works / related articles|

* Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink
* Live Stiffs Live
* Now Ain't the Time for Your Tears
* Bespoke Songs, Lost Dogs, Detours & Rendezvous

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template