Elvis Costello Quotes

And I'm up while the dawn is breaking, even though my heart is aching. I should be drinking a toast to absent friends instead of these comedians.

There's always something that's smoldering somewhere
I know it don't make a difference to you But oh! It sure made a difference to me You'll see me off in the distance, I hope At the other end At the other end of the telescope.

Don't put your heart out on your sleeve, When your remarks are off the cuff - Riot Act from Get Happy

Death wears a big hat.

What shall we do, what shall we do with all this useless beauty?

These are the sort of things that push you on in music — the curiosity, a passion for new ideas. It's important to keep restoring that, and at the same time, hold on to the core things about music that whenever you pick the simplest form of instrument; guitar or piano, you can find a song that's worthwhile.

Oh I used to be disgusted and now I try to be amused. But since their wings have got rusted, you know, the angels wanna wear my red shoes.

A senior BBC music programmer smarmed up to me and took this opportunity to remind me of my diminished status in his petty universe, “Of course, you’d have had a lot more hits if you’d just taken out all the sevenths and minor chords.” I suppose I would have had even more, if I’d only taken out all of the music entirely and most of the words, too.

"I wish you luck with a capital "F"."

Well there's a line that you must toe and it'll soon be time to go but it's darker than you know in those Complicated Shadows

It was a real party of swells.

Who put these fingerprints on my imagination?

It's the damage that we do and never know. It's the words that we don't say that scare me so.

I believe that music is connected by human passions and curiosities rather than by marketing strategies.

A lot of pop music has come out of people failing to copy their model and accidentally creating something new. The closer you get to your ideal, the less original you sound.