SHIPBUILDING: An entry from the "college" mix, the entry for the second half of freshman year. Within the last several weeks, I've finally warmed up to Elvis Costello, who, I think, is frequently misunderstood (or I misunderstood him) as essentially a punk rocker with eccentric tastes. Better to understand him as a songwriter on the old Brill Building model who happens to sing his own songs.
"Shipbuilding" requires no apologies, genre or otherwise: it's just a fine song. The entire song goes between usual chord structures and unexpected combinations: Costello's a big fan of the half-step move between chords which, properly employed, pushes against the conventions of pop songwriting. As this version makes clear, that's because it's not a pop song at all (I do not care for how jazzed-up this one is, actually): but the melody is flexible, it takes its time, and it is a joy to play on guitar. So:
(Also, this song is supposedly about the Falklands War. Supposedly.)
"Thou shalt not extinguish thine anger, but shall master it,
that thy conscience may not be blunted by adjustment
to wrong causes."
-The Dutch Ten Commandments to Foil the Nazis
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