Starting To Come to Me Interpretation

[whiteknux]

A buddy of mine recently asked me what I thought this song was about. My short answer was that I considered it a fairly typical late period EC song relying on acting/theatre metaphors to call out the target of the song for being a general phony. The narrator is beginning to realize that his general misgivings about the lady in question were valid and are being proven in short order. Would you all agree with me here or am I missing something?

[Poor Deportee]

I always saw it as an off-the-shelf later Elvis number about a much-overused theme of later Elvis, i.e., the turptitude of show business; probably inspired by the music industry despite the device of implying the character is an actress. The key line seems to be 'you'd probably play the pirate [i.e., the rebel] if you weren't so busy digging up the gold:' sell out! There's an underlying argument that both the subject of the song and her understudy prostitute themselves to those in power in order to achieve success. Something like the argument of 'Spooky Girlfriend' and 'You Bowed Down,' come to think of it. And the repetition of a theme that strikes me as self-indulgent to begin with dampens this song's allure for me. The musical vibe, bizzarely, seems too close to 'Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts' for comfort and tends to make me want to play that epically entertaining song, rather than this one.

[Kevin Davis]

A buddy of mine recently asked me what I thought this song was about. My short answer was that I considered it a fairly typical late period EC song relying on acting/theatre metaphors to call out the target of the song for being a general phony. The narrator is beginning to realize that his general misgivings about the lady in question were valid and are being proven in short order. Would you all agree with me here or am I missing something?

I wish I had real-life friends who approached me and asked me for my interpretations of obscure Elvis Costello songs.

[pophead2k]

I always heard the connection musically to the Dylan song PD mentioned as well. Still, when listening to it in context it adds a little zip and fun in an album that has a lot of ballads.

[whiteknux]

Thanks, Poor Deportee! I appreciate the comments! Your reading makes a lot of sense.

[stricttime81]

I happen to like this song a whole lot. Love the wordplay and lyrics, just an enjoyable listen.

[FAVEHOUR]

I like it a lot, too. Great lyrics. The arrangement on the LP was a surprise after hearing it played solo in 1995, that tricked-up Jack of Hearts vibe doesn't do it any favors. Listen to the version on the Costello/Nieve box for the better rendition.

Dave