Love is a sentiment that has confused humans since the first Neanderthal glanced sideways across the campfire, and in their song “I love you” Elvis Costello captures this confusion very well. These lyrics encapsulate the feelings of a person who is completely confused by love and who misses her lover just a little bit more than he wants to kill her. As usual with Elvis, the lyrics are also beautifully written, showing off the man’s talent. They are also much more direct than Costello’s usual lyrics and may have been inspired by the real circumstances of Costello’s life.
As a child, Elvis’s parents had some problems., and this eventually led the father to get another wife. It sounds like this may have been pretty hard for young Elvis to accept, but then again, it seems almost every genius has some sort of skeleton in his closet. In fact, it can perhaps be argued that he got most of his abilities from his father.
Heritage aside, it can probably be argued that the lyrics to “I Want You” come directly from Elvis’ real love life. At one point, Elvis Costello left his wife and was dating a model named baby buell, and were seen in public many times. However, this relationship did not last long since a short time later, Elvis Costello broke this relationship and met with his wife and his son. As the lyrics to ‘I Want You’ aptly describe, Elvis Costello really couldn’t get over his wife, hence the song to immortalize this feeling.
Structurally, “I Want You” is a very interesting song. The title phrase is repeated over and over again, but the supporting lyrics put a different spin on the meaning of the words, so that each time it reappears, the listener approaches it from a different angle. With this composer’s sleight of hand, Elvis Costello turns what could be a dull, monotonous exercise in repetition into a riveting creative arts masterclass.
With the resplendent talent he was born with, success was always imminent for Elvis, but his persistence is what ultimately turned the tide for him. They offered him a deal island records, but then turned it down simply because, in his opinion, it was no big deal. This self-assurance is one of his most obvious and productive traits. Reflecting on the lyrics of his song ‘I Want You’, it is quite evident that Elvis Costello always knew exactly what he wanted, and this is what really pushed him to achieve great success.
