'I can't stand up for falling down' is missing I hear you cry or 'London's brilliant' is missing you may say to yourself. But the reason is I had to have some qualifying criteria to make this huge project manageable!
Jamie Thompson

Rule No 1
No covers of cover versions!

This is my main rule and I think makes a great deal of sense. So this automatically excludes anything from 'Almost blue' and 'Kojack variety'. This also excludes three of Elvis' biggest UK hits in 'I can't stand up for falling down', 'A good year for the roses' and 'She'. I have also applied this rule to songs such as 'Broken' and some of the stuff on 'The Juliet Letters' that he didnt have a hand in writing.

This rule also excludes quite a lot of B- sides and bonus LP tracks on reissue versions of LPs.


Rule No 2

Elvis must be involved!

Another rule I have applied is that where Elvis has co-wrote a track with another artist he must have either recorded a version himself (e.g 'The other end of the telescope') or he must appear on the recording with them (eg 'God give me strength). This excludes tracks that Elvis has wrote for other artists as well as some of the Paul McCartney tracks in which he doesnt appear.

I have decided to exclude the music wrote for 'G.B.H' and 'Jakes progress' that he co-wrote with Richard Harvey. 'The Juliet letters' stuff wrote/ co-wrote by Elvis is included for the more adventurous of you out there!

This rule weeds out the tracks that Elvis has wrote for other artist but hasn't recorded a version himself. I think this is important as their a lot of tracks that people will not have an Elvis version to use as reference.


Rule No 3

Reissue, Reissue, Repackage!

In the UK there is currently a programme of re-issuing the entire Elvis back catalogue with an extra disc of bonus tracks. Many of these tracks have been available before but in some cases there is some brand new material.

I have decided on this rule as the re-issue programme hasn't finished yet and I think using the 'North' material, as a stopping point is a good idea.


Rule No 4

There are no rules!


I have applied the above to make the list more manageable. If however you really want to record something that I haven't included on the list (that isn't a cover version of a cover version!!) do it!

Please e-mail thecatspyjamas@elvis-costello.net for any omissions, corrections etc

Please e-mail thecatspyjamas@elvis-costello.net for any omissions, corrections etc