"Alison" is the fifth track on Elvis Costello's first album, My Aim Is True, released in 1977. As "Alison" was recorded before Elvis Costello and the Attractions formed, his backing band on the track was Clover. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked it No. 318 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and Entertainment Weekly voted it as one of Costello's top 10 greatest tunes.[1]The song features in the film Adaptation. (2002). The line "my aim is true" gives the album its title.
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[hide] *1 Background
Background[edit][]
Costello has divulged little on the meaning of the song other than to say that it is about "disappointing somebody"[2] and to deny suggestions that the lines "somebody better put out the big light" and "my aim is true" refer to murder. He has also declined to reveal who the song is about, writing in the liner notes for Girls Girls Girls, "Much could be undone by saying more."[3] The chorus is based on "Ghetto Child" by The Detroit Spinners.[4]
Release[edit][]
"Alison" was released as a single in the United Kingdom with a B-side of "Welcome to the Working Week" and as two singles in the United States; one with a mono version of the same song on the B-side, the other with "Miracle Man".
The US (and Canadian) single versions of "Alison" are unique in that someone at CBS in the US decided to add synth-strings, background singers and echo to the song.
Covers[edit][]
Linda Ronstadt recorded a version of "Alison" on her album Living in the USA, in 1978, which sold over 2 million copies. Released as the disc's fourth single, it hit No. 30 in the United States and No. 66 in the United Kingdom. Years later, Costello joked that he might have been publicly derisive of Ronstadt's version, "but I didn't mind spending the money that she earned me".[5]Costello donated royalties from Ronstadt's version to the African National Congress after she played at Sun City in South Africa.[citation needed]
Everything but the Girl recorded an acoustic version on their Covers E.P., which was also included on their album Acoustic. The song also played a role in the movie Get Over It.
Butch Walker recorded a live version on his EP Cover Me Badd (2005) during his acoustic solo tour 2004.
Brandon Boyd (the lead singer of Incubus) covered the song for GAP's Favorite Songs album (2005).
Costello and Billie Joe Armstrong, of Green Day, played the song live together on VH1 Classic's "Decades Rock Live". The performance originally aired on 19 May 2006.