I love you – Elvis Costello and the confusion of love

Love is a sentiment that has confused humans since the Neanderthal’s first sidelong glance through the campfire, and in his 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 his lover just a little bit more than he wants to kill her. As is customary with Elvis, the lyrics are also beautifully written, showcasing the man’s talent. They are also much more direct than the usual Costello lyrics, and may have been inspired by the actual circumstances in his life.

When he was a kid, Elvis’s parents had some problems, and this eventually led to the father getting another wife. It seems that this may have been quite difficult for young Elvis to accept, but again, it seems that almost all geniuses have some kind of skeleton in their 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’ actual 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 soon after, Elvis Costello broke this relationship and was reunited with his wife and son. As the lyrics to ‘I Want You’ aptly describe, Elvis Costello really couldn’t forget his wife, hence the song to immortalize this sentiment.

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 another angle. With this composer’s sleight of hand, Elvis Costello turns what could be a boring and monotonous repetition exercise into a fascinating masterclass in creative arts.

With the dazzling 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 Recordsbut then he rejected it simply because, in his opinion, it wasn’t much. 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 great success.