photo: Mary McCartney

Elvis Costello

“Edith and The Kingpin”

From Joni Mitchell’s 1975 The Hissing of Summer Lawns

LISTEN TO ELVIS’ VERSION

LISTEN TO JONI'S ORIGINAL

“Edith and the Kingpin” always seemed to me to have a cinematic quality. I tried to write an orchestration that underscored many of the images in the lyric.

Acknowledging Joni Mitchell’s collaboration with Charles Mingus, there is a musical allusion to Mingus’ “Better Git It In Your Soul” during the verse that begins, “Edith in his bed...”

The arrangement was written eight years ago but the recording was completely live in now the defunct Westside Studio, London. The ensemble; Bass Clarinet, Bb clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Alto Flute, Flugel Horn, French Horns, Double Bass, and Vibraphone was conducted by myself, as I sang the song. You can probably tell that I did not use a baton!

- Elvis Costello
elviscostello.com