Declan MacManus, The Comedians and Candy

Okay, look, I KNOW Elvis Costello made that rotten remark about Ray Charles. But that was 30 years go, he apologized for it almost immediately, Ray Charles forgave him, and he has devoted tons of time to Rock Against Racism.  Plus, he's a darn good songwriter, one of our best and most adventurous.  He's been a snarling New Waver and written classical musicals. (Check out the Juliet Letters if you've never heard them.) He's collaborated with Burt Bacharach and Paul McCartney and brought out the lion in both of them.  And he wrote this amazing song that turned out to be weirdly perfect for Roy Orbison.  I heard it again last night after a long absence and realized I had to share it with you.

Enjoy, and then we'll talk some more...

I sat there alone upon the ferris wheel
A pastel colored carriage in the air
I thought youd leave me dangling for a little while
A silly twist upon a childish dare

Below I saw you whispering to another man
Who held the lever that could bring me down
Hed stop the world from turning at your command
Its always something cruel that laughter drowns

And Im up while the dawn is breaking
Even though my heart is aching
I should be drinking a toast
To absent friends
Instead of these comedians

I can hardly hear the music from the carousel
The wind picks up, the carriage starts sway
As one by one the lights go out
Its closing time
I see you take his hand and walk away walk away

They say that you will always be the last to know
They say that all that glitters is not gold
Its not just that youre never coming back to me
Its the bitter way that I was told

And Im up while the dawn is breaking
Even though my heart is aching
I should be drinking a toast
To absent friends
Instead of these comedians

What a nightmare, huh?  The idea of being left by your girlfriend at the top of a Ferris Wheel as all the lights go off and she walks away with this carney guy.  And why "Comedians"?  It's tremendously evocative, but seems like a very strange choice to describe what is happening to this character.  And it's the name of the song!  

We should also give big Kudos to Roy Orbison for covering this song so late in his career. He was alive, he found a piece of new material and he dug into it.  And what a voice.

Here's one of the songs Elvis wrote with Paul McCartney.  It's one of my all time favorites and seeing him perform it here he reminds me a lot of John Lennon.  I wonder if McCartney saw any similarity?

So Like Candy by Elvis Costello and Paul McCartney

Here lies the powder and perfume
The pretty clothes are scattered 'round the room
And it's so like Candy

Here lies the lipstick and the face
The coloured tablets keep it all in place
And it's so like Candy
So like Candy

CHORUS
What did I do to make her go
Why must she be the one
That I have to love
So like Candy

Here lies a picture of a girl
Her arms are tight around that lucky guy
And it's so like Candy

And in her eyes a certain look
I thought I'd seen the last of long ago
And it's so like Candy
So like Candy

CHORUS

I remember the day that picture was taken
We were so happy then
But that's so like Candy
She seemed so sweet to me I was mistaken
Oh no not that again
But that's so like Candy
She just can't face the day
So she turns and melts away

Here lie the records that she scratched
And on the sleeve I find a note attached
And it's so like Candy
"My Darling Dear it's such a waste"
She couldn't say "goodbye", but "I admire your taste"
And it's so like Candy
So like Candy