My Top 1000 Songs #545: Shabby Doll

[I've been writing up my Top 1000 songs on a daily basis--you can see them all in descending order by hitting the All My Favorite Songs tag.]

In the Introduction to Jittery White Guy Music (still available on Amazon! Makes a great gift for your music nerd friends!), I wrote about my twisted musical brain and my relationship with Elvis Costello's 1982 Imperial Bedroom:

Anyway, yeah, "Beyond Belief" remains the pinnacle of that record (and, for me, the near-pinnacle of Elvis' long & wondrous career). But the jazzy "Shabby Doll" is right there as well, a quiet & haunting flanged-guitar opening, a gentle backdrop for his ridiculous wordplay, cutting loose into a catchy multi-layered sing-along chorus and complex piano-driven jazz workout with astounding bass runs. Another Attractions tour de force. 

Live on tv 1984:

Incredible live duet with Fiona Apple: