2000 Great Songs #1403: Veronica

While I've continued to check out anything new Elvis Costello puts out right through the present day, I tend to view his first six albums as untouchable, and the balance as hit and miss with moments of greatness. That said, he could still work the occasional miracle to remind you that he's one of rock & roll's greatest songwriters, and "Veronica," off 1989's Spike, is clearly one of those magical tracks (boosted in part by co-writer Paul McCartney, though it's hard to say how much he contributed).

I haven't returned to the rest of the album much since then--it's not bad, just never wowed me--but I'm always delighted when "Veronica" shows up on shuffle play or on the radio or, frankly, anywhere. The wonderfully sentimental and heartwarming tale of an elderly woman in her twilight years, not your typical rock & roll lyrical fare, is stunning from start to finish, and by the time she mutters "you can call me any name that you want, but my name is Veronica," you can't help but give her a little cheer. 

Album version:

Acoustic live 1999:

Cover by David Myhr (of power pop band The Merrymakers):

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