Elvis Costello - Radio Silence

First performance: 25/09/2009

Coverinfo

Bruce performed the song only once:
 
 
2009-09-25 Apollo Theater, New York City, NY 
 
Taping for Elvis Costello’s "Spectacle" Bruce plays a Radio medley with full band: Bruce, Roy and Nils plus Elvis Costello & the Imposters. Plenty of discussion between Costello and Springsteen. The song was part of a medley that included Radio Silence (snippet, sung by Elvis Costello), followed by Radio nowhere, partial, sung by Bruce, followed by Radio Radio (snippet, sung by Elvis Costello). Bruce was backed by Roy Bittan and Nils Lofgren on "Wild Billy's Circus Story". "American Skin (41 Shots)" is Bruce solo. "Galveston Bay" is Bruce and Roy. Elvis Costello sings "Black Ladder" and "Brilliant Disguise" with Bruce and Nils backing. "I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down", "Seeds", and the Radio medley are full band: Bruce, Roy and Nils plus Elvis Costello & the Imposters. Costello also performed Springsteen's "Point Blank" with the Imposters. "Spectacle" : "Elvis Costello with..." is a UK/Canadian television series that was shown on Channel 4 in the UK, CTV in Canada. The show features intimate interviews between the host, Elvis Costello, and various musical guests intertwined with performances by Costello and the guests, separately and together.Elvis Costello ’s spectacle.
 
 
 
 

Songinfo

"Radio Silence" is a song taken from Elvis Costello’s album "when I was cruel". "When I Was Cruel" is Elvis Costello's 19th album, recorded in 2001 and 2002 and released in the US by Island Records on 23 April 2002. Although formally credited as solo Costello album, this was the first album to feature his new band, The Imposters. Their only difference from his previous band, The Attractions (active 1977-87 and 1994–96), was the replacement of bassist Bruce Thomas, with whom Costello had feuded, with Davey Faragher.
 
 
 

Other cover versions

Bruce on the artist

Elvis Costello and Bruce Springsteen:
Their history together : www.njarts.net
 
2009-09-25 Apollo Theater, New York City 
Officially released on DVD and Blu-ray as Spectacle: Elvis Costello with… (Season 2). 
Appearing on the "Spectacle: Elvis Costello With …" television show in 2009, Springsteen said:
" Elvis’ first three records were a hurricane. He’s made great ones, since, all of ’em. But you had the perfect storm, the first three records … It was just like, ‘Whoah.’ "
 
 
Bruce performed 8 times live with Elvis Costello
 
Brucebase: click here

2012-10-16 Hammerstein Ballroom, New York City
2009-11-07 Madison Square Garden, New York City
2009-09-25 Apollo Theater, New York City
2006-02-08 Staples Center, Los Angeles
2003-02-23 Madison Square Garden, New York City
2001-12-08 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ
1987-09-30 Cocoanut Grove, Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles
1984-04-29 Warfield Theatre, San Francisco
 
 
Costello first released his version of Springsteen’s "Brilliant Disguise" as the B-side of his "It’s Time" single in 1996. It was also on the 2003 compilation, Light of Day: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen.
 
 
   

Lyrics

Signal fading, listen to what I'm saying
Testing, testing
This better be worth all of the breath I'm wasting
Maintaining radio silence from now on

Barricaded in the talk radio station
Hostage taken
The red "On-Air" light shines on
Something cheaper that passes for free speech will have to do

Hear him coming through loud and clear
He's trickling in your ear
He'll tell you anything you want to hear

Tape starts running
He's going to tell you something
String starts strumming
Another humdrum conundrum
Signing off now
Maintaining radio silence from now on

But there's one thing I should have said
"The hostage will end up dead"
It's just a comedy
The hostage is me

So pay the ransom
Beyond the run-out groove
And get my wife down here
A helicopter on the roof
No police marksman
Maintaining radio silence from now on

Mystery voices
Drowned out by too much choice
That's not to mention
The sad waste of this wonderful invention
Maintaining radio silence from now on

Libraries filled up with failed ideas
There's nothing more for me there
I trust in tender ink and gentle airs

Do those drug dealers still polish women made of wax?
Gangsters and world leaders
Require the same protection from attack
From a distance it's hard to tell the difference
Between a king and a jack
And a poet and a hack
Maintaining radio silence from now on