SONG TITLE: PILLS AND SOAP
PERFORMER: ELVIS COSTELLO
SONGWRITER: ELVIS COSTELLO
YEAR OF RELEASE: 1983
COMMENTS: Here's the perfect pop song. It is a classic pop song: catchy
singable chorus ("What would you say,..."), rhythm hooks aplenty (the
handclaps, for one), everything to make you hum it and clap your hands later
walking down the street, as I have done repeatedly.
Only, it's a pop song for maybe, like, an Alfred Hitchcock movie. The main
vocal melody is low pitched and cold. (The echo chamber effect on the
vocals
is nice.) Speaking quietly and calmly, but too even pitched - something's
wrong. The real expression of fucked-upness comes from Steve Nieve and his
gently and subtly disturbed keyboards. Again, Nieve's Norman Bates keyboards
are a whole layer of hooks in themselves. Tasty ear candy - with razor
blades in it.
As to the lyrics. Despite Elvis' reputation as a wordsmith, this song is
definitely here because of the melody and arrangement, cause these words
don't really add up. There are several well realized horror scenarios,
such
as the ghoulish media scene. Especially, the central image: "Children
and
animals two by two. Give me the needle, give me the rope: we're going to melt
them down for pills and soap." That's a very nicely perverted invocation of
Noah's ark. There are numerous nicely gruesome lyrical hooks. But
what's
the point? Is it supposed to be that Reagan and Thatcher are killing the
poor people, or some such nonsense? Please. Whatever it is, it is not
really
very clear.
However, I would advise leaving a wide berth between you and the very
disturbed person dreaming this nightmare.
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