Get Happy!! (Elvis Costello album)

Get Happy!!
Three images of a young man with glasses and coat overlaid with geometric shapes against an orange background. The words "Elvis Costello and the Attractions" and "Get Happy!!" appear.
Studio album by
Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Released15 February 1980 (1980-02-15)
RecordedOctober 1979
Studio
Genre
Length48:08
Label
ProducerNick Lowe
Elvis Costello and the Attractions chronology
Armed Forces
(1979) 		Get Happy!!
(1980) 		Taking Liberties
(1980)
Singles from Get Happy!!
  1. "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down"
    Released: 8 February 1980
  2. "High Fidelity"
    Released: 4 April 1980
  3. "New Amsterdam"
    Released: June 1980

Get Happy!! is the fourth studio album by the English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello, and his third with the Attractions — keyboardist Steve Nieve, bassist Bruce Thomas and drummer Pete Thomas (no relation). It was released on 15 February 1980 through F-Beat Records in the United Kingdom and Columbia Records in the United States. Produced by Nick Lowe and engineered by Roger Béchirian, the sessions began in London but moved to the Netherlands after Costello found the material derivative of his previous album, Armed Forces (1979). The sessions were problematic but resulted in a large number of songs; the final album contains 20 tracks across a single LP.

A departure from Costello's prior works, Get Happy!! was influenced by R&B, ska and soul music of the 1960s. Two cover songs are included: Sam & Dave's "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" and the Merseybeats' "I Stand Accused". In contrast to the upbeat music, the mostly downbeat lyrics concern doomed romances and other recurring themes. Initial album sleeves reversed the side listings, which was corrected for later reissues. The cover art reflects the soul influence and was designed to resemble a 1960s Stax record, with the UK release featuring a pre-worn sleeve image.

Initially delayed due to a dispute with Warner Bros. and Costello's former label, Radar Records, Get Happy!! charted at No. 2 in the UK and No. 11 in the US, but sold less than Armed Forces. It was supported by a UK tour and three singles, of which "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" reached the UK top five. The album received positive reviews from music critics. Many focused on the quantity of tracks, which they felt varied in quality, although others gave high praise to the record and to Costello himself. It is retrospectively viewed as one of his best works. Appearing on lists of the best albums of the 1980s, it has been reissued multiple times with bonus tracks.

  1. ^ Thomson 2004, chap. 6.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference ryko was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


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