High Fidelity (song)

In his autobiography, Costello described "High Fidelity" as, "an incredibly sad, delusion of a song, in which a couple find themselves in different rooms with different lovers, one of them still irrationally believing their pledge will endure both the initial faithlessness and the solace of revenge."{{cite book | author=Elvis Costello |title=Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink |year=2016 | publisher = Blue Rider Press|isbn=978-0399185762|pages=242}} Costello reflected on the song, "This amoral tale might have over-done the self pity had it not been for the comical drunkenness of the singer."{{cite book |last1=Costello |first1=Elvis |title=Girls Girls Girls [CD booklet] |publisher=Brentford: Demon Records}} Like many other songs on Get Happy!!, "High Fidelity" references Motown; the opening line of the song, "Some things you never get used to", is a reference to the song of the same name by Diana Ross & the Supremes.{{cite web| work= The Independent| title=Simon Price on pop: Elvis Costello's army bares its soul once more|author=Simon Price | date=8 June 2013| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/simon-price-on-pop-elvis-costellos-army-bares-its-soul-once-more-8650731.html}}

Costello's personal and public struggles inspired the disillusionment of the song's lyrics; he explained, "By the middle of 1979, when almost all of my alibis and excuses had been stripped away and both my personal and professional life were in complete disarray, I wrote [the lyrics to 'High Fidelity']." In the liner notes to Get Happy!!, Costello cited "High Fidelity" as an example of a song that reflected his "three years of misadventure" in the limelight.{{Cite AV media notes| title = Get Happy!!| title-link = Get Happy!! (Elvis Costello album)| others = Elvis Costello| year = 2003| type = Liner notes}}

"High Fidelity" was first played as a "lumbering" version on the 1979 American Armed Funk tour.{{cite book |author=Tony Clayton-Lea |title=Elvis Costello: A Biography |year=1999 |publisher=Fromm Intl |isbn=978-0880642354 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/elviscostellobio00clay/page/67 67] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/elviscostellobio00clay/page/67 }} An early live version of the song later appeared as a bonus track on the 2003 Get Happy!! reissue. Costello stated that this version "records our attempts to play the song after the fashion of David Bowie's Station to Station album." Of the finished version, Costello later said, "This is a pretty exciting record. It's very raw singing and a great rhythm track. We cut it in Holland, where we had nothing else to do but go mad in the studio."{{cite magazine| magazine= Rolling Stone | title=Elvis Costello: My Life in 10 Songs|author=David Fricke| date=12 October 2015| url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/elvis-costello-my-life-in-10-songs-20151012/high-fidelity-1980-20151009}}

"High Fidelity" was released as the second single from Get Happy!! after "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down." The single's B-side featured a version of Betty Everett's "Getting Mighty Crowded" recorded during the Get Happy!! sessions as well as an early, slower version of "Clowntime Is Over." The release of the single was accompanied by a music video, of which Costello said, "Nice dance routine with this one!" The single was a modest commercial success in the UK, reaching number 30 on the UK Singles Chart over a stay of five weeks.{{cite web |title=Elvis Costello |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/16558/elvis-costello/ |website=Official Charts |access-date=17 February 2019}}{{cite book| first= David| last= Roberts| year= 2006| title= British Hit Singles & Albums| edition= 19th| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London| isbn= 1-904994-10-5| pages= 122–3}} The single would be the last in a string of eight straight UK Top 30 singles that Costello had charted.

Since its release, "High Fidelity" has appeared on several compilation albums, including Girls Girls Girls, The Very Best of Elvis Costello and The Attractions 1977–86, The Very Best of Elvis Costello, and The Best of Elvis Costello: The First 10 Years.

Since its release, "High Fidelity" has seen critical acclaim. Reviewed at the time of release, Rolling Stone said, "Even as Costello whispers menacingly, the tune's tense, martial beat propels him toward the inevitable realization that he doesn't have any choice. He accepts his fate, yet he isn't resigned to it. Not by a long shot."{{cite magazine| magazine= Rolling Stone | title=Elvis Costello happy? Of course not|author=Tom Carson | issue=315|date=17 April 1980}} AllMusic declared it a "full-fledged masterpiece,"{{cite web| work= AllMusic | title=Get Happy!!|author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/get-happy%21%21-mw0000460161}} while Trouser Press wrote, {{"'}}High Fidelity' is a dynamic song (with a bit of Four Tops sound) delivered with convincing grit and wit, and stands as one of Get Happy!!'s high spots."{{cite magazine| magazine= Trouser Press | title=Get Less Anxious|author=Ira Robbins | issue=50|date=May 1980}}

Martin Chilton of The Daily Telegraph ranked the song number 28 on his top 40 list of best Costello songs.{{cite news |last1=Chilton |first1=Martin |title=28 - High Fidelity. Elvis Costello's 40 Best Songs |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=26 August 2015 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/artists/elvis-costello-40-best-songs/high-fidelity/ |publisher=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=13 May 2020}} Brett Milano of uDiscoverMusic listed the song in the "Fan Favorites" section of the 20 best Elvis Costello songs, writing, {{"'}}High Fidelity” earns a place here as Costello's most danceable track. Fueled by amphetamines and vintage vinyl, he and the Attractions jumped into 60s soul for the 20-track epic Get Happy!!, and with this tune, they proved they could do a Motown groove with the best of them."{{cite web |last1=Milano |first1=Brett |title=Best Elvis Costello Songs: 20 Shape-Shifting Classics {{!}} uDiscover |url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/best-elvis-costello-songs/ |website=uDiscover Music |access-date=7 September 2020 |date=25 August 2020}}

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Category:Elvis Costello songs

Category:1980 singles

Category:Songs written by Elvis Costello

Category:Song recordings produced by Nick Lowe