Mighty Like a Rose is the 13th studio album by the British rock singer and songwriter Elvis Costello, released in 1991 on compact disc as Warner Brothers 26575. The title is presumably a reference to the pop standard "Mighty Lak' a Rose", and although that song does not appear on the album, the words of its first stanza are quoted in the booklet of the 2002 reissue.Costello, Elvis. Mighty Like A Rose. Rhino Records R2 78189, 2002, liner notes. It peaked at No. 5 on the UK Albums Chart, and at No. 55 on the Billboard 200.
Content The album was initially intended to be released under Costello's birth name, Declan MacManus, as the singer had grown tired of the Elvis Costello pseudonym. Record label pressures, however, won the day and the release was as an Elvis Costello record.
Mighty Like a Rose continues in the vein of Costello's previous album Spike from 1989, although with Mitchell Froom taking over the producer's chair from T Bone Burnett. This time, the tracks were recorded in one location, Ocean Way in Hollywood, with orchestral and vocal overdubs taking place at Westside Studios in London. Two more songs from his collaboration with Paul McCartney appear, "Playboy to a Man" and a song selected as a single, "So Like Candy".
Costello refers to this as an angry record, recorded in the aftermath of the Gulf War. The opening track, "The Other Side of Summer" was designed as a Beach Boys pastiche after their style in the early 1970s. The track "Invasion Hit Parade" features a trumpet solo by Costello's father, Ross MacManus. The album also features "Broken", a song written by his wife at the time, Cait O'Riordan, to whom the album is dedicated.
The lead single, "The Other Side of Summer", peaked at No. 43 on the UK Singles Chart. Although it missed the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, it reached No. 1 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart and No. 40 on the Album Rock Tracks chart. The second single, "So Like Candy", did not chart in either nation.
Release history The album was released initially on compact disc in 1991. As part of the Rhino Records reissue campaign for Costello's back catalogue from Demon/Columbia and Warners, it was re-released in 2002 with 17 additional tracks on a bonus disc. Several of these were recorded at Costello's home.
Track listing
Personnel Declan MacManus – acoustic guitar, bass guitar, electric guitar, maracas, keyboards Mitchell Froom – organ, celeste, harmonium Larry Knechtel – organ, piano, Hammond organ, clavinet Marc Ribot – guitar, cornet, rhythm guitar, horn Jerry Scheff – electric bass, electric guitar Jim Keltner – drums, percussion
Additional personnel
Lionel Batiste – drums Nicholas Bucknall – clarinet James Burton – acoustic guitar Gregory Davis – trumpet Andre Findon – flute Steve George – backing vocals Charles Joseph – trombone Kirk Joseph – tuba Roger Lewis – baritone saxophone Ross MacManus – trumpet Jenell Marshall – drums, percussion Richard Morgan – oboe Steve Nieve – keyboards Richard Page – backing vocals Simon Rayner – french horn Steven Soles – backing vocals Benmont Tench – piano Pete Thomas – drums, percussion, castanets, tambourine, bells Efrem Towns – trumpet Rob Wasserman – electric bass Tom "T-Bone" Wolk – bass
Charts Chart (1991)PeakpositionUK Albums Chart5The Billboard 20055
Singles YearSingleChartPosition1991"The Other Side of Summer"UK Singles Chart43Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks40Billboard Modern Rock Tracks1
References
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