2336. “London’s Brilliant Parade” by Elvis Costello
Live:
For a long time, I thought “London’s Brilliant Parade” was a tribute to Costello’s home city in the same way that, say, “Strawberry Fields” was a tribute to a place John Lennon was fond of. There are a number of great English songs about specific locations in England.
A look at the lyrics suggests that its actually lamenting how London has changed - its sort of a nostalgia number! It name drops a number of locations in the great city (notably Hammersmith Palais) with the sense that something has been lost - and replaced with noise, violence and shallowness.
The chorus is, in its own way, sardonically damning: “Just look at me I’m having the time of my life/or something quite like it.”
Well, that’s how I read it.