Photographs of Fancy Tricks

Elvis Costello and the Attractions : ( I Don't Want to go to) Chelsea

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On April 9, Elvis Costello's first single from This Year's Model, "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea",  peaked at UK #16.

Costello has worked as a white coated computer technician at Elizabeth Arden, next door to the cosmetics factory when he wrote the song taking a contrary view on fashion. He writes about the song in Unfaithful Music and Disappearing Ink:

Early one morning, I snuck my guitar into the office, as I knew I’d be working late into the night. Once everyone else had gone home and I was alone in the otherwise darkened building, with just the hum and chatter of the computer terminal and the far-off light of a coffee machine next to the stairwell where murderers lurked, I wrote “(I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea.” My initial guitar riff was one I borrowed from The Who’s “I Can’t Explain,” but I was glad that Pete Thomas and Bruce Thomas later came up with a more syncopated way to play it, especially after I found out that The Clash had pinched the same riff for “Clash City Rockers.