4 Great Elvis Costello Performances Displaying His Eclectic Musical Tastes in Honor of His 70th Birthday

Here’s wishing Elvis Costello a belated Happy Birthday! The lauded British singer/songwriter turned the big 7-0 on Sunday, August 26. Costello came to fame in the late 1970s as one of the most popular and acclaimed artists of the U.K. punk and New Wave scene. He quickly proved to have a passion for music that spanned a wide range of genres, though.

Costello was born Declan MacManus into a musical family. His father, Ross MacManus, was a professional jazz trumpeter and singer who undoubtedly influenced his son’s appreciation of music.

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Throughout his long career, Costello has explored rock, country, soul, R&B, orchestral pop, chamber music, jazz, Americana, and more. Among the many artists he’s collaborated with include Paul McCartney, Burt Bacharach, Daryl Hall, Allen Toussaint, and The Roots.

In honor of Costello’s milestone birthday, here are four captivating performances from various eras of his career. Each one shows him performing a different style of music.

“Pump It Up” – Elvis Costello (1978)

“Pump It Up” is one of Costello’s best-loved songs from his early edgy work with his band The Attractions. The song originally appeared on Elvis’ second album, This Year’s Model, which was released in 1978. It also was his first album to feature The Attractions—keyboardist Steve Nieve, drummer Pete Thomas, and bassist Bruce Thomas.

Costello and the band are featured playing a raucous version of “Pump It Up” on a June 1978 episode of the German music-performance show Rockpalast. The performance, which was recorded in Cologne, Germany, captured Elvis and company at apex of their punk period, highlighted by Nieve’s staccato keyboard lines, Pete Thomas’ kinetic drumming, and Costello’s throaty vocals.

“Stranger in the House” – George Jones and Elvis Costello (1981)

Right from the start of his recording career, Costello was creating music that veered into various genres. “Stranger in the House” was a pure country tune that Elvis first recorded while making This Year’s Model in 1978. That same year, Costello teamed up with country legend George Jones for a duet version of the song that Jones included on his 1979 album My Very Special Guests.

Jones and Costello performed “Stranger in the House” live together on a number of occasions, including during the 1981 HBO special George Jones with a Little Help from His Friends.

George and Elvis were backed by The Attractions, with John Hiatt joining the group on guitar. Costello and Jones took turns crooning the song’s verses and harmonized on the choruses.

“Taking My Life in Your Hands” – Elvis Costello with The Brodsky Quartet (1993)

Costello teamed up with The Brodsky Quartet, a U.K. classical string ensemble, for the unique song cycle, The Juliet Letters. The album, released in 1993, was mostly written by Elvis, often in collaboration with one or more members of the quartet.

In 1993, Costello and The Brodsky Quartet appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno to promote the album. They performed two songs, including “Taking My Life in Your Hands.” During the performance, Costello belted out the song with almost operatic power and emotional fervor, accompanied by the quartet’s dramatic and complex string lines.

“Toledo” – Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach (1998)

In 1996, Costello joined forces with one of his musical heroes, Burt Bacharach, to write the song “God Give Me Strength” for the 1996 Alison Anders film Grace of My Heart. The collaboration led the two artists to make a full-length album together, Painted from Memory, which was released in 1998.

The album featured Elvis combining his clever lyrical wordplay to Burt’s beautifully crafted pop-music stylings.

Costello and Bacharach showcased songs from the album on an August 1998 episode of the public television series Sessions on West 54th. One standout performance was their rendition of “Toledo,” featuring Elvis crooning at his melodic best, Bacharach on piano, and a collective of talented musicians and backing vocalists. It’s a pure pop confection.