In a move that’s pretty much unheard of these days, Costello followed up King of America the same year with another stellar album, Blood & Chocolate.
Where King of America is acoustic and country-influenced, Blood & Chocolate is electric and pure rock-and-roll. It’s opening track, ‘Uncomplicated,’ bursts from the speakers with a wall of shredding guitars as Costello spits out the ominous threat “You think it’s over now but we’ve only just begun.”
Indeed.
What follows are 10 powerful songs about heartbreak and obsession, including some of the most emotionally raw material Costello has ever written. Lyrically, he’s at the top of his game on Blood & Chocolate… just check out these morsels:
Sometimes I name and number all the things you gave to me
Your elastic love, this velvet-line purgatory
You used to take the breath out of me
Now I think you’ll be the death of me
[From ‘Poor Napoleon’]
I can’t lie on this bed anymore it burns my skin
You can take the truthful things you’ve said to me
And put them on the head of a pin
[From today’s song]
But you know she doesn’t want you
But you can’t seem to get it in your head
Oh and you can’t sleep at night
And she haunts you when you go to bed
When you’re tired of talking and you can’t drink it down
So you hang around and drown instead
The centerpiece of the album is the epic stalker saga ‘I Want You,’ in which Costello repeats the title phrase nearly 30 times while obsessing over his lover’s infidelity (“It’s knowing that he knows you now after only guessing,” “I want to know the things you did that we do too,” “Did you call his name out as he held you down?”).
I’d be remiss if I didn’t link to my favorite version of ‘I Want You’ — a performance by Fiona Apple (with Costello on guitar) from a VH1 special. Apple’s rendition is more worthy of an Academy Award than a Grammy, so thoroughly does she embody the song. It’s another great indication of what a great songwriter Costello is that other singers have so much success with his material.
‘Home is Anywhere You Hang Your Head’ is a standout Blood & Chocolate track. The clever title is worthy of being stitched on a pillow and the whole thing is wonderful. It also contains the line that best sums up the whole album:
“He’s contemplating murder again, he must be in love.”
He’s tearing out his hair again
He’s crying over her again
He’s standing in the super-market shouting at the customers
Here comes Mr. Misery
He’ll never be any good with a mouth full of gold and blood
He’s contemplating murder again
He must be in love
Chorus: But you know she doesn’t want you
But you can’t seem to get it in your head
Oh and you can’t sleep at night
And she haunts you when you go to bed
When you’re tired of talking and you can’t drink it down
So you hang around and drown instead
Home isn’t where it used to be
Home is anywhere you hang your head
You hang your head
Home is anywhere
You hang your head
Home is anywhere
You hang your head
Home is anywhere you hang your head
Here comes Mr. Misery
Looking for a place for his mouth to shoot
Saying “You’d look cute in your birthday suit”
You tore him out and screwed him up
Like a bad page in a naughty picture book
They day ended as it began
As he was seconds older than the man he was this morning
And the world has wiped it’s mouth since then
Or maybe it was yawning
Meet Me In Montauk 
When I first heard Blood and Chocolate, I have to admit that I was a bit let down. After all, King of America was just so great and happened to largely fit into the type of acoustic style of music I adore. In all honesty, I probably heard the hard edged opening track and formed an incorrect perception that the record as a whole was too heavy for my taste
But some years later, when our little group had a contest to determine the best Costello song, Clay kept lauding a number of the songs from this album and the quality of the album in general. So, I gave the songs he hyped another listen, popping the CD into my car stereo for the first time in a number of years. And, I must say, damn if that same kid I got hooked on Costello years before wasn’t right. The student had become the teacher or, to further the metaphor, the parishiner had become the minister or the crack addict had become the dealer. This album really is very good and grows better upon repeat listening.
Today’s song is, no doubt, a standout on the record, as are the other tracks you mentioned. I would only add that I think Blue Chair deserves a shout out. That’s a REALLY great song as well.
Yes, I agree about ‘Blue Chair.’ And I’m glad to have played the role of the drug dealer/minister for this album!
I still ain’t drinking the Fiona Apple kool-aid (or buying the Fiona Apple laced pot, if you prefer).
But I definitely want to give this album a fresh listen after reading your commentary and Dana’s comment.
The level of your denial on that Fiona Apple clip would be humorous if it weren’t so sad! 🙂
[…] searching for a video of this song, I was pleased to discover that I’m not the only one who thinks that “Home Is Anywhere You Hang Your Head” is a brilliant […]