Hey Clockface/How Can You Face Me?

Album: Hey Clockface (2020)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Hey Clockface/How Can You Face Me?" is a gypsy jazz-influenced tune, which finds Elvis Costello taking on time itself. "This is a song about picking an argument with time, the very clock face, either running too fast or too slow, depending on the company you keep," explained the singer.
  • The song came out of a productive weekend session in Paris' Les Studios Saint Germain. Working with producer Francois Delabriere, Costello recorded nine songs in two days. He sang live on the studio floor, directing his band from the vocal booth.

    Costello's backing band included his longtime keyboardist Steve Nieve, as well as a horn player, a cellist, a reed player and a drummer/percussionist. "We spoke very little," the singer recalled. "Almost everything the musicians played was a spontaneous response to the song I was singing. I'd had a dream of recording in Paris like this, one day."
  • Elvis Costello's father, Ross MacManus, sang with the Joe Loss Orchestra. This jazzy tune reflects that style.

    "My dad came out of the big bands," Costello told Billboard, "and once in a while I write songs that reference those songs."
  • Said Costello regarding the song's meaning: "'Hey Clockface' is me shouting at the clock, because it's weighing on us all; when you're with the one you love, time seems to speed up."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Annie Haslam of Renaissance

Annie Haslam of RenaissanceSongwriter Interviews

The 5-octave voice of the classical rock band Renaissance, Annie is big on creative expression. In this talk, she covers Roy Wood, the history of the band, and where all the money went in the '70s.

In The Cards

In The CardsSong Writing

Songwriters have used cards and card games to make sense of heartache, togetherness, and even Gonorrhea.

The Evolution of "Ophelia"

The Evolution of "Ophelia"Song Writing

How five songs portray Shakespeare's character Ophelia.

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy Talent

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy TalentSongwriter Interviews

The frontman for one of Canada's most well-known punk rock bands talks about his Eddie Vedder encounter, Billy Talent's new album, and the importance of rock and roll.

Steve Morse of Deep Purple

Steve Morse of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple's guitarist since 1994, Steve talks about writing songs with the band and how he puts his own spin on "Smoke On The Water."

Second Wind Songs

Second Wind SongsSong Writing

Some songs get a second life when they find a new audience through a movie, commercial, TV show, or even the Internet.