Watching the Detectives

E836154

"Watching the Detectives" is a 1977 new wave/reggae-influenced single by Elvis Costello, known for its dark, cinematic lyrics and tense, off-kilter arrangement.

All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Watching the Detectives canonical 3

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (45)

Predicate Object
instanceOf single
song
artist Elvis Costello
bSide Blame It on Cain
Mystery Dance
chartPositionUKSingles 15
top 20
composer Elvis Costello
countryOfOrigin United Kingdom
describedAs cinematic
dark
off-kilter
tense
genre new wave
reggae
hasCoverVersionBy Daryl Hall & John Oates
The Specials (live)
hasCriticalReception acclaimed
considered one of Elvis Costello's signature songs
hasInstrumentation bass guitar
drums
electric guitar
organ
hasLyricalTheme crime
film noir
obsession
television
hasMusicalStyle new wave rock
reggae-influenced rock
hasRhythmicFeature reggae-influenced rhythm
staccato accents
includedIn Girls Girls Girls
linked to: Girls, Girls, Girls

The Best of Elvis Costello and the Attractions
This Year's Model (US edition)
linked to: This Year's Model
language English
length 3:45
partOf Elvis Costello discography
performer Elvis Costello
producer Nick Lowe
recordedIn 1977
recordLabel Stiff Records
releaseDate 1977-10-21
releaseYear 1977
side A-side
writer Elvis Costello

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Elvis Costello notableSong Watching the Detectives
Declan Patrick MacManus notableSong Watching the Detectives
Thank You includesTrack Watching the Detectives