You Seemed What I'd Been Waiting For

Before I read up on “I’ve Been Wrong Before,” I assumed it was a Burt Bacharach and Hal David composition. The versions recorded in the mid-sixties by Dusty Springfield and Cilla Black (advantage=Cilla, her vocal is far more tough and resigned) both have the feel of a twilight lovers’ plea along the lines of “Don’t Make Me Over” or “Anyone Who Had A Heart.” 

It’s actually a very early Randy Newman song! He wrote it well before he made a name for himself as a singer-songwriter chronicling the decaying American imagination. It emerged from a period as an in-house writer for Metric Music, a west coast version of the Brill Building songwriting machine in New York. 

EC learned of the song from the Dusty Springfield version and it emerged as a contender during the sessions for Kojak Variety, his 1995 album of covers. Although released in the mid-nineties, the KV sessions actually date from 1990, squeezed in between completing Spike and beginning work on what would become Mighty Like a Rose. 

Costello was able to assemble a core band from some of the session players on Spike, brilliant accompanists who’d also contributed to King of America as he was closing out his run of albums for Columbia. James Burton and Jerry Scheff were key player in that other Elvis’ TCB Band of the late sixties and seventies. Larry Knecthel signed on for EC’s Spike tour, replacing an unavailable Mitchell Froom, and was a member of LA’s legendary Wrecking Crew of session musicians, along with drummer Jim Keltner. Pete Thomas of the Attractions joined in on some sessions, while guitarist Marc Ribot made his name helping to define Tom Waits’ sound before joining up with EC. 

All of which to say, it’s really the performances that shine on Kojak Variety; Costello’s choices of material are always interesting, but sometimes include minor-league works from otherwise tremendous songwriters. (It’s a brave move to tackle Dylan’s “I Threw It All Away” when surely any number of his lesser-known but notable compositions were at his disposal.) 

On “I’ve Been Wrong Before,” Costello and his band wisely don’t try to imitate the sparse, haunted arrangement that both Springfield and Black utilized. Instead, there’s what EC calls a “broken musical-box accompaniment” that connects effectively with the uncertainty of the lyric. 

Ribot is basically the unsung hero of any song he plays on; while Burton is on fire throughout Kojak Variety, it’s Ribot who attacks every performance at an unexpected, obtuse angle to the rest of the accompaniment, one that always seems to just “fit” without drawing attention to itself. If you haven’t read Scott Bunn’s piece on Ribot’s performance for EC’s “Chewing Gum,” it’s a must-read, and a great window into how Ribot takes any idea of “rock guitar” and scrambles it beyond the point of recognition, in the best possible way. 

(NOTE: This performance is fascinating as it includes all of the Attractions including Bruce Thomas on bass and Steve Nieve on keys, neither of whom play on the original recording. Mark Ribot is on guitar, joined by James Burton who also didn’t play on the original recording. And I think Radiohead also appeared on this episode…? What a time to be alive.)

You can listen to “I’ve Been Wrong Before” on the streaming service of your choice.