Watching the Detectives

~ Song

Wikipedia

"Watching the Detectives" is a 1977 single by English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello. Inspired by the Clash and Bernard Herrmann, the song features a reggae beat and cynical lyrics.

Costello's fourth single overall, "Watching the Detectives" was his first hit single on any national chart, peaking at number 15 in the UK and also charting modestly in Canada and Australia. The song featured on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time at number 363.

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Relationships

lyricist and composer:Declan Patrick MacManus
publisher:BMG Music Publishing Ltd.
Universal Music Publishing International MGB Ltd.
SecondHandSongs:https://secondhandsongs.com/work/14645 [info]
Wikidata:Q7973157 [info]

Recordings

DateTitleAttributesArtistLength
recordings
1977-08-07Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello & The Attractions4:24
1978-02-28Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello & The Attractions6:02
1978-03-06Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello5:49
1983-09-07Watching the Detectives (live, 1983-09-07: Frank Erwin Center, Austin, TX, USA)liveElvis Costello & The Attractions4:23
1989-04-20Watching the Detectives (live, 1989-04-20: Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA)liveElvis Costello4:48
1994-09-22Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello & The Attractions6:40
2011-05Watching the Detectives (live, 2011-05: The Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA, USA)liveElvis Costello & The Imposters6:51
Watching the DetectivescoverJenna Mammina & Rolf Sturm?:??
Watching the DetectivescoverForgive Durden2:33
Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello & The Attractions5:59
Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello & The Imposters6:37
Watching the DetectivescoverToto4:04
Watching the DetectivescoverThe New Standards4:00
Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello & Clover?:??
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello3:48
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello5:03
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello3:45
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello3:46
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello3:39
Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello6:02
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello3:43
Watching the DetectivescoverJenna Mammina5:04
Watching the DetectivescoverJenna Mammina4:10
Watching the DetectivescoverDuran Duran4:48
Watching the DetectivescoverDebora Iyall Group4:30
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello & The Attractions3:46
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello & The Attractions3:48
Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello & The Attractions4:19
Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello & The Attractions5:38
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello & The Attractions3:43
Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello & The Attractions5:22
Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello & The Attractions5:49
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello & The Attractions2:26
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello & The Attractions3:46
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello & The Attractions5:42
Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello & The Attractions6:06
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello & The Attractions3:41
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello & The Attractions?:??
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello & The Attractions4:26
Watching the DetectivescoverSteve Ewing4:01
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello?:??
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello & Clover?:??
Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello6:08
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello3:46
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello3:57
Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello5:03
Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello5:31
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello3:43
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello3:45
Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello?:??
Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello6:18
Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello with the Metropole Orkest5:24
Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello6:40
Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello4:57
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello3:44
Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello5:35
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello?:??
Watching the DetectivesliveElvis Costello?:??
Watching the DetectivesElvis Costello3:45
Watching The DetectivesliveElvis Costello & The Attractions?:??
Watching The DetectivesElvis Costello3:41
Watching The DetectivescoverJenna Mammina5:00
Watching The DetectivesliveElvis Costello & Steve Nieve6:18
Watching the Detectives (a demo version)Elvis Costello & The Attractions4:28
Watching the Detectives (demo version)Elvis Costello4:33
Watching the Detectives (live, Hollywood High)liveElvis Costello & The Attractions5:52
Watching the Detectives (live)liveElvis Costello & The Attractions6:08
Watching the Detectives (live)liveElvis Costello & The Imposters3:50
Watching the Detectives (live)liveElvis Costello & The Attractions6:06
Watching the Detectives + My Funny Valentine (live in Tokyo)liveElvis Costello & The Imposters7:09