Taking Liberties

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title: "Taking Liberties" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["albums-produced-by-elvis-costello", "albums-produced-by-nick-lowe", "b-side-compilation-albums", "elvis-costello-compilation-albums", "1980-compilation-albums", "columbia-records-compilation-albums"] topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taking_Liberties" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox album"]

Field	Value
name	Taking Liberties
type	Compilation album
artist	Elvis Costello
cover	ectl.jpg
released	November 1980 (US)
recorded	1977–80
genre	Punk rock, new wave
length	50:45
label	Columbia
producer	Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe
prev_title	Get Happy!!
prev_year	1980
next_title	Ten Bloody Marys & Ten How's Your Fathers
next_year	1980
::

| name = Taking Liberties | type = Compilation album | artist = Elvis Costello | cover = ectl.jpg | alt = | released = November 1980 (US) | recorded = 1977–80 | venue = | studio = | genre = Punk rock, new wave | length = 50:45 | label = Columbia | producer = Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe | prev_title = Get Happy!! | prev_year = 1980 | next_title = Ten Bloody Marys & Ten How's Your Fathers | next_year = 1980

Taking Liberties is a compilation album by English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello, consisting of tracks not previously released on his albums as released in the United States. It is largely made up of B-sides, but features three previously unreleased recordings. It was released only in the US and Canada; its track listing is very similar to that of the UK release Ten Bloody Marys & Ten How's Your Fathers. The differences are that on the latter, the tracks "Night Rally", "Sunday's Best" and "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea" are replaced by "Watching the Detectives", "Radio, Radio" and "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding".

The sleeve note by Gregg Geller is very nearly a direct lift from the 1958 album A Gene Vincent Record Date, with Costello's name substituted for Vincent's, and song titles being substituted as appropriate.

The LP version features nostalgic Columbia labels. The legend on the Side One label reads "COSTELLO" instead of "COLUMBIA", in a similar fashion to This Year's Model.

|rev1 = Allmusic |rev1score = |rev2 = Billboard |rev2Score = (unrated) |rev3 = Encyclopedia of Popular Music |rev3score = |rev4 = Robert Christgau |rev4score = (B) link

Track listing

All songs written by Elvis Costello except as indicated.

Side one

1. "Clean Money" (previously unreleased) – 1:57
2. "Girls Talk" (B-side of "I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down", 1980) – 1:56
3. "Talking in the Dark" (A-side, 1978) – 1:56
4. "Radio Sweetheart" (B-side of "Less Than Zero", 1977) – 2:24
5. "Black and White World" (Demo version) (previously unreleased) – 1:51
6. "Big Tears" (B-side of "Pump It Up", 1978) – 3:10
7. "Just a Memory" (B-side of "New Amsterdam", 1980) – 2:14
8. "Night Rally" (from UK version of This Year's Model, 1978) – 2:41
9. "Stranger in the House" (A-side, 1978) – 3:01
10. "Clowntime Is Over" (Version 2) (B-side of "High Fidelity", 1980) – 3:44

Side two

1. "Getting Mighty Crowded" (Van McCoy) (B-side of "High Fidelity", 1980) – 2:05
2. "Hoover Factory" (previously unreleased) – 1:43
3. "Tiny Steps" (B-side of "Radio, Radio", 1978) – 2:42
4. "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea" (from UK version of This Year's Model, 1978) – 3:07
5. "Dr Luther's Assistant" (B-side of "New Amsterdam", 1980) – 3:28
6. "Sunday's Best" (from UK version of Armed Forces, 1979) – 3:22
7. "Crawling to the U.S.A." (from soundtrack to Americathon, 1979) – 2:52
8. "Wednesday Week" (B-side of "Talking in the Dark", 1978) – 2:02
9. "My Funny Valentine" (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) (B-side of "Oliver's Army", 1979) – 1:25
10. "Ghost Train" (B-side of "New Amsterdam", 1980) – 3:05

Personnel

• Elvis Costello – vocals, guitar, keyboards; all instruments on "Black and White World", "Hoover Factory", "My Funny Valentine" and "Ghost Train" ;The Attractions
• Steve Nieve – keyboards on all tracks except "Radio Sweetheart", "Black and White World", "Hoover Factory", "Dr. Luther's Assistant", "My Funny Valentine", "Ghost Train" and "Stranger in the House"
• Bruce Thomas – bass on all tracks except "Radio Sweetheart", "Black and White World", "Just A Memory", "Hoover Factory", "Dr. Luther's Assistant", "My Funny Valentine", "Ghost Train" and "Stranger in the House"
• Pete Thomas – drums on all tracks except "Radio Sweetheart", "Black and White World", "Just A Memory", "Hoover Factory", "My Funny Valentine", "Ghost Train" and "Stranger in the House" ;Additional personnel
• Dave Edmunds – backing vocal on "Clean Money"
• John McFee (Clover) - guitar on "Radio Sweetheart" and "Stranger in the House"
• Nick Lowe - bass on "Radio Sweetheart"
• Mickey Shine (Clover) - drums on "Radio Sweetheart" and "Stranger in the House"
• Mick Jones - lead guitar on "Big Tears"
• Sean Hopper (Clover) – keyboards on "Stranger in the House"
• Johnny Ciambotti (Clover) – bass on "Stranger in the House"

Charts

::data[format=table]

Year	Chart	Position
1980	US Billboard Top LPs & Tape	28
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References

References

1. (2025-04-27). "Elvis Costello {{!}} Songs, Wife, Albums, & Oliver’s Army {{!}} Britannica".
2. (1980-12-11). "Taking Liberties".
3. "''Taking Liberties'' – Elvis Costello". [[AllMusic]].
4. (4 October 1980). "Review: Elvis Costello – Taking Liberties".
5. Larkin, Colin. (2011). "The Encyclopedia of Popular Music". [[Omnibus Press]].
6. "Elvis Costello Chart History".

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