Elvis Costello, an essential part of the Stiff Records family, finally released his debut set, My Aim Is True in 1977. Eventually, that album would go on to sell more than a million copies and providing the growing movement of incoming music with a strong boost. Elvis Costello would go on to release more than 30 studio albums (thus far) with the first 4 sets (My Aim Is True – 1977, This Year’s Model – 1978, Armed Forces – 1979, Get Happy!! – 1980) helping greatly to define his emerging career during his peak years.
On October 2, Elvis Costello will reissue his My Aim Is True debut in a titled poke at round number Anniversary editions with a “49th Anniversary” edition. This new 5CD boxed set will feature a brand new remastering from the album’s original 1977 analog tapes. The celebrated and beloved album will contain not only the 2026 remaster but also pre-My Aim Is True demos and acoustic recordings, outtakes, rehearsal recordings, assorted other recordings, and a live set from his November 8, 2007 show at The Great American Music Hal in San Francisco, CA. All in all, there will be 104 tracks, 52 of them previously unreleased. A 72-page book is packed in with all kinds of photos, notes, credits, hand-written lyrics, and an essential essay detailing the album and its period.
My Aim Is True – The 49th Anniversary Edition will be issued in the mentioned 5CD box, CD with the 2026 remastered original album, DD, and black vinyl LP featuring the 2026 remaster of the original album.
My Aim Is True (49th Anniversary Edition – 2026 Remaster) – Elvis Costello
CD1 (Original Album – 2026 Remaster)
01 Welcome To The Working Week
02 Miracle Man
03 No Dancing
04 Blame It On Cain
05 Alison
06 Sneaky Feelings
07 (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
08 Less Than Zero
09 Mystery Dance
10 Pay It Back
11 I’m Not Angry
12 Waiting For The End Of The World
13 Watching The Detectives – Single Version
CD2 (The Blue Print)
01 I Turn Around – Hope & Anchor Studio
02 Losing You – Hope & Anchor Studio
03 Leverman – Hope & Anchor Studio
04 Citizen Junction – Hope & Anchor Studio
05 I Hear A Melody – Pathway Studios
06 Poison Moon – Bedroom Recording
07 Wave A White Flag – Bedroom Recording
08 Mercury Wings – Ms. Dore’s Tape
09 Jump Up – Hope & Anchor Studio
10 No Star – Hope & Anchor Studio
11 Walk On – Hope & Anchor Studio
12 Radio Soul – Hope & Anchor Studio
13 Clean Money – Hope & Anchor Studio
14 Don’t Put A Levy On My Love – Hope & Anchor Studio
15 Play It Safe – Hope & Anchor Studio
16 Imagination (Is A Powerful Deceiver) – Hope & Anchor Studio
17 I Can’t Turn It Off – Hope & Anchor Studio
CD3 (The Stranger In The House)
01 Radio Sweetheart – My Aim Is True Outtake
02 Cheap Reward – Bedroom Recording
03 Mystery Dance – Bedroom Recording
04 Stranger In The House – My Aim Is True Outtake
05 Running Out Of Angels – Hope & Anchor Studio
06 Just Like A Jukebox – Hope & Anchor Studio
07 I Don’t Want To Go Home – Pathway Studios
08 Blame It On Cain – Bedroom Recording
09 Blue Minute – Ms. Dore’s Tape
10 Pay It Back – Bedroom Recording
11 Exiles Road – Flip City – Hope & Anchor Studio
12 Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door – Flip City – Hope & Anchor Studio
13 Sweet Revival – Flip City – Hope & Anchor Studio
14 Pay It Back – Flip City – Hope & Anchor Studio
15 Imagination (Is A Powerful Deceiver) – Flip City – Hope & Anchor Studio
16 Living In Paradise – Hope & Anchor Studio
17 Welcome To The Working Week – Pathway Studios
18 Miracle Man – Bedroom Recording
19 Miracle Man – Pathway Studios
20 (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes – Ms. Dore’s Tape
21 (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes – Pathway Studios
22 Waiting For The End Of The World – Pathway Studios
23 Living In Paradise – My Aim Is True Outtake
24 Call On Me – Pathway Studios
25 Watching The Detectives – Pathway Studios Trio Version
26 No Action – Pathway Studios Trio Version
27 Poison Moon – Ms. Dore’s Tape
28 Stranger In The House – Ms. Dore’s Tape
CD4 (Becoming The Attractions)
01 Alison – What’s On Granada Reports
02 Introduction By Dave Robinson – Live, The Nashville Room
03 Mystery Dance – Live, The Nashville Room
04 Pay It Back – Soundcheck, The Nashville Room
05 Radio Sweetheart – Soundcheck, The Nashville Room
06 Sneaky Feelings – Soundcheck, The Nashville Room
07 Crawling To The U.S.A. – Soundcheck, The Nashville Room
08 Lip Service – Pathway Studios
09 (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes- with Introduction Top Of The Pops
10 Interview No. 1 – Good Afternoon with Mavis Nicholson
11 Watching The Detectives – Good Afternoon Broadcast
12 Interview No. 2 – Good Afternoon with Mavis Nicholson
13 Hoover Factory – Good Afternoon Rehearsal
14 I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself – Live Stiffs, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
15 Whole Wide World – Live Stiffs, University Of Leicester, Leicester, UK
16 KSAN Intro – Old Waldorf, San Francisco, CA
17 Pump It Up – Old Waldorf, San Francisco, CA
18 Lip Service – Unknown Field Recording
19. Mystery Dance – Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
20 Blame It On Cain – Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
21 Less Than Zero (Dallas Version) – Warner Theater, Washington DC
22 Waiting For The End Of The World – The Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, OH
23 Miracle Man – Warner Theater, Washington DC
24 Watching The Detectives – Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
25 I’m Not Angry – Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
CD5 (Covered In Clover: Live at the Great American Music Hall – San Francisico, CA – November 8, 2007)
01 Welcome To The Working Week
02 Miracle Man
03 No Dancing
04 Intro to Blame It On Cain
05 Blame It On Cain
06 Alison
07 Intro To Sneaky Feelings
08 Sneaky Feelings
09 Intro To Red Shoes
10 (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
11 Less Than Zero
12 Mystery Dance
13 Pay It Back
14 I’m Not Angry
15 Waiting For The End Of The World / Gloria
16 Watching The Detectives
17 Mr. Moon
18 Intro To The Love Trilogy
19 Love Has No Pride
20 Love Is Gone
21 (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding