“Good Year For The Roses” by Elvis Costello Original Painting (Sold)

This was one of 12 songs recorded by Costello on his Country covers album Almost Blue. The original LP appeared with a label warning potential buyers: "This album contains Country & Western music and may cause offense to narrow minded listeners." Costello recalled in Q Magazine March 2008: "That was (label boss) Jake Riviera's idea. He liked to be provocative. That sticker really made me laugh. I remember early on listening to a tape of country music while The Attractions were on tour when a journalist was about to come on the bus for an interview. Somebody said, 'Don't let them hear you playing country.' They were serious, because they were worried it would pin me down with being something to do with music before 1977." The song reached No.6 in the UK charts.