Version 1
Released: June 1982 - Recorded: November 1981
Disc 1 - Imperial Bedroom - Album + Bonus Track
01. Beyond Belief
02. Tears Before Bedtime
03. Shabby Doll
04. The Long Honeymoon
05. Man Out Of Time
06. Almost Blue
07. ...And In Every Home
08. The Loved Ones
09. Human Hands
10. Kid About It
11. Little Savage
12. Boy With A Problem
13. Pidgin English
14. You Little Fool
15. Town Cryer
Bonus Track
May 1982
16. Imperial Bedroom
Disc 2 - Imperial Bedroom - Bonus Tracks
August 21 and 22, 1981
01. The Stamping Ground
02. Shabby Doll (Demo)
03. Man Out Of Time (Demo)
04. You Little Fool (Demo)
05. Town Cryer (Demo)
06. Seconds Of Pleasure (Demo)
October 1981
07. ...And In Every Home (Rehearsal)
November 1981
08. Little Goody Two Shoes (Out Of Our Idiot Version) (Out Of Our Idiot 1987 Demon FIEND CD 67)
09. The Land Of Give And Take (Early Version Of Beyond Belief)
10. Tears Before Bedtime (Alternate Version)
11. Man Out Of Time (Alternate Version)
12. Human Hands (Early Version)
13. Kid About It (Alternate Version)
14. Little Savage (Alternate Version)
15. You Little Fool (Alternate Version)
16. Town Cryer (Fast Version)
17. Little Goody Two Shoes (Alternate Version)
18. The Town Where Time Stood Still (Alternate Version)
November 16, 1981
19. I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down (Alternate Version) (Get Happy (with Bonus Disc) 2003 Rhino R2 73908)
January 20, 1982
Seconds Of Pleasure (Punch The Clock (with Bonus Disc) 2003 Rhino R2 73910)
February 1982
20. I Turn Around
21. From Head To Toe
22. The World Of Broken Hearts
23. Night Time
24. Really Mystified
BONUS
1982 Performed by Squeeze from Sweets From A Stranger (198? A&M VPCD-4922) includes: Elvis Costello on Back Vocals
25. Black Coffee In Bed
Disc 3 - Imperial Bedroom - Sessions (Bootleg)
Rehearsals
01. The Long Honeymoon (1)- similar arrangement to IB album version, faint count-in.
02. Almost Blue (1) - similar arrangement to IB album version, except with guitar and organ instead of piano.
03. The Loved Ones (1) - similar arrangement to IB album version, except for the very different arrangement for the chorus "What would the loved ones say...", some alternate lyrics and flubs.
04. Kid About It (1)- similar arrangement to both released IB versions, slightly more up tempo, different lyrics at 1:44 someone got killed... (same as alternate) and at 2:12 laughing in the faces...(almost same as alternate), repeats "say you wouldn't..." 7 times before instrumental wind up and end.
05. Boy With A Problem (1) - similar arrangement to IB album version musically but the vocal is very different, different lyrics like on Trust bonus disc demo version.
06. Pidgin English (1) - very different arrangement, faster tempo, some alternate lyrics and flubs.
07. Town Cryer (1) - similar arrangement to IB album version, the last 30 seconds is a repetition of the phrase "I'm a town cryer..." like the IB bonus disc demo version.
08. Shabby Doll (1) - somewhat similar arrangement to the IB bonus disc demo version as far as the vocal goes, musically more agressive, cuts off abruptly.
09. Man Out Of Time (1) - similar arrangement to the IB bonus disc demo version, less prominent instrumentation.
10. You Little Fool (1) - similar arrangement to the IB bonus disc demo version, much faster tempo, same different structure as demo and alternate version, song starts with "you know the little girl is not happy...".
11. Seconds Of Pleasure - similar arrangement to the IB bonus disc demo version, musical outro goes on for 30 seconds, EC flubs some lyrics.
12. ...And In Every Home (1) - similar arrangement to IB bonus disc rehearsal version, slightly slower tempo.
13. The Land Of Give And Take - very different arrangement, song construction is different, includes additional lyrics, the opening verse of both "The Land Of Give And Take" and "Beyond Belief" is spread over two verses in the middle of this version.
14. Tears Before Bedtime (1) - similar arrangement to IB bonus disc alternate version.
15. Human Hands (1) - similar arrangement to IB bonus disc early version, faint count-in, same different lyrics, different pre-end arrangement.
16. Little Savage (1) - somewhat similar arrangement to the IB bonus disc alternate version, done as a ballad but with a much smoother vocal.
17. Little Goody Two Shoes (1) - similar to the IB bonus disc alternate version, winds down with mumbled lyrics and heavy guitar echo.
18. The Town Where Time Stood Still - similar arrangement to IB bonus disc alternate version, song construction is different, includes extra lyrics that extends the song by 30 seconds.
Disc 4 - Imperial Bedroom - Sessions (Bootleg)
Sessions
19. Tears Before Bedtime (2) - sounds the same as the IB album version, some pre-song noise, fades a few seconds early, the mix is almost mono which makes it sound a little different.
20. Shabby Doll (2) - sounds the same as the IB album version, count-in, alternate vocal (EC has fun with this one), missing back vocals.
21. Shabby Doll (3) - sounds the same as the IB album version, some pre song noise, missing background vocals.
22. The Long Honeymoon (2) - sounds the same as the IB album version, missing the accordion, guitar solo and horns overdubs.
23. The Long Honeymoon (3) - sounds the same as the IB album version.
24. Man Out Of Time (2) - sounds the same as the IB album version, alternate vocal, missing background vocals, fast intro and outro.
25. Almost Blue (2) - sounds the same as the IB album version, muted guitar scratch count-in, alternate vocal.
26. Almost Blue (3) - sounds the same as the IB album version, muted guitar scratch count-in, different alternate vocal.
27. Almost Blue (4) - sounds the same as the IB album version, bass drum and high-hat count-in.
28. ...And In Every Home (2) - sounds the same as the IB album version, alternate vocal, missing background vocals (he doesn't seem to have the multi-layered vocals in mind), the orchestra is mixed much louder.
29. ...And In Every Home (3) - sounds the same as the IB album version.
30. The Loved Ones (2) - sounds the same as the IB album version, count-in, alternate vocal, missing background vocals, organ and piano overdubs, "P-P-S-I-L-O-V-E-Y-O-U" vocals, sings the chorus differently (he doesn't seem to have the multi-layered vocals in mind), slight variation in the lyrics, fades a few seconds earlier.
31. The Loved Ones (3) - sounds the same as the IB album version, count-in, missing effects on vocal, background vocals, "P-P-S-I-L-O-V-E-Y-O-U" at the end.
32. Kid About It (2) - sounds the same as the IB album version.
33. Little Savage (2) - sounds the same as the IB album version, missing effects on vocals, the mix is almost mono which makes it sound a little different.
34. Boy With A Problem (2) - sounds the same as the IB album version, count-in, missing the lead vocal making this an instrumental.
35. Pidgin English (2) - sounds the same as the IB album version, alternate vocal, missing background vocals except on first verse (he doesn't seem to have the multi-layered vocals in mind), orchestra and some other instrumental overdubs, "P.S. I love you" vocals, slight variation in the lyrics, includes an extra repeat of the chorus (edited out of the album version).
36. Pidgin English (3) - sounds the same as the IB album version, missing orchestra, "P.S. I love you" vocals, last chord just fades out.
37. Pidgin English (4) - sounds the same as the IB album version, count-in, missing "P.S. I love you" vocals and some instrumental overdubs at the end.
38. You Little Fool (2) - sounds the same as the IB album version, count-in.
39. Town Cryer (2) - sounds the same as the IB album version, alternate vocal, missing background vocals, orchestra much louder in the mix.
Disc 5 - Imperial Bedroom - Sessions (Bootleg)
Sessions
40. Shabby Doll (4) - sounds the same as the IB bonus disc demo version.
41. Little Goody Two Shoes (2) - sounds the same as the Out Of Our Idiot version, count-in.
42. Man Out Of Time (3) - sounds the same as the IB bonus disc alternate version, with an added second lead vocal track over the top (very different effect!), fades out about 15 seconds earlier.
43. Human Hands (2) - sounds the same as the IB bonus disc early version, oddly the second verse vocals don't match the bonus disc version but do match the album version, also includes a harmony vocal near end which is again missing from the bonus disc version but included on the album version.
44. Kid About It (3) - sounds the same as the IB bonus disc alternate version, some pre-song noise, missing a touch of reverb.
45. You Little Fool (3) - sounds the same as the IB bonus disc alternate version, count-in, alternate vocal, missing background vocals and various overdubs, the mix is almost mono which makes it sound a little different.
46. You Little Fool (4) - the same track as above, only in stereo with an earlier fade out.
47. From Head To Toe - sounds the same as the IB bonus disc version, includes the Attractions' background vocals but missing EC's own background vocals.
48. Night Time - sounds the same as the IB bonus disc version, missing background vocals, at least two difference in the lead vocal (EC sings "quite at home" instead of "right at home" and "the night time is the right time" instead of "the right time is the night time") the rest sounds like the released vocal take.
49. Just A Memory - count-in, with keyboard, distant percussion, and a barely audible vocal. If this really dates from the IB sessions, the song may have been on EC's mind because Dusty's version was recorded around this time (EC doesn't sing the extra verse).
Imperial Bedroom Sessions Notes:
This collection of tracks from the Imperial Bedroom sessions came to me (thank you my friend) in Flac format, they originate from cassette tapes, the equipment and software used for the transfer is unknown.
It came with notes for each track that I have tried my best to verify and add to (thank you to the original researcher, excellent job).
There are no specific recording dates in the original info but the cd liner notes tell us that the album was recorded in November 1981.
Should any of this information be incorrect please let me know by personal message.
Disc 3 Tracks: 1-18 sound like early live in the studio rehearsals, none have been released.
The other tracks are the same basic performances which appear on either the album or the bonus disc but they all differ in some way from the released versions.
I have not removed the tracks that sound exactly the same as the released versions in case they have some differences that I missed.
The exception is Track 49 which is unreleased.
I sequenced the tracks in the album running order, followed by the non album tracks in chronological recording order.
- Source CD unless otherwise indicated: Imperial Bedroom (with Bonus Disc) (2002 Rhino R2 78188)
- Source Info: http://www.geocities.com/ned3705/ib.html
- Source Recordings: CD>Flac, Flac Bootleg (All Flac at level 8)
The song 'Imperial Bedroom' was added (out of sequence) to the album on Disc 1 so that all of the other bonus tracks would fit in sequence on one CD (Disc 2), anyway it is the title track even if EC recorded it six months after the album.
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WHAT"S MISSING (RELEASED RECORDINGS)
A Conversation With Elvis Costello
F-Beat E.C.CHAT 2 (UK promo, single sleeve)
This is a double LP in a single LP sleeve. Before each track EC describes the writing, recording, arranging and mixing of the record in enormous detail - explaining the thinking behind otherwise impenetrable lyrics.
The front cover contains the same David Bailey photo as on the "Man Out Of Time" 12". These were numbered on the back, and most were signed by EC on the front in blue felt pen.
WHAT'S MISSING (UNRELEASED RECORDINGS)
As mentioned in the entry for "...And In Every Home (rehearsal)," additional recordings are known to exist from the Devon rehearsals, but they have yet to make their way into the hands of collectors.
(watercamp note: since the SESSIONS REHEARSAL version included in the compilation is different from the bonus disc rehearsal version I assume that there is more material floating around waiting to be liberated.)
ADDITIONAL NOTES
The interesting "DJ edit" of "Man Out Of Time," which omits the album version's fast intro and outro can be found on Singles, Vol. 2.
Richard Groothuizen and Kees den Heyer's book Going Through The Motions (Elvis Costello - 1982/1985) includes the interesting claim that Imperial Bedroom "was originally scheduled to be a double album containing 23 songs," although it is unclear where that number comes from, and it could just as easily refer to the songs under consideration as the total recorded.