My Aim Is True (49th Anniversary Edition) tells the origin story of how Declan MacManus became Elvis Costello.
This expansive 5CD box set features 104 tracks, 52 of them unreleased songs, demos, outtakes, and live performances.
The collection also includes a 72 page liner essay by Elvis Costello, with unseen photographs, handwritten lyrics from his notebooks, and diary entries from 1976 as he was making My Aim Is True.
The story is told across 5 CDs:
CD1: My Aim Is True (2026 Remaster): Remastered from the original 1977 analog master tapes
CD2: The Blue Print: Acoustic recordings and demos recorded before My Aim Is True
CD3: The Stranger In The House: How Declan MacManus became Elvis Costello in 28 songs
CD4: Becoming The Attractions: As they took charge of the My Aim Is True songs and then went mad
CD5: Covered In Clover: The first and last time Costello and Clover played My Aim Is True live in 2007
Tracklisting
CD1 My Aim Is True (2026 Remaster)
1. Welcome To The Working Week - 2026 Remaster
2. Miracle Man - 2026 Remaster
3. No Dancing - 2026 Remaster
4. Blame It On Cain - 2026 Remaster
5. Alison - 2026 Remaster
6. Sneaky Feelings - 2026 Remaster
7. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes - 2026 Remaster
8. Less Than Zero - 2026 Remaster
9. Mystery Dance - 2026 Remaster
10. Pay It Back - 2026 Remaster
11. I'm Not Angry - 2026 Remaster
12. Waiting For The End Of The World - 2026 Remaster
13. Watching The Detectives - Single Version
CD2: The Blue Print
1. I Turn Around - Hope & Anchor Studio
2. Losing You - Hope & Anchor Studio
3. Leverman - Hope & Anchor Studio
4. Citizen Junction - Hope & Anchor Studio
5. I Hear A Melody - Pathway Studios
6. Poison Moon - Bedroom Recording
7. Wave A White Flag - Bedroom Recording
8. Mercury Wings - Ms. Dore’s Tape
9. 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
1. Radio Sweetheart - My Aim Is True Outtake
2. Cheap Reward - Bedroom Recording
3. Mystery Dance - Bedroom Recording
4. Stranger In The House - My Aim Is True Outtake
5. Running Out Of Angels - Hope & Anchor Studio
6. Just Like A Jukebox - Hope & Anchor Studio
7. I Don’t Want To Go Home - Pathway Studios
8. Blame It On Cain - Bedroom Recording
9. 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
1. Alison - What’s On Granada Reports
2. Introduction By Dave Robinson - Live, The Nashville Room
3. Mystery Dance - Live, The Nashville Room
4. Pay It Back - Soundcheck, The Nashville Room
5. Radio Sweetheart - Soundcheck, The Nashville Room
6. Sneaky Feelings - Soundcheck, The Nashville Room
7. Crawling To The U.S.A. - Soundcheck, The Nashville Room
8. Lip Service - Pathway Studios
9. (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, U.K.
15. Whole Wide World - Live Stiffs, University Of Leicester, Leicester, U.K.
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 D.C.
22. Waiting For The End Of The World - The Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, OH
23. Miracle Man - Warner Theater, Washington D.C.
24. Watching The Detectives - Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
25. I’m Not Angry - Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
CD5: Covered In Clover
1. Welcome To The Working Week (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
2. Miracle Man (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
3. No Dancing (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
4. Intro to Blame It On Cain (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
5. Blame It On Cain (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
6. Alison (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
7. Intro To Sneaky Feelings (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
8. Sneaky Feelings (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
9. Intro To Red Shoes (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
10. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
11. Less Than Zero (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
12. Mystery Dance (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
13. Pay It Back (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
14. I'm Not Angry (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
15. Waiting For The End Of The World / Gloria (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
16. Watching The Detectives (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
17. Mr. Moon (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
18. Intro To The Love Trilogy (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
19. Love Has No Pride (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
20. Love Is Gone (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
21. (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)
