Elvis Costello Announces My Aim Is True 49th Anniversary Box Set

Contrary to popular belief, there’s no rule saying you have to reissue a classic album on an even milestone date. “I thought the whole idea of celebrating a 50th Anniversary of My Aim Is True was preposterous. It made my teeth itch,” Elvis Costello writes in the announcement for My Aim Is True (49th Anniversary Edition), a massive box set for the singer’s 1977 debut. The new version includes 52 unreleased songs, demos, outtakes, and live performances; a remastered version of the 12-track LP pulled from the original analog tapes; handwritten lyrics; and essays from Nick Lowe, Rosanne Cash, Peter Wolf, Jim James, and more. It’s out October 2 on UMe but you can listen to a sneak preview today: a live performance of “Watching the Detective,” below. Costello is currently finishing up his 2026 tour with Charlie Sexton.

Revisit Stephen M. Deusner’s Best New Reissue review of The Songs of Bacharach & Costello.

My Aim Is True (Disc 1)01 Welcome To The Working Week – 2026 Remaster02 Miracle Man – 2026 Remaster03 No Dancing – 2026 Remaster04 Blame It On Cain – 2026 Remaster05 Alison – 2026 Remaster06 Sneaky Feelings – 2026 Remaster07 (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes – 2026 Remaster08 Less Than Zero – 2026 Remaster09 Mystery Dance – 2026 Remaster10 Pay It Back – 2026 Remaster11 I’m Not Angry – 2026 Remaster12 Waiting For The End Of The World – 2026 Remaster13 Watching The Detectives – Single Version

The Blue Print (Disc 2)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 Studios06 Poison Moon – Bedroom Recording07 Wave A White Flag – Bedroom Recording08 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

The Stranger In The House (Disc 3)01 Radio Sweetheart – My Aim Is True Outtake02 Cheap Reward – Bedroom Recording03 Mystery Dance – Bedroom Recording04 Stranger In The House – My Aim Is True Outtake05 Running Out Of Angels – Hope & Anchor Studio**06 Just Like A Jukebox – Hope & Anchor Studio**07 I Don’t Want To Go Home – Pathway Studios08 Blame It On Cain – Bedroom Recording09 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 Studios18 Miracle Man – Bedroom Recording**19 Miracle Man – Pathway Studios20 (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes – Ms. Dore’s Tape**21 (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes – Pathway Studios22 Waiting For The End Of The World – Pathway Studios23 Living In Paradise – My Aim Is True Outtake24 Call On Me – Pathway Studios25 Watching The Detectives – Pathway Studios Trio Version**26 No Action – Pathway Studios Trio Version27 Poison Moon – Ms. Dore’s Tape**28 Stranger In The House – Ms. Dore’s Tape**

Becoming The Attractions (Disc 4)01 Alison – What’s On Granada Reports02 Introduction By Dave Robinson – Live, The Nashville Room03 Mystery Dance – Live, The Nashville Room04 Pay It Back – Soundcheck, The Nashville Room05 Radio Sweetheart – Soundcheck, The Nashville Room06 Sneaky Feelings – Soundcheck, The Nashville Room07 Crawling To The U.S.A. – Soundcheck, The Nashville Room08 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 Nicholson11 Watching The Detectives – Good Afternoon Broadcast**12 Interview No. 2 – Good Afternoon with Mavis Nicholson13 Hoover Factory – Good Afternoon Rehearsal**14 I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself – Live Stiffs, University of East Anglia, Norwich15 Whole Wide World – Live Stiffs, University Of Leicester, Leicester, U.K.**16 KSAN Intro – Old Waldorf, San Francisco, CA17 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**

Covered In Clover (Disc 5)01 Welcome To The Working Week (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA -November 8, 2007)**02 Miracle Man (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007)**03 No Dancing (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007)**04 Intro To Blame It On Cain (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November8, 2007)**05 Blame It On Cain (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8,2007)**06 Alison (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8, 2007)**07 Intro To Sneaky Feelings (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November8, 2007)**08 Sneaky Feelings (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November 8,2007)**09 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, SanFrancisco, 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, SanFrancisco, CA – November 8, 2007)**16 Watching The Detectives (Live – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA – November8, 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 – November8, 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)**