I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down

"I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" is a song written by Homer Banks and Allen Jones. Originally recorded by soul duo Sam & Dave in 1967, the song was famously covered by new wave musician Elvis Costello with his backing band the Attractions in 1980 for their album Get Happy!!.

"I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down"
Single by Elvis Costello and the Attractions
from the album Get Happy!!
B-side"Girls Talk"
Released8 February 1980[1]
Recorded1979
GenreNew wave
Length2:05
LabelF-Beat (UK)
Columbia (USA)
Songwriter(s)Homer Banks, Allen Jones
Producer(s)Nick Lowe
Elvis Costello and the Attractions singles chronology
"Accidents Will Happen"
(1979)		 "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down"
(1980)		 "High Fidelity"
(1980)

Original version

"I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" was originally recorded by Sam & Dave in 1967.[2] The Sam & Dave version was issued as the B-side to their live cover of Sam Cooke's "Soothe Me".

Elvis Costello and the Attractions version

Elvis Costello and the Attractions covered the song in 1980 for the album Get Happy!!. Costello's version was drastically rearranged from the original, turning it from a slow soul ballad into an uptempo Northern soul-style dance track. It was one of three singles taken from the album in the UK. It was supposed to be released on the 2 Tone Records label in the UK, but even though copies were pressed, contractual difficulties eventually halted its release on that label. The single was eventually released on F-Beat Records, which was the charted release.[3] The single was backed by "Girls Talk" a song Costello originally gave to pub rock musician Dave Edmunds before releasing his version.

The Elvis Costello version of the song was a commercial hit in the UK, reaching number four on the charts over a stay of eight weeks.[3][4] The single also reached number 14 in Ireland.[5] A US version of the single was released as an EP with King Horse & Secondary Modern included on the second side.

Music videos

A music video for the song was released in 1980, featuring Costello and the Attractions attempting to dance using Motown steps. Costello later said of the video, "We went to one of those proper dance studios with the mirror on the wall and the choreographer was trying to teach us basic Motown backing singer steps. I was drinking and said, 'Well… the lead singer doesn't usually do the moves,' so I did a few steps and left it to the Attractions to do it all. The idea behind those early videos was to make comical little films. Once you started to think, 'I'm remaking The Third Man or Citizen Kane', it lost a little of the charm."[6]

In a piece for The Guardian, Costello recalled a scene from the Top of the Pops video for "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down", saying, "When I arrived to perform 'I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down' [I] was met by what looked like a circus strongman holding a length of stout rope. Our promo man, Spanner, gently persuaded me to don a pantomime harness so I could be hoisted up on a wire and down again, right on cue with the title line from the chorus. ... Two things stood in the way. One was the holes the hooks of the harness would have to punch in my favorite thrift-store trousers, and the other was my fear of heights. A trip to the BBC club took care of the latter: by the time I returned to perform, I wouldn't have cared if I'd been asked to wear harem pants or Bermuda shorts. I was a rubber man, so when the harness returned me to earth, my legs buckled under me. I suspect that the cameraman was already doubled up with laughter, as he completely bungled the shot."[7]

Charts
Chart (1980) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[8] 14
UK Singles (OCC)[9] 4

References
  1. "Elvis Costello And The Attractions - I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down". 45cat.com. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  2. "Soothe Me / I Can't Stand Up (For Falling Down) by Sam & Dave (Single, Soul): Reviews, Ratings, Credits, Song list". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  3. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 122–3. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. "Elvis Costello". Official Charts. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  5. "The Irish Charts – All there is to know". www.irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 12 January 2011. Searchable database
  6. "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down - Elvis Costello and the Attractions". SongFacts. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  7. Costello, Elvis. "Elvis Costello and the curse of Top of the Pops". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  8. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  9. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
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