[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1503249726' post='3356693']
Even as a huge Elvis Costello fan I have to agree this is the finest version of a wonderful song. However, is it a cover? It was originally written for Wyatt, with Costello recording it slightly later.
[/quote]
Watching the video I thought I recognised Bedders from Madness and while checking read this. Just FYI for everyone..
According to Clive Langer, he had written the tune for Robert Wyatt but was not happy with the lyrics that he had written himself. Langer played the tune to Costello at a party hosted by Nick Lowe, and within days Costello had produced what he described as "the best lyrics I've ever written".[1] In a 1983 interview with NME, Mark Bedford of Madness, who played stand-up double bass on the single, recounted the history of the song:
"At first Robert Wyatt wasn't involved. The original plan was to release four different versions of the song, which was then called 'Ten to Nine', as an EP with four different guest vocalists. There were going to be versions of the song by Elvis, Clive and Steve Allen [Langer's former bandmate in the 1970s group Deaf School], but once Elvis had done some more work on the lyrics and changed the song to 'Shipbuilding', they decided to approach Robert Wyatt and his version was so special that it came out as a straight single."[3]