Beat first, ballad later
Nowadays, Elvis Costello channels the part of the doting, sentimental boyfriend. In his early career, though, young Elvis hit the note of the tenacious ex, the kind who sends bitter love letters and keeps carbons of them for posterity.
Incidentally, early Costello rocked.
Viz. this sped-up track from This Year's Model, performed here for German television c. 1978:
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