For the month of November, I’ll be selecting songs in conjunction with the music Twitter challenge: #WelcomeToTheOccupation.

When Costello’s debut album My Aim Is True was released, there was nothing else like it. His biggest strength has always been his songwriting, the way he strung clever lyrics through captivating melodies. But his musical ingenuity is also a huge strength. While you can hear several types of genres in his music – new wave, blues, pub rock, power pop – it’s his own amalgamation of those sounds that is so unique. The US release of My Aim Is True includes the snapping single, “Watching The Detectives”.

It kicks off with that trash can-sounding drum roll and chunky bass line. A cynical disposition and a reggae touch make “Watching The Detectives” an enthralling listen for me every time. Costello means every word he sings, highlighting his obsession for a girlfriend whose obsession is with a fictitious character on tv. I can picture her lying on the bed, doing her nails, watching the detectives with the lights off. And the boyfriend, sadly watching her watching them.

“They beat him up until the teardrops start. But he can't be wounded when he's got no heart.”