Oliver's Army

Lyrics - Credits - Discography - Covers - Bootlegs - Chords

Lyrics Don't start me talking I could talk all night My mind goes sleepwalking While I'm putting the world to right Called careers information Have you got yourself an occupation? Chorus: Oliver's army is here to stay Oliver's army are on their way And I would rather be anywhere else But here today There was a checkpoint Charlie He didn't crack a smile But it's no laughing party When you've been on the murder mile Only takes one itchy trigger One more widow, one less white nigger (Chorus) Hong Kong is up for grabs London is full of Arabs We could be in Palestine Overrun by a Chinese line With the boys from the Mersey and the Thames and the Tyne But there's no danger It's a professional career Though it could be arranged With just a word in Mr. Churchill's ear If you're out of luck or out of work We could send you to Johannesburg (Chorus) Alternate lyrics from 2020 live performances (replacing "Checkpoint Charlie" verse) They say the times are changing And peace on earth has come to pass Although the war is raging They say each war will be the last Send the boys back to Enniskillen 'Cause a robot army does all the killing And the BBC will beg you to forgive us Choose a word or two and cut them out with scissors Alternate lyrics from 2023-2024 live performances (replacing "Checkpoint Charlie" verse) The times are changing And peace on earth has come to pass Although the war is raging They say each war will be the last Send you overseas to the lands we plundered 'Til you came back home found yourself outnumbered Gun running with a legal tender Sing the soldier's song scream no surrender One man's freedom is another man's terror The red badge of courage the cowards white feather Another statistic in the margin for error One more widow another pallbearer

Credits Written by: Elvis Costello Produced by: Nick Lowe Musicians: Elvis Costello - vocals, guitar Steve Nieve - keyboards Bruce Thomas - bass Pete Thomas - drums Discography Albums: Armed Forces, 1979 Armed Forces (reissue), Rykodisc/Demon, 1993 Armed Forces (Deluxe Edition), Rhino/Edsel, 2002 Singles: Oliver's Army, 1979 Green Shirt, 1985 Collections: The Best Of Elvis Costello & The Attractions, 1985 The Man (The Best Of Elvis Costello), 1985 The Very Best Of Elvis Costello & The Attractions, 1994 The Very Best Of Elvis Costello, 1999 Singles, Volume 1, 2003 The Best Of Elvis Costello The First 10 Years, 2007 Soundtracks: none This section may be incomplete. Various Artists collections: The Sounds Of The Suburbs, 1991 Rock & Wave Vol. 1: The Hits From The Underground, 1992 Back To The 70's, 1993 Sounds Of The Seventies, 1994 Drivetime 3, 1995 The Number One Punk Album, 1996 Fantastic 70s!, 1998 Rock Anthems Vol. 2, 1998 Best Seventies Album In The World ...Ever! II, 1999 Ten Years Of Rock: FLEADH, 1999 Pop & Wave By Public, 1999 Sounds Of The 70's, 1999 Mersey Boys & Liverpool Girls: The Sounds From The Mersey Era 1978-2001, 2001 Songs For The Aussie Bloke Vol. 2, 2001 SchoolDisco.com - Spring Term, 2002 To Be Someone, 2002 Best Of British: 50 Golden Years Of British Popular Music, 2002 Capital Gold Rock Legends, 2002 SchoolDisco.com: The Revision Guide, 2002 Elite Rock, 2002 Rock Sessions, 2002 Smile - Acoustic Happy Music, 2003 Virgin Radio: The Album, 2004 Covers Recorded by: Blur on Peace Together, 1993 This section may be incomplete. Performed by: none This section may be incomplete. Bootlegs This section is incomplete.

Chords

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Internal Links

• Elvis Costello Home Page: index to lyrics and chords
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