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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
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| Oliver's Army |
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| Written by | Elvis Costello |
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| Performed by | Elvis Costello & The Attractions |
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| Produced by | Nick Lowe |
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| Musicians | Elvis Costello - vocals, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums |
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| Recorded | August-September 1978, Eden Studios, London |
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| Released | January 5, 1979 |
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| Albums | Armed Forces, 1979 |
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| Singles | Oliver's Army, 1979
Green Shirt, 1985 |
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| Collections | The Best Of Elvis Costello & The Attractions, 1985
The Man (The Best Of Elvis Costello), 1985
Girls Girls Girls, 1989
2½ Years, 1993
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 |
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| Various Artists collections | Formula Thirty 2, 1986
Counting The Beat, 1991
The Sound Of The Suburbs, 1991, 1997
Rock & Wave Vol. 1: The Hits From The Underground, 1992
Back To The 70's, 1993
Sounds Of The Seventies, 1994
Sounds Of The 70's (Castle), 1994
Festival Rock, 1994 -
Drivetime 3, 1995
The Number One Punk Album, 1996
Fantastic 70s!, 1998
Rock Anthems Vol. 2, 1998
Classic Rock 1975-1979, 1998
The Best Seventies Album In The World ...Ever! II, 1999
Ten Years Of Rock: FLEADH, 1999
Music Of The Millennium CD 2, 2000
Pop & Wave By Public, 1999
Sounds Of The 70's, 1999
New Wave Greats 1976 - 1983, 1999
Mersey Boys & Liverpool Girls: The Sounds From The Mersey 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
Shouting From The Streets: Songs Of Protest, 2007 |
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| Promos | 2½ Years (In 31 Minutes), 1993
The Very Best Of Elvis Costello (Spain promo), 1999
UK Elvis Costello, 2002
Virgin Radio Sessions: Exclusive Soundcheck Panel Volume 7, 2004 - |
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| Videos | The Right Spectacle: The Very Best Of Elvis Costello - The Videos |
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| Length | 2:57 |
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