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Olivers Army Lyrics

Artist: Elvis Costello

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 arabas
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 you're out of work
We could send you to johannesburg

CHORUS

And I would rather be anywhere else
But here today
And I would rather be anywhere else
But here today

Comments/Interpretations
by matty smith on 6/20/2008 12:17pm ace tune
by Why on 6/21/2008 1:11pm Why do you never hear this on the radion these days. I guess it's too controversial in todays climate of war and immigration.
by jim on 6/26/2008 11:13pm because kids dont want to hear good music they just wana "crank that soulja boy"
by B on 6/27/2008 4:19am just heard this on local radio...(east sussex)....a classic
by annabella cinderella on 7/4/2008 1:01pm i am only 14 and i think this is a really cool song. it is on disc one of teh 7 Inch Heroes cd.
by georgie on 7/22/2008 8:30am great as they come
by Stamford66 on 7/26/2008 3:13pm I have a correction for you. It should read "With the fires from the mersey and the thames and the tyne"
by paul on 7/27/2008 4:32pm can somebody explain to me what the lyrics are about?
by A.Mc on 8/5/2008 7:31pm It is about the troubles in Northern Ireland
by Richard Gartland on 8/15/2008 7:36pm Mint song, never played enough!
by el jefe on 8/19/2008 8:40am Actually, the line is, "With the boys from the Mersey and the Thames and the Times."
by OY OY on 8/25/2008 3:41pm Thanks for posting mate! GREAT SONG.
by ironfang on 8/29/2008 12:01pm Actually, it's about more than "the Troubles" but rather the legacy of the Royal Army. Oliver refers to Oliver Cromwell (regicidal dictator or hero of freedom?); Checkpoint Charlie refers to the Berlin Wall; "white nigger" is a derogatory term for the Irish; Murder Mile refers to Cyprus; "professional career" refers to the recruiting slogans of the 70's; Churchill should be self evident (We shall never surrender)
by Frank on 9/17/2008 9:20pm Thanks for the explanation, Ironfang!
by Johnnie Raf on 9/30/2008 11:48am The lyrics are correct. It's 'with the boys from the Mersey and the Thames and Tyne i.e. Scousers from Liverpool, Cockneys from London and Geordies from Newcastle upon Tyne
by gary on 11/19/2008 4:46pm It's kinda obvious what most of it says,but what's a "white nigger" ?
by Tom on 11/27/2008 1:15pm Brilliant tune... And Jim!!! I'm a kid!
by connor on 12/6/2008 10:02am im 15 and ive been brought up with all the oldies and i love this song
by louiseoshea.@gmail.com on 1/3/2009 2:06am Isnt the chorus line 'Than here today'?As opposed to 'but'? Sounds like it....
by RCC on 1/26/2009 7:43pm Unemployment was a crisis in England during the 70's. More than 10%.. This song is about the hopelessness of the working class then...with a stint in the Royal Army being the best option for many unemployed. A white nigger is an Irishman or other lower class European who might have to get himself shot for a chance at a paycheck.
by Mary Jane on 2/28/2009 11:19am Elvis Costello wrote this on a plane on his way out of Belfast.
by Mike on 6/3/2009 12:18am I'm glad some of the the younger kids get it. This was and is some great stuff. It's too bad you didn't get to see him live when this came out. First saw him back in '78 at college and he was incredible.
by Paul Weller on 7/8/2009 5:10pm It´s like The Jam´s Little Boy Soldier / Funeral Pyre and Style Council´s Money go Round also Paul Weller´s Savages
by JON on 7/10/2009 3:25am Just heard this ace tune on Murcia local radio, Coventry. I must download it.
by nick Young on 9/1/2009 2:18pm The lyrics the boys from the Mersey and the Thames and the Tyne refer to units of the Royal Fusiliers who draw their soldiers mostly from those areas. Elvis did a concert for them and learnt about English military operations and apparently that was part of the inspiration for this song. The song is also about mercenaries. My brother in law was one and disappeared in Africa after his positions were overrun by the enemy. Never heard from him since. Nasty dangerous job.
by Wayne Westwood on 9/7/2009 5:37pm it's a great song, we love it down here in Aust..
by Ivan on 10/7/2009 3:49am The last line of the chorus should be "Than here today," not "But here today."
by Ivan on 10/7/2009 3:51am Also, the last word in the second line of the last verse should be "arabs," not "arabas."

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