Elvis Costello - Oliver's Army (Relaid Audio)

[@auggdogrules]

i agree,why wasn't this song number one in usa,one of the best written pop musical tune,highly underated,rock on elvis,you are king !

[@Raythack1]

If I live to be 100 I will never figure out what it is about this song that grabs me body and soul. I do not understand a word. Not to worry. I will ask no questions, I will tell no lies. I will just keep listening. Ray

[@oliverstack]

when i was born my parents gave me and my sister songs, this was my song.

[@Steve915]

Over the years, Elvis has evolved into a musical genius (who would have ever thought the angry young punk would have?), but the early stuff is absolutely killer. I've seen Elvis in person many times in the last 10-15 years, but I really SHOULD have seen some of the early shows, damn it!

[@jmaxg]

Perfect? Yes......that's a good word......perfect. I like that. This song is indeed, perfect.

[@LynneJoy1]

I've loved and listened to Elvis Costello's music since day 1 and he's always been brilliant with his music and lyrics! He is entirely relevant of the smart music from that era that is important to point out to our kids to listen to and learn from, and know that the time era was not all disco and fluff as commercial radio would have them believe....

[@MrAndieRickenbacker]

It's just one of those songs.... It's as fresh as a daisy.... like I just heard it for the first time!!!!! Fab

[@cassiefull]

i have admit that his looks look better with age hes a great artist love his work

[@kpimm1918]

Cromwell's army. Well written by Elvis. I would not want to be part of that history with Cromwell's Army on the way. It's a great song!!

[@ddeus25]

Elvis Costello, still young, was gradfathered into the 1980s, through songs such as Veronica and made it well into the late 1990s with his collaborations with Burt Bacharach. Though I was a postpunk-psychedeiic and heavy metal geek then (notice the oxymoron?), I loved his music.

[@attysdumn]

This is the best song Elvis Costello ever wrote (I realize that's saying a lot--I love lots more of his tunes!) The references to England in Ireland are just breath-taking and I've been listening to it since it came out in 1978 or 1979.

[@HorseRaceHandicrapper]

i love that jacket. He is great.

[@kazutomig51]

I heard it at high school days, nostalgia.

[@49blackboab]

best of the 70s....the other elvis with a great pop song...listen to the lyrics...you would never get away with them now..

[@paul24111]

fab song.

[@pdog44450]

my dad used to listen to elvis when i was like 4 to present and this brings back such good memories. crazy how music can make you feel

[@doggreen1000]

the best pop song ever go elvis you da man

[@DBMalone]

The Oliver referred to in the song is Oliver Cromwell who created the "New Model Army" which is the British Army... the first time Britain had ever had a professional standing army. The song is about British imperialism, accomplished through military might... it's ranks filled by the economically disadvantaged who had no other choice than to join the army.

[@Shoregirlie]

I could listen to this every night & never get tired of it!! Don't even care who Oliver is.. lol

[@gards2]

It would have been very easy for him to disappear in Music history. Good for him for keeping it going.

[@auggdogrules]

this is the very 1st song i heard elvis sing back in 1979 my brother played it on a 8 track player and i was hooked ever since...the man is a genius...my favorite single,my favorite album though is still " this years model" people check out that cd...amazing down your throat cd !

[@mrugod]

This song is perfect.

[@TheBham54]

God, I love this song.....amazing keyboards (thanks Steve), thanks for this great work of art Elvis. Power pop at its very best.

[@speakertreatz]

based on Abba's Dancing Queen so he says

[@TheCenteroftheUniverse]

Check out Nick Lowe's "Pure Pop for Now People". He's still writing and performing, I think. Good stuff.

[@SamChaneyProductions]

My god. That man owns a share of my soul.

[@Reddeadplayer26]

One of Elvis Costello's best works.

[@robbo151973]

i love this record used to sing this when i was a kid lol, along long time ago ,its still a classic tho

[@carmaj156]

I LOOOOOOOOOOVE this song. It's been on my head all day long today. I can't get it out of my mind.

[@auggdogrules]

elvis rules ! playing his way your way......

[@auggdogrules]

elvis is king !

[@shedlooney]

Timeless.

[@gravhammer71]

GREAT TRIBUTE TO OLIVER CROMWELL!!

[@topgunnertg]

classic i love this song

[@WESSERPARAQUAT]

AMAZING lyrical Virtuosity!!!!

[@jorollings2124]

I LOOOOOOOOOOVE this song. It's been on my head all day long today. I can't get it out of my mind. The one album where I wished there were lyrics inside! LOL Great, great harmonies!!!

[@jijst5]

Great, great harmonies!!!

[@george00719]

I just understood the lyrics, remember singing on stage at school for fun when it was raining ..I just got it!

[@GreenbeanFloyd]

Mr. Costello is an Irish prophet

[@arno799]

Top Talent! You cant keep a great performer down!! Great and poround lyrics..Thanks for the posting ..even my 18 year old daughter says Mr Costello is one cool dude!! I'm sure we all agree with that!!

[@Artcraftinspiration]

Elvis rocks this one out! 'shwiiingg'

[@betadatadigitaljohn312]

Best version I've heard. So many things going on in this song it's ridiculous.

[@math00ff]

me encanta esta cancion

[@lamarimpala]

the was music videos BEFORE MTV ROCK ON FOREVER

[@AnInsideJob-mynewbook]

Happy 60th birthday Elvis C.

[@greatlancashireguy]

great song of the eighties

[@johnstangg]

This is my new obsession

[@clockgarae]

What a great pop song

[@grantchapman4760]

Terrific,thanks so much.

[@MrWebwarrior]

@whitelinecrime oliver cromwell his nickname was ironsides he was a puritan he was also a general in the new model army.he was also lord protector of england for 5 years he died 1658

[@DBMalone]

Oh! Been to England twice and once to Scotland btw. Can't wait to visit England again! This time... Portsmouth and Devon. :-)

[@saclrpfrl10]

First song I play on any jukebox I come across.

[@Squidward_Tikiland]

@castersugarman there is a subtle synth pad being played that ends up taking up alot of the frequencies and has no one "playing it" in the video. the drums, bass, and piano are clear, and the guitar is really quiet and sort of acoustic sounding.

[@strixq]

Fucking brilliant!!!!!

[@GuanoLad]

I looked at this video and immediately thought "Isn't this clip from the Kenny Everett show?" and then I read the notes. I am a genius!

[@appledecca]

Oh ! I should be getting on with my "Professional Career ", he he instead of playing about in the P.M ...Thank You...1 for my favourites !

[@IHangDJs]

he is pure GORGEOUS! i love his specs and his teeth and his hyper twitchy movements and his shirt. im gonna see him in may, and if i get to go up on stage and spin the wheel, im gonna give him a big hug. "so i checked all the registered historical facts, and i was shocked into shame to discover, how im the 18th pale descendant of" oliver cromwell. yeah, *apparently* weve got cromwell's and one of his mistress's blood in us. dont let the lovely elvis know!

[@martyw34]

Good job done on the audio.Thanks.

[@KennethMeacomes]

Memories...

[@greenmonkey1971]

@TheSkoobey The song is about Northern Ireland. Oliver's army is the army of Oliver Cromwell sent to crush the Irish uprising in the 17th century, which old Elvis uses as a metaphor for the British army going in to Northern Ireland in the 70s during the 'Troubles'. More than that it's about the poor ignorant buggers back in England with no work prospects except joining the army (the boys from the Mersey and the Thames and the Tyne).

[@pedmunds62]

The song is an "anti-occupation anthem"written by Costello after a visit in 1978 to trouble torn northern Ireland. In the song he mentions other troubled areas such as Palestine Johannesburg and check point Charlie.He said after the visit 'they always get a working class boy to do the killing'

[@crapple009]

and nothing today comes close to this today. Nothing!

[@stecully1]

a back-breaker of a song: )

[@havfruen72]

@greenmonkey1971 Thank you. I love the song, but as I didn't know the background I have tended to get horrible mental flashes of Jamie Oliver lately.....so thank you for clearing it up for me.

[@lisalewis401]

@scobratec No, it was the other way around. EC was influenced by Abba's Dancing Queen.

[@southamptongayguy]

Fab song

[@scobratec]

this is my favorite EC song....is it true that ABBA was influenced by the piano chords in this song?

[@speereettoo]

good sound

[@lardyguts2]

how can someone looking so geeky and acting so geeky be so cool at the same time?

[@RachelBronwyn]

I'll be needing this jacket.

[@Dee046]

he has such a sexy voice

[@carrot186]

BRILL

[@robertodowneso]

he reminds of the modern film star - henry potter.

[@MrCalmlikeaBomb]

@mrhitmanisback i think its about british imperialism, referencing oliver cromwell and various regions of the world where the brits ruled.

[@IqbalHamid]

@foreverwhatever83 It is thought that the title is actually a reference to Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army

[@IqbalHamid]

@lardyguts2 He used to be a computer programmer and his dad sang the tune in the 1970's "R-Whites" lemonade commercial. (I remember all this from an edition of Look-In magazine from 1979).

[@catherinefitzpatrick9144]

IqbalHamid Good for you to remember it, my friend. Better that you shared it with the world , too!

[@trollfinger]

@greatlancashireguy This is from the 70's.

[@sratus]

"They they always get a working-class boy to do the killing" - Elvis Costello

[@mathisfun13]

UMG = Universal Music Group The largest "record" company in the world.

[@TheSkoobey]

@greenmonkey1971 Nice. Very good explanation, I appreciate it.

[@ColdOasisU2]

they listen a lot ABBA(amongothers) when they make this album

[@夢野遥-u5i]

If seek original roots, you can be finding the truth.

[@DavidJHarrisonEssex]

His 1st of only 3 U.K top 10s ( the only 1 he wrote) & his biggest-#2 10th-Feb-79. Is it me or does he look like Brains from Thunderbirds? Is the name of that bass player Rufus? Years ago I met 2 men in Hornchurch in Essex (U.K) who play the pub/club circuits & they have played backing 4 many big names & Elvis C was 1 of them.

[@pbrick6301]

Steve Naive throwing in the Abba...and he is missed as the 2nd most valuable band member.

[@lebarosky]

This song is great pop on the surface. It is great social commentary, if you know something about what has gone on on the frgn planet for the past few hundred years. Most people, and I mean over 80%, don't think such info. worth knowing, and are the rightful prey of anyone with half a brain and some education. And so it goes.

[@tyleryesta1]

I love how the always have a Wurlitzer present but you never hear it. its either a piano or organ or both.

[@XAVIXguy]

@Bubo25 Churchill was born in the UK, making him 100% British. I doubt he considered himself American at all, despite his American history.

[@BledZeppelin]

Hong Kong *was* up for grabs... :)

[@donbrx]

Brilliant song but here's the obvious political reference that NOBODY seems to have gotten -- more timely than the Oliver Cromwell reference: How about Oliver TAMBO, at the time of this song, the exiled leader of the ANC, fighting apartheid in South Africa. The 'fear' (if not hope) of the time was that if things progressed the ANC would invade in some way, and the ensuing violence being horrible hence "Oliver's Army is on their way and I'd rather be anywhere else today". Brilliant writing.

[@dlk1dlk1]

He performs the song like a cartoon character!

[@drstevie]

Brill.

[@v-town1980]

@ifhgsfj Ha-ha, that's funny. A few years back I went to a halloween party as Buddy Holly and most people thought I was Costello. Didn't matter...they both rock/rocked!

[@Forteces]

@wolf765123 yes, yes he did

[@martinstelter4574]

I could still talk all night ...

[@Bellaa51]

WHAT IS THIS!?!? WHY DID SHE TELL ME TO WATCH THIS???? AHHHHHHH DX

[@DBMalone]

Yes, as a matter of fact I do know that. Elvis Costello's real name Patrick Declan McManis. He's English born in Liverpool, but like Paul McCartney has Irish roots. I guess he believes in a united Ireland, and I gather that he's a bit of a socialist and anti-empire. Not that I'm advocating that myselfm btw. I'm Irish too, but we've been here since the 1720s. I'm also a so-called Anglophile and also like Queen Elizabeth II. In fact, I served in her honor guard in Boston in 1976!

[@LondonLawman]

I would happily go to War with the boys from the Mersey and the Tyne and us few us happy few English Men left by the Thames!

[@Z0NK0UT]

And what about that set!

[@bettyfelon1]

The camera angles are giving me motion sickness

[@IqbalHamid]

@Jessyleppert ELVIS LIVES - Aha ha!

[@greenmonkey1971]

@lebarosky Fair cop but when it was made and released, plenty of people knew what it was about and got it. You might need a history degree today to understand the nuances but at the time the sentiment of 'rather be anywhere else' was pretty straightforward. And if it doesn't register with people today then perhaps we need to hear some songs that do.

[@wericks3]

heh heh...thanks to Black Swan Green I can't stop hearing "Olive's salami"