Lyric Discussion: Elvis Costello's "Oliver's Army"

[lazarus]

This is a thing I thought this group would be great for.

Oliver's Army is one of my favourite Costello songs, but I have to admit, I haven't a clue what it's about. I get hints of understanding, but not much. Anybody care to chime in? (I have a feeling a lot of this is very British.)

Oliver's Army
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?

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)

[kaitykaity]

1. It's pretty universal to me.

It's seems to be about being poor and the only "good
opportunity" for you to get out of your situation is to
volunteer to join the Army.

About the sales job the military did during peace time
about how wonderful the military is and come on, join,
it'll be fun.

That's what I was -- grew up poor, screwed up my chances
for scholarships and such. The only way I could go to
school was to sign on the dotted line.

[Tikki]

2. First myth.....

Us Left Coasters are up and at it, tonight...so I'll reply, now.

First myth, as I see it about Punk, albeit New Wave or whatever, was that it is 'anti-hippie' music.

Just as many of the World's youth ( especially in the Western World) were looking at 'troubled times' going into the '80's, as were the young ones living in the 60's.

These later 70's writers and performers were not, so much, anti-hippie, but part of another generation of disenfranchised youth. This time they were more angry and frustrated.

Thatcher ruled over there and Reagan was talking real contempt for America's youth on his run up to candidacy. Reagan and the growing power of the RW message, alone, was enough reason for many youth in the U.S. to find their way into an attitude; Punk .

The economy sucked in GB and, as ever, many of their young either lived on the dole or enlisted in their Armed Forces. (sound familiar?)

As quirky as Elvis' early works may have appeared, he was a serious and socially conscious writer...

I believe "Oliver's Army" was an E.C. PROTEST; a comparison of the mercenaries in British war history to Thatcher's dictates for a modern 'regular' Armed Forces. The 'Oliver' in "Oliver's Army" must be a reference to Oliver Cromwell's military campaign strategies to gain British control over lands in the 1600's.


Tikki

[lazarus]

3. I think you nailed it, Tikki

I was there during some of the Thatcher years; it wasn't any better than the Reagan years here, worse in many ways.

I assumed the Oliver was Cromwell, but could figure out a connection. The allusions are all over the map, really. I think I can see various British expeditions in foreign military policy all through it, though.

[dipsydoodle]

4. I believe that this

may help you understand:

http://www.troopsoutmovement.com/oliversarmy.htm

Hope that helps.

[Lithos]

5. Interesting

Bookmarked for later consumption.

L-

[Kolesar]

6. My favorite song by my favorite artist

I just want to put it on and sing along. The first part reminds me of an opening overture to a musical like we used to do in high school back about when that song came out. I was not really a fan until after high school. Elvis is an acquired taste.

My take is that the song is definitely a reference to Oliver Cromwell, the fundamentalist Christian who took over England and whose legacy was a period of wars. Britain's army will always be Oliver's Army.

Further, note that the British Empire used a "professional" army, that was not a cadre of conscripts, but a technically superior and highly trained corp who could kick ass with impunity in the undeveloped world.

I hear this song as a period piece when young Britons were definitely antiwar. The country was smart enough not to get bogged down in Vietnam and most young Britons hated America for that war. Think of John Lennon, one of my favorite peace activists. He was quite outspoken. There is also a deep proletarian consciousness in Britain that was alive and well in the 1970s youth who would broker no imperial fascism by anyone.

Any Clash fans here?

Back to that overture. One slow day I googled up Oliver's Army and found another discussion board that connected Oliver's Army back to Abba's "Dancing Queen". No link here--lost it--you will have to google it up yourself. But I guarantee you will never hear Oliver's Army quite the same way again.

God help our fighting men. It is so difficult to know what is right when you are young.