Costello & The Attractions - Oliver's Army | Elvis

Mentions "Checkpoints," "Hong Kong," and "Palestine" to show the reach of British imperialism.

Costello wrote the song after visiting , during "The Troubles."

In 2022, Costello announced he would stop performing the song live and asked radio stations to stop playing it, stating that the slur "poisons" the song's intent for modern audiences. 💿 Critical Reception Chart Success: Spent 12 weeks on the UK charts. Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Oliver's Army

The song was written during a period of high unemployment and social unrest in the UK. 1978 (recorded), 1979 (released).

Refers to Oliver Cromwell , the 17th-century English leader who led a brutal conquest of Ireland. Mentions "Checkpoints," "Hong Kong," and "Palestine" to show

Ranked by Rolling Stone and NME as one of the greatest songs of all time.

While the lyrics are biting and political, the music is intentionally upbeat. New Wave / Power Pop. The song was written during a period of

Released in , "Oliver's Army" is the most successful single of Elvis Costello's career . It reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart and remains a staple of new wave and power pop history. 🎵 Musical Composition