Renowned British rock icon Elvis Costello has chosen to remove ‘Oliver’s Army’ from his upcoming series of concerts’ setlists.
The song from 1979 made a huge impact on the charts due to its lyrics inspired by the Troubles that afflicted Northern Ireland for three decades.
‘Olver’s Army’ is one of numerous songs that depict the extreme violence of that time, but Costello stood out for his ability to blend violence with the new wave rock movement of the 1970s.
Although the song soared to number 2 in the U.K. charts back in 1979, it has struggled to withstand the test of time due to its controversial use of a racial slur.
Costello recently announced his decision to remove the song from his upcoming shows, choosing not to alter it to avoid diluting the message.
The Significance of ‘Oliver’s Army’
Music has been an effective medium for conveying messages throughout history.
Costello composed ‘Oliver’s Army’ for his album Armed Forces in the hope of capturing the essence of the impact of imperialism and military regimes on the people of Belfast.
The singer explained the motivation for writing the song in his book, Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink.
He expressed that during his first visit to Belfast in 1978, he witnessed “young boys walking around in battle attire with automatic weapons. They were no longer just on the evening news. These snapshot experiences turned into visions of mercenaries and imperial armies around the world.”
The core of the song (and other songs on the album) was the concept of a working-class boy being forced to do the killing, which deeply impacted Costello on a personal level.
The musician’s family had connections to Northern Ireland, and his grandfather had served as a British soldier during World War I and the Easter Rising.
Familiar with the world’s prejudice, Costello penned the song to encapsulate the harsh reality of living in Belfast during such a tumultuous period.
The song’s title refers to the English Parliamentary leader Oliver Cromwell, who personally led English forces during the 1649 war with Ireland.
The song also alludes to other imperialist conflicts occurring around the world in the late seventies.
Why is ‘Oliver’s Army’ so Controversial?
According to Costello, the song is not intended to be viewed as a political piece. He asserted that it was simply pop music, stating that the opening lyrics “argued the absurdity of even attempting to write about such a complex subject.”
The lyrics that have made the song so contentious are:
“Only takes one itchy trigger / One more widow, one less white [N-word].”
Costello’s rationale for using the slur is not ideal, and he was vehemently accused of racism after the song was released.
Although the phrase was directed at Irish Catholics, many took offense at its use in the song’s lyrics.
In a recent interview with The Telegraph, Costello stated:
“If I wrote that song today, maybe I’d think twice about [including the slur]. It’s historically a fact. But people heard that word go off like a bell and accused me of something that I didn’t intend.”
Unsuccessful Revisions
Costello disclosed that he had endeavored to modify the verse during his last tour but felt the song lost its essence in the alterations.
“On the last tour, I wrote a new verse about censorship, but what’s the point of that?
“So I’ve decided I’m not going to play it,” he revealed.
Over the years, many radio stations playing the song simply bleeped the word, thinking that would be more acceptable.
Costello believes this to be a mistake, adding, “they’re making it worse by bleeping it for sure. Because they’re highlighting it then. Just don’t play the record!”
Elvis Costello On Performing Hit Songs
Costello joked in the interview:
“When I fall under a bus, [radio stations will] play She, Good Year for the Roses and Oliver’s Army,” noting that the first two songs were not written by him.
“I’ll die, and they will celebrate my death with two songs I didn’t write. What does that tell you?” he added.
Two of Costello’s most recognizable songs happened to be covers of other artists.
‘Good Year For The Roses’ was originally written for George Jones by Jerry Chesnut, and ‘She’ was first composed and performed by Charles Aznavour.
Costello’s 1999 cover of the latter is currently the most popular of any of his songs on streaming services, with 80 million plays on Spotify alone.
Costello’s Songs Are Not The Only Source of Controversy
Despite his immense success in the 1970s, even Elvis Costello could not escape criticism.
To their credit, he provided them with plenty of material to write about.
On December 17, 1977, Costello and his backing band, The Attractions, were enlisted as the replacement act on Saturday Night Live.
Costello, realizing this was the perfect opportunity to act like an emerging rockstar, decided to mimic Jimi Hendrix on-air.
The group was performing ‘Less Than Zero’ when Costello abruptly stopped the band mid-intro and had them perform ‘Radio, Radio’ instead.
Costello had intended this to be one of the two songs he performed on the show but was rejected by creator Lorne Michaels.
‘Radio, Radio’ vehemently criticized the commercialization of airwaves, a fact that was bound to irk both Michaels and NBC – who had become synonymous with the rise of television and radio.
His Hendrix-like outburst resulted in Costello being banned from appearing on the show until 1989, earning him a reputation as a free-thinking rocker.
His impulsive behavior on national television propelled his debut album into the limelight, and its popularity surged in the United States after the show aired.
Costello was compelled to address allegations of racial insensitivity after a 1979 drunken dispute with Stephen Stills and Bonnie Bramlet, tarnishing his newfound reputation.
The singer used racial slurs to describe James Brown and Ray Charles, two beloved music icons.
Costello apologized for his behavior at a press conference in New York City, claiming his inebriated outburst was aimed at provoking Stills and Bramlett.
To his surprise, Charles forgave Costello, cautioning him to be careful about leaked information in the future.
