My Top 2000 Songs #1047: Oliver's Army

While I'm fine with Elvis Costello's second album (his first with the Attractions), 1978's This Year's Model, I frankly don't play it that often. It's the follow-up, 1979's Armed Forces, that has long been among my 2 or 3 favorite EC releases--on any given day, my top pick will change--and the one that really shows the importance of the Attractions to that early run of masterpieces. "Oliver's Army" in particular has such a delightful, effervescent musical vibe, a huge leap from the more straightforward Model songs, in no small part owing to Steve Nieve's wonderful piano work.

Sure, he cheats a bit, tossing in a hook borrowed from Abba's "Dancing Queen," but this just gives the track a deceptively light bubblegum feel, which stands in stark contrast to the song's somewhat dark anti-colonialist lyrics. (Yeah, the unfortunate use of a racial slur--albeit in a distinctly anti-racist way--can be a distraction these days, but it sure elevates the anger underlying the facially upbeat number.)

Live 2013:

Blur cover:

OK Go cover:

Hayseed Dixie cover: