This arrangement of "Oliver's Army" is in the key of G, a tone down from the key of Elvis Costello's version, A. Note that the key moves up a tone after the bridge from G to A. In the original key this would give us some difficult chords (B, E, Eb7, F#7, G#m).
In the original recording the start of the chorus "Oliver's Army" coincides with the end of the verse "occupation", which is obviously not possible for a solo performer to sing. Therefore we do a turn to C (IV) then D7 (V7) before the chorus. The same pattern is used in the original recording after the third verse. Alternatively you can cram "yourself an occupation", as in the version by Spunge.
These are the lyrics published on Elvis Costello's web site. Some versions have "Than here today" rather than "But here today" in the chorus.
G
C
D7
G
C
D7
G
GDon't start me talking
C
D7
CI could
D7talk all night
G
GMy mind goes sleepwalking
C
B7
Em
CWhile I'm
B7putting the world to
Emright
A7
Called careers
A7information
Em
A7
D7
G
C
D7
EmHave you got your
A7self an
D7occu
Gpation?
C
D7
G
C
D7
GOliver's army is
Chere to
D7stay
G
C
D7
GOliver's army are
Con their
D7way
G
D
Em
G
C
GAnd
DI would
Emrather be
Ganywhere
Celse
D7
G
C
D7
But
D7here to
Gday
C
D7
G
GThere was a checkpoint Charlie
C
D7
CHe didn't
D7crack a smile
G
GBut it's no laughing party
C
B7
Em
CWhen you've been
B7on the murder
Emmile
A7
Only takes one
A7itchy trigger
Em
A7
D7
EmOne more widow, one
A7less white
D7nigger
G
C
D7
GOliver's army is
Chere to
D7stay
G
C
D7
GOliver's army are
Con their
D7way
G
D
Em
G
C
GAnd
DI would
Emrather be
Ganywhere
Celse
D7
G
C
D7
But
D7here to
Gday
C
D7
Bridge
F#m
E7
F#mHong Kong is
E7up for grabs
D
C#7
DLondon is
C#7full of Arabs
B7
E7
B7We could be in
E7Palestine
D
E7
DOverrun by a
E7Chinese line
D
E7
With the
Dboys from the Mersey and the
E7Thames and the Tyne
A
ABut there's no danger
D
E7
A
DIt's a pro
E7fessional car
Aeer
A
AThough it could be arranged
D
C#7
F#m
DWith just a word in
C#7Mister Churchill's
F#mear
B7
F#m
If you're out of
B7luck you're out of
F#mwork
B7
E7
A
D
E7
We could send you
B7to Jo
E7hannes
Aburg
D
E7
A
D
E7
AOliver's army is
Dhere to
E7stay
A
D
E7
AOliver's army are
Don their
E7way
A
F#m
D
AAnd I would
F#mrather be anywhere
Delse
E7
A
But
E7here to
Aday
A
F#m
D
AAnd I would
F#mrather be anywhere
Delse
E7
A
But
E7here to
Aday
A
F#m
D
AAnd I would
F#mrather be anywhere
Delse
E7
A
But
E7here to
Aday
A
D
E7
AOh oh oh
Doh
E7Oh oh oh
A
D
E7
AOh oh oh
Doh
E7Oh oh oh
A
D
E7
A
AOh oh oh
Doh
E7Oh oh oh
A
Lyrics are the property and copyright of their owners, and are provided here for educational purposes only.
Elvis Costello