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Elvis Costello Wants Radio Stations To Stop Playing ‘Oliver’s Army’

The lyrics contain the n-word…

Elvis Costello has said he would like radio stations to stop playing ‘Oliver’s Army’.

The song was written for his 1979 album ‘Armed Forces’, and focussed on the ongoing conflict in Northern Ireland.

An immediate hit, it contains the line: “Only takes one itchy trigger / One more widow, one less white n_____”. 

Speaking to the Telegraph, Elvis Costello said he would “think twice” about using the line now.

He told the newspaper: “If I wrote that song today, maybe I’d think twice about it. That’s what my grandfather was called in the British army – it’s historically a fact – but people hear that word go off like a bell and accuse me of something that I didn’t intend.”

The songwriter continued: “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.”

Elvis Costello then insisted that bleeping the n-word “is a mistake”, before asking radio stations to stop playing the song.

He said: “They’re making it worse by bleeping it for sure. Because they’re highlighting it then. Just don’t play the record!”

“It would do me a favour,” he continued. “Because when I fall under a bus, they’ll play ‘She,’ ‘Good Year for the Roses’ and Oliver’s Army.’ I’ll die, and they will celebrate my death with two songs I didn’t write. What does that tell you?”

Find the full interview HERE.

Elvis Costello’s new album ‘The Boy Named If’ is out on January 14th.

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Source: https://www.clashmusic.com/news/elvis-costello-wants-radio-stations-to-stop-playing-olivers-army

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