Blur

Released: July 19, 1993

Songwriter: Elvis Costello

Producer: John Smith Blur

Don't start me talking
I could talk all night
My mind was sleep walking
While I'm putting the world to rights
Call careers information
Have you got yourself an occupation?

Oliver's Army is here to stay
Oliver's Army is on their way
And I would rather be anywhere else
Than here today

There was a Checkpoint Charlie
He didn't crack a smile
But it's no laughing party
When you've been on the murder mile
All it takes is one itchy trigger
One more widow one less white nigger

Oliver's Army is here to stay
Oliver's Army is on their way
And I would rather be anywhere else
Than here today

Hong Kong is up for grabs
London is full of Arabs
We could be in Palestine
Overrun by a Chinese line
With the boys from the Mersey and the Thames and the Tyne
But there's no danger
It's a professional career
Though it could be arranged
With just a word in Mr. Churchill's ear
If you're out of luck or out of work
We could send you to Johannesburg

Oliver's Army is here to stay
Oliver's Army is on their way
And I would rather be anywhere else
Than here today
And I would rather be anywhere else
Than here today
And I would rather be anywhere else
Than here today
And I would rather be anywhere else
Than here today

British rock group Blur formed in 1988 and began life as a fairly unsuccessful shoegaze/madchester outfit, but the band quickly developed into becoming one of the leaders of the massive 1990s Britpop scene.

Their rivalry with contemporaries Oasis culminated in one of the most famous chart battles in British history – one which Blur won when “Country House” outsold Oasis’s “Roll With It” by 50,000 copies, giving Blur their first #1 single in the process.

Following this, the group embarked on a new musical direction, deliberately heading away from their trademark Britpop sound and instead taking influences from American alternative rock, a sound which earned them new fans in the US and gave them their second UK #1: “Beetlebum” in 1997.

more tracks from the album

Peace Together

From the album

Peace Together (1993)

Blur popular songs

Oliver’s ArmyBlur

Blur

Peace Together