Armed Forces

Armed Forces
Album cover
Album by Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Released January 1979
Recorded August-September 1978
Genre College rock/New Wave music/Post punk
Length 40:05 (2002 edition)
Label Radar Records UK
Columbia Records US
Producer(s) Nick Lowe
Professional reviews
Elvis Costello and the Attractions chronology
This Year's Model
(1978) 		Armed Forces
(1979) 		Get Happy!!
(1980)
For the military meaning, see Armed forces.

Armed Forces was Elvis Costello's third album, his second with the Attractions, and the first to officially credit the Attractions on the cover.

It featured a more pop-oriented sound, which Costello has attributed to his ABBA fandom. It was produced by Nick Lowe at Eden Studios in West London.

The working title of Armed Forces was Emotional Fascism, and throughout the album Costello's lyrics are noticeably mired in militaristic and Nazi/fascist imagery ("Oliver's Army is here to stay," "are you ready for the Final Solution," "two little Hitlers," etc.). However, Elvis Costello has said that he never consciously intended the album to have a theme.

In 2003, the album was ranked number 482 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
2002 reissue cover
2002 reissue cover
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Track listing

All songs written by Elvis Costello, except where noted.

  1. "Accidents Will Happen"
  2. "Senior Service"
  3. "Oliver's Army"
  4. "Big Boys"
  5. "Green Shirt"
  6. "Party Girl"
  7. "Goon Squad"
  8. "Busy Bodies"
  9. "Sunday's Best"
  10. "Moods for Moderns"
  11. "Chemistry Class"
  12. "Two Little Hitlers"
  13. "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding?" (Lowe)

NOTE: "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding?" was not on the original UK release of Armed Forces. It was first issued as a B-side on the single "American Squirm" by Nick Lowe & His Sound.

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2002 Rhino Bonus Disc Tracks

All songs written by Elvis Costello, except where noted.

  1. "Tiny Steps"
  2. "Busy Bodies" (alternate version)
  3. "Talking in the Dark"
  4. "Big Boys" (alternate version)
  5. "Clean Money"
  6. "Wednesday Week"
  7. "My Funny Valentine" (Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart)
  8. "Accidents Will Happen" (live)
  9. "Mystery Dance" (live)
  10. "Goon Squad" (live)
  11. "Party Girl" (live)
  12. "Stranger in the House" (live)
  13. "Alison" (live)
  14. "Lipstick Vogue" (live)
  15. "Watching the Detectives" (live)
  16. "You Belong to Me" (live)
  17. "Chemistry Class" (live solo)
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Personnel