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Elvis Costello - Oliver’s Army Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsA, D, E, C#, F#m, B, G#m, F#, D#
Strumming↓↑-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.

  • Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
  • Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram
  • Guitar E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram
  • Guitar C# | D♭ chord diagram Fingering: x-4-3-1-2-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar C# | D♭ chord diagram
  • Guitar F#m | G♭m chord diagram Fingering: 2-4-4-2-2-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar F#m | G♭m chord diagram
  • Guitar B chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-4-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar B chord diagram
  • Guitar G#m | A♭m chord diagram Fingering: 4-6-6-4-4-4 Barre at fret 4. Base fret 4.Guitar G#m | A♭m chord diagram
  • Guitar F# | G♭ chord diagram Fingering: 2-4-4-3-2-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar F# | G♭ chord diagram
  • Guitar D# | E♭ chord diagram Fingering: x-x-1-3-4-3Guitar D# | E♭ chord diagram

[Opening]
[A] [D] [E] [A] [D] [E]
[A]Don’t start that talking, [D]I could [E]talk all night
[A]My mind goes sleepwalking, [D]while I’m [C#]putting the world to [F#m]right
Called careers [B]information, [F#m]have you got your[B]self an [E]occupation

[chorus]
[A]Oliver’s Army is [D]here to [E]stay, [A]Oliver’s Army are [D]on their [E]way
[A]And I would [F#m]rather be [A]anywhere [D]else, than [E]here [A]today

[verse 2]
[A] [D] [E]
[A]There was a Checkpoint Charlie, [D]he didn’t [E]crack a smile
[A]But it’s no laughing party, [D]when you’ve been [C#]on the murder [F#m]mile
Only takes one [B]itchy trigger, [F#m]one more widow, one [B]less white [E]nigger

[chorus]
[A]Oliver’s Army is [D]here to [E]stay, [A]Oliver’s Army are [D]on their [E]way
[A]And I would [F#m]rather be [A]anywhere [D]else, than [E]here [A]today

[verse 3]
[A] [D] [E]
[G#m]Hong Kong is [F#]up for grabs, [E]London is [D#]full of Arabs
[C#]We could be in [F#]Palestine, [E]overrun by the [F#]Chinese line
With the [E]boys from the Mersey and the [F#]Thames and the Tyne

[verse 4]
[B]But there’s no danger, [E]it’s a [F#]professional career
[B]Though it could be arranged with [E]just a word in [D#]Mister Churchill’s [G#m]ear
If you’re out of [C#]luck, or if you’re out of [G#m]work, we could send you [C#]to Jo[F#]hannes[B]burg [E] [F#]

[Closing]
[B]Olivers Army is [E]here to [F#]stay, [B]Olivers Army are [E]on their [F#]way
[B]And I would [G#m]rather be [B]anywhere [E]else, than [F#]here [B]today
And [B]I would [G#m]rather be [B]anywhere [E]else, than [F#]here [B]today
And [B]I would [G#m]rather be [B]anywhere [E]else, than [F#]here [B]today

[outro]
[B] [E] [F#] [B] [E] [F#]

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SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on guitar.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master guitar today with the most repeated high-impact chord transitions.
ArtistElvis Costello
AlbumArmed Forces
GenresPop, Pop Rock, Rock
Year1979
KeyA

How to play Oliver's Army on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Elvis Costello - Oliver's Army on guitar requires 9 chords and 18 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓↑-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.

Oliver's Army uses these transitions most often: A → D (14), E → A (13), and B → E (12). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with A - D chord transition.

1. A → D chord transition

Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram

To move from A to D;

  1. Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger on B string from fret 2 to fret 3.
A to D

2. D → E chord transition

Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram
Guitar E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram

To move from D to E;

  1. Slide your index finger on G string from fret 2 to fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to A string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 2.
D to E

3. E → A chord transition

Guitar E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram
Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram

To move from E to A;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on D string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from D string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 2.
E to A

4. D → C# chord transition

Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram
Guitar C# | D♭ chord diagram Fingering: x-4-3-1-2-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar C# | D♭ chord diagram

To move from D to C#;

  1. Slide your index finger on G string from fret 2 to fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to B string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on A string fret 4.
D to C#

5. C# → F#m chord transition

To move from C# to F#m;

  1. While playing C#, lift your middle finger from B string fret 2.
  2. Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 3 to A string fret 4.
  4. Lift your pinky from A string fret 4 and place it on D string fret 4.

6. F#m → B chord transition

To move from F#m to B;

  1. Keep index finger on E string fret 2.
  2. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 4 and place it on G string fret 4.
  3. Slide your pinky from D string fret 4 to B string fret 4.
  4. Place middle finger on D string fret 4.

7. B → E chord transition

To move from B to E;

  1. While playing B, lift your pinky from B string fret 4.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 4 to A string fret 2.
  4. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 4 and place it on D string fret 2.

8. A → F#m chord transition

To move from A to F#m;

  1. While playing A, lift your middle finger from G string fret 2.
  2. Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from B string fret 2 to A string fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 4.

9. E → G#m chord transition

To move from E to G#m;

  1. While playing E, lift your middle finger from A string fret 2.
  2. Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 4.
  3. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to A string fret 6.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 6.

10. G#m → F# chord transition

To move from G#m to F#;

  1. Slide your index finger on E string from fret 4 to fret 2.
  2. Slide your ring finger on A string from fret 6 to fret 4.
  3. Slide your pinky on D string from fret 6 to fret 4.
  4. Place middle finger on G string fret 3.

11. F# → E chord transition

To move from F# to E;

  1. While playing F#, lift your pinky from D string fret 4.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 3 to A string fret 2.
  4. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 4 and place it on D string fret 2.

12. E → D# chord transition

To move from E to D#;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on D string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from D string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on B string fret 4.

13. D# → C# chord transition

To move from D# to C#;

  1. Lift your index finger from D string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to B string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 3.
  4. Slide your pinky from B string fret 4 to A string fret 4.

14. C# → F# chord transition

To move from C# to F#;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from B string fret 2 to G string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from D string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 4.
  4. Slide your pinky from A string fret 4 to D string fret 4.

15. F# → B chord transition

To move from F# to B;

  1. Keep index finger on E string fret 2.
  2. Lift your middle finger from G string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 4.
  3. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 4 to G string fret 4.
  4. Lift your pinky from D string fret 4 and place it on B string fret 4.

16. D# → G#m chord transition

To move from D# to G#m;

  1. While playing D#, lift your middle finger from E string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from D string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 4.
  3. Slide your ring finger from G string fret 3 to A string fret 6.
  4. Lift your pinky from B string fret 4 and place it on D string fret 6.

17. G#m → C# chord transition

To move from G#m to C#;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 4 and place it on G string fret 1.
  2. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 6 to D string fret 3.
  3. Lift your pinky from D string fret 6 and place it on A string fret 4.
  4. Place middle finger on B string fret 2.

18. B → G#m chord transition

To move from B to G#m;

  1. While playing B, lift your middle finger from D string fret 4.
  2. Slide your index finger on E string from fret 2 to fret 4.
  3. Slide your ring finger from G string fret 4 to A string fret 6.
  4. Lift your pinky from B string fret 4 and place it on D string fret 6.

Oliver's Army chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Oliver's Army.

  • Oliver's Army includes 106 chord transitions, 18 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Oliver's Army contains 1 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Oliver's Army connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After E, the most likely next chords across Chordier are A (25%), D (14%), and B (11%).
    • E → A: 25%
    • E → F#: 3%
    After B, the most likely next chords across Chordier are E (21%), Em (16%), and A (16%).
    • B → E: 21%
    • B → F#m: 3%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains from real songs. See which songs use each chain and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.