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Armed Forces
Studio album by Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Released	January 5, 1979
Recorded	Eden Studios, London, August–September 1978
Genre	Pop/Rock
Length	40:05
Label	Radar Records UK Columbia Records US Demon/Rykodisc (October 19, 1993 Reissue) Rhino (November 19, 2002 Reissue)
Producer	Nick Lowe
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Pitchfork (9.5/10) 3/3/2003 Robert Christgau (A-) link Rolling Stone 11/19/2002
Elvis Costello and the Attractions chronology
This Year's Model (1978) Armed Forces (1979) Get Happy!! (1980)
Alternate cover
US 1979 and 2002 reissue cover, also known as "paint spatter cover"

For the military meaning, see Armed forces. For the Soviet sports society, see Armed Forces (sports society)

Armed Forces (1979) was Elvis Costello's third album, his second with the Attractions, and the first to officially credit the Attractions on the cover. The album originally had the working title Emotional Fascism. It was produced by Nick Lowe at Eden Studios in West London.

Initial pressings of the album in the UK & US included a promotional three-song 7" 33⅓ rpm EP, Live at Hollywood High, recorded on June 4, 1978. The live tracks, also produced by Nick Lowe, are "Accidents Will Happen," "Alison," and "Watching the Detectives," which are included on the Rykodisc reissue and on the Rhino bonus disk along with six more songs from the Hollywood High gig. The UK edition also included 4 postcards featuring pictures of the band.

In 2000 Q magazine placed Armed Forces at number 45 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever. In 2003, the album was ranked number 482 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Contents 1 Original LP track listing 1.1 Side one 1.2 Side two 1.3 Bonus CD reissue tracks (1993 Rykodisc) 1.4 Bonus disc (2002 Rhino) 2 Personnel 3 Charts

All songs written by Elvis Costello, except as indicated.

1. "Accidents Will Happen" – 3:00
2. "Senior Service" – 2:17
3. "Oliver's Army" – 2:58
4. "Big Boys" – 2:54
5. "Green Shirt" – 2:42
6. "Party Girl" – 3:20

1. "Goon Squad" – 3:14
2. "Busy Bodies" – 3:33
3. "Sunday's Best" – 3:22
4. "Moods for Moderns" – 2:48
5. "Chemistry Class" – 2:55
6. "Two Little Hitlers" – 3:18

• The US release of Armed Forces (with the "dripping paint" sleeve) deleted "Sunday's Best" and substituted "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding" by Nick Lowe at the end of side two.

1. "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?" (Lowe) – 3:31
2. "My Funny Valentine" (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) – 1:28
3. "Tiny Steps" – 2:42
4. "Clean Money" – 1:57
5. "Talking in the Dark" – 1:56
6. "Wednesday Week" – 2:01
7. "Accidents Will Happen" (Live at Hollywood High) – 3:18
8. "Alison" (Live at Hollywood High) – 3:08
9. "Watching the Detectives" (Live at Hollywood High) – 5:51

• Tracklisting notes: The Rykodisc reissue placed "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?" after a 15 second silence following "Two Little Hitlers."

1. "Tiny Steps" – 2:42
2. "Busy Bodies" (Alternate version) – 3:48
3. "Talking in the Dark" – 1:56
4. "Big Boys" (Alternate version) – 2:56
5. "Clean Money" – 1:57 –
6. "Wednesday Week" – 2:01
7. "My Funny Valentine" (Rodgers, Hart) – 1:33
8. "Accidents Will Happen" (Live at Hollywood High) – 3:18
9. "Mystery Dance" (Live at Hollywood High) – 2:01
10. "Goon Squad" (Live at Hollywood High) – 3:42
11. "Party Girl" (Live at Hollywood High) – 3:19
12. "Stranger in the House" (Live at Hollywood High) – 3:52
13. "Alison" (Live at Hollywood High) – 3:08
14. "Lipstick Vogue" (Live at Hollywood High) – 4:26
15. "Watching the Detectives" (Live at Hollywood High) – 5:51
16. "You Belong to Me" (Live at Hollywood High) – 2:39
17. "Chemistry Class" (Live solo) – 2:34

Note: The Rykodisc version has the original tracks and bonus tracks on one CD. The Rhino version has two CDs with the original tracks on the first CD.

• Elvis Costello – guitar, vocals
• Steve Nieve – piano, organ
• Bruce Thomas – bass
• Pete Thomas – drums

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1979	Billboard Pop Albums	10

v • d • e Elvis Costello discography
Albums	My Aim Is True · King of America · Spike · Mighty Like a Rose · Brutal Youth · Kojak Variety · North · Il Sogno
Elvis Costello and The Attractions	This Year's Model · Armed Forces · Get Happy!! · Trust · Almost Blue · Imperial Bedroom · Punch the Clock · Goodbye Cruel World · Blood and Chocolate · All This Useless Beauty
Elvis Costello and The Imposters	When I Was Cruel · Cruel Smile · The Delivery Man
Collaborations	The Juliet Letters with The Brodsky Quartet · Terror & Magnificence with John Harle · Painted from Memory with Burt Bacharach · The Sweetest Punch with Bill Frisell · For the Stars with Anne-Sofie von Otter · My Flame Burns Blue with The Metropole Orkest · Piano Jazz with Marian McPartland · The River in Reverse with Allen Toussaint
Live albums	Live at the El Mocambo · Deep Dead Blue · Costello & Nieve
Soundtracks	G.B.H. · Jake's Progress
Compilations	Taking Liberties · Ten Bloody Marys & Ten How's Your Fathers · The Best of Elvis Costello & The Attractions · Out of Our Idiot · Girls Girls Girls · 2 ½ Years · The Very Best of Elvis Costello and The Attractions 1977-86 · Extreme Honey · The Very Best of Elvis Costello · Singles, Vol. 1 · Singles, Vol. 2 · Singles, Vol. 3
Categories	Elvis Costello albums · Elvis Costello songs