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The Clash
The Clash


Background information
Origin London, England
Genre(s) Punk Rock
Years active 1976—1986
Label(s) Columbia Records
Associated acts Gorillaz
The 101'ers
London SS
Generation X
The Rich Kids
Cowboys International
General Public
Big Audio Dynamite
Havana 3am
The Latino Rockabilly War
The Pogues
The Mescaleros
Carbon/Silicon
The Good, the Bad and the Queen
Website Website
Former members
Mick Jones
Keith Levene
Paul Simonon
Terry Chimes
Joe Strummer
Rob Harper
Nicky "Topper" Headon
Pete Howard
Nick Sheppard
Vince White



Music World  →  Lyrics  →  T  →  The Clash  →  Albums  →  London Calling

The Clash Album


London Calling (1980)
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. . .


london calling to the far away towns
now war is declared and battle come down
london calling to the under world
Come out of the cupboard, you boys and girls
London calling, now don't look at us
Phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust
London calling, see we ain't got no swing
'Cept for the ring of that truncheon thing

[Chorus]
The ice age is coming, the sun zooming in
Meltdown expected, the wheat is growing thin
Engines stop running, but I have no fear
'Cause London is drowning-and I live by the river

London calling to the imitation zone
Forget it, brother, you can go it alone
London calling to the zombies of death
Quit holding out-and draw another breath
London calling-and I don't wanna shout
But while we were talking-I saw you nodding out
London calling, see we ain't got no highs
Except for that one with the yellowy eyes

[Chorus x2]

the ice age is coming, the sun i s zooming in
engins are stoppin the wheat is growing thin
nuclear error but i have no fear
london is drowing and i live by the river

Now get this
London calling, yes, I was there, too
An' you know what they said? Well, some of it was true!
London calling at the top of the dial
After all this, won't you give me a smile?

I never felt so much a' like


. . .


Driiiiiiiive!!!
Driiiiiiiive!!!

My baby drove up in a brand new Cadillac
Yes she did!
My baby drove up in a brand new Cadillac
She said, "Hey, come here, Daddy!"
"I ain't never comin' back!"

Baby, baby, won't you hear my plea?
C'mon, sugar, just come on back to me
She said, "Balls to you, Big Daddy."
She ain't never coming back!

Baby, baby, won't you hear my plea?
Oh c'mon, just hear my plea
She said, "Balls to you, Daddy."
She ain't coming back to me

Baby, baby drove up in a Cadillac
I said, "Jesus Christ! Where'd you get that cadillac?"
She said, "Balls to you, Daddy."
She ain't never coming back!

. . .


Police walked in for Jimmy Jazz
I said he aint here
But he sure went past
Oh youre looking for Jimmy Jazz

Yeah they say
Sattamassagana for Jimmy Dread
Cut off his ears
And Chop off his head
Police come look for Jimmy Jazz

So if youre gonna take a message across the town
Maybe put it down somewhere over the other side
See it gets to Jimmy Jazz

Police came in they said "Now wheres Jimmy Jazz?"
I said he was here but...he sure went past
Police they be lookin for
Jimmy Jazz

Sattamassagana for Jimmy Dread
Cut off his ears
And they'll chop off his head
Oh youre lookin for Jimmy Jazz...jazz...jazz...jazz..

What a relief
I feel like a soldier
Look like a theif

Police come lookin' for Jimmy Jazz...

Infact..!

Dont you bother me, not any more
I cant take this tale, o no more
Its all around Jimmy Jazz

J-a-zee-zee...j-a-zed-zed....
..zee-zee-zee...
J-a-zed-zed, j-a-zed-zed ..j-a-zed... Jimmy jazz

And then it sucks
He said "Suck that!"

So go look
All around
You can try your luck brother
And see what you found,
But I guarantee you
That it aint your day.... your day
..it aint your day

....chop-chop!

. . .


Well, I got a friend who's a man
What man?
The man who keeps me from the lovely
He gives me what I need
What you need? What you got?
I need it all so badly

Oh, anything I want he gives it to me
Anything I want he gives it, but not for free
It's hateful
And it's paid for and I'm so grateful to be nowhere

This year I've lost some friends
Some friends? What friends?
I dunno, I ain't even noticed

You see, I gotta go out again
Again? My friend
I gotta see that mainman

I killed all my nerves
My nerves? What swerves?
And I can't drive so steady

I've lost my memory
My mind? Behind!
I can't see so clearly

[Chorus]

. . .


Sing Michael sing- on the route of the 19 bus!
Hear them sayin'
How you get a rude and a reckless
don't you be so crude and a feckless
you bin drinking brew for breakfast
Rudie can't fail


SO WE REPLY
I KNOW THAT MY LIFE MAKE YOU NERVOUS
BUT I TELL YOU THAT I CAN'T LIVE IN SERVICE
LIKE THE DOCTOR WHO WAS BORN FOR A PURPOSE
RUDIE CAN'T FAIL



I WENT TO THE MARKET TO REALISE MY SOUL
'CAUSE WHAT I NEED I JUST DON'T HAVE
FIRST THEY CURSE, THEN THEY PRESS ME TILL I HURT
WE SAY RUDIE CAN'T FAIL



WE HEAR THEM SAYIN'
NOW FIRST YOU MUST CURE YOUR TEMPER
THEN YOU FIND A JOB IN THE PAPER
YOU NEED SOMEONE FOR A SAVIOUR
OH RUDIE CAN'T FAIL



WE REPLY
NOW WE GET A RUDE AND A RECKLESS
WE BEEN SEEN LOOKIN' COOL AN' A SPECKLESS
WE BEEN DRINKIN' BREW FOR BREAKFAST
SO RUDIE CAN'T FAIL



OKAY!
SO WHERE YOU WANNA GO TODAY?
HEY BOSS MAN!
YOU'RE LOOKING PRETTY SMART
IN YOUR CHICKEN SKIN SUIT
YOU THINK YOU'RE PRETTY HOT
IN YOUR PORK PIE HAT
BUT.....RUDIE CAN'T FAIL
LOOKOUT, LOOKOUT
SKYJUICE!.....10 CENTS A BOTTLE

. . .


Spanish songs in Andalucia
The shooting site in the days of '39
Oh please leave the vendanna open
Fredrico Llorca is dead and gone

Bullet holes in the cemetary walls
The black cars of Guardia Civil
Spanish bombs on the Costa Rica
Iґm flying in on a DC10 tonight

Spanish bombs, yo te qiero y finito
Yo te querda, oh ma corazon
Spanish bombs, yo te qiero y finito
Yo te querda, oh ma corazon

Spanish weeks in my disco casino
The freedom fighters died up on the hill
They sang the red flag, they wore the black one
After they died it was mockingbird hill

Back home the buses went up in flashes
The Irish tomb drenched in blood
Spanish bombs shatter the hotels
My señoritas rose was nipped in the bud

Spanish bombs, yo te qiero y finito
Yo te querda, oh ma corazon
Spanish bombs, yo te qiero y finito
Yo te querda, oh ma corazon

The hillsides ring with "Free the people"
Or can I hear the echoes of the days of '39
Trenches full of poets, a ragged army
Fixing bayonettes to fight the other line

Spanish bombs rock the province
Iґm hearing music from another time
Spanish bombs, Costa Brava
Iґm flying in on a DC10 tonight

Spanish bombs, yo te qiero y finito
Yo te querda, oh ma corazon
Spanish bombs, yo te qiero y finito
Yo te querda, oh ma corazon

oh ma corazon
oh ma corazon

Spanish songs in Andalucia... Mandolina
Spanish songs in Granada... oh ma corazon

oh ma corazon
oh ma corazon

. . .


Say, where did I see this guy?
In red river?
Or a place in the sun?
Maybe the misfits?
Or from here to eternity?

Everybody say, is he all right?
And everybody say, what’s he like?
Everybody say, he sure look funny.
That’s...montgomery clift, honey!

New york, new york, new york, 42nd street
Hustlers rustle and pimps pimp the beat
Monty clift is recognized at dawn
He ain’t got no shoes and his clothes are torn

I see a car smashed at night
Cut the applause and dim the light
Monty’s face is broken on a wheel
Is he alive? can he still feel?

Nembutol numbs it all
But I prefer alcohol

He said go out and get me my old movie stills
Go out and get me another roll of pills
There I go again shaking, but I ain’t got the chills

Arrrghhhgorra buh bhuh do arrrrgggghhhhnnnn!!!!


. . .


CHORUS:
I'm all lost in the supermarket
I can no longer shop happily
I came in here for that special offer
a guaranteed personality.

I wasn't born so much as I fell out
nobody seemed to notice me
we had a hedge back home in the suburbs
over which I never could see.

I heard the people who lived on the ceiling
scream and fight most scarily
hearing that noise was my first ever feeling
that's how it's been all around me.

CHORUS

I'm all tuned in, I see all the programmes
I save coupons from packets of tea
I've got my giant hit discoteque album
I empty a bottle and I feel a bit free.

The kids in the halls and the pipes in the walls
make me noises for company
long distance callers make long distance calls
and the silence makes me lonely.

CHORUS

And it's not here.
It disappeared.

I'm all lost.

CHORUS

. . .


What are we gonna do now?
Taking off his turban, they said, is this man a Jew?
'Cause they're working for the clampdown
They put up a poster saying we earn more than you!
When we're working for the clampdown
We will teach our twisted speech
To the young believers
We will train our blue-eyed men
To be young believers

The judge said five to ten-but I say double that again
I'm not working for the clampdown
No man born with a living soul
Can be working for the clampdown
Kick over the wall 'cause government's to fall
How can you refuse it?
Let fury have the hour, anger can be power
D'you know that you can use it?

The voices in your head are calling
Stop wasting your time, there's nothing coming
Only a fool would think someone could save you
The men at the factory are old and cunning
You don't owe nothing, so boy get runnin'
It's the best years of your life they want to steal

You grow up and you calm down
You're working for the clampdown
You start wearing the blue and brown
You're working for the clampdown
So you got someone to boss around
It makes you feel big now
You drift until you brutalize
You made your first kill now

In these days of evil presidentes
Working for the clampdown
But lately one or two has fully paid their due
For working for the clampdown
But ha! Gitalong! Gitalong!

And I've given away no secrets
Who's barmy now?

. . .


When they kick at your front door
How are you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun

When the law break in
How are you gonna go?
Shot down on the pavement
Or waiting on death row

You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh, the guns of Brixton

The money feels good
And your life you like it well
But surely your time will come
As in heaven, as in hell

You see, he feels like Ivan
Born under the Brixton sun
His game is called survivin'
At the end of the harder they come

You know it means no mercy
They caught him with a gun
No need for the Black Maria
Goodbye to the Brixton sun

You can crush us
You can bruise us
Yes, even shoot us
But oh-the guns of Brixton

When they kick at your front door
How are you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun

You can crush us
You can bruise us
Yes, even shoot us
But oh-the guns of Brixton

Shot down on the pavement
Waiting in death row
His game is called survivin'
As in heaven as in hell

You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh, the guns of Brixton


. . .


Stagger Lee met Billy and they go down to gambling
Stagger Lee throwed seven
Billy said that he throwed eight
So Billy said, hey Stagger! I'm gonna make my big attack
I'm gonna have to leave my knife in your back

Why do you try to cheat?
And trample people under your feet
Don't you know it is wrong?
To cheat the trying man
So you better stop, it is the wrong 'em boyo

You lie, steal, cheat and deceit
In such a small, small game
Don't you know it is wrong

Billy Boy has been shot
And Stagger Lee's come out on top
Don't you know it is wrong
To cheat the trying man
To cheat Stagger man
You'd better stop
So you must start all over again-all over again
You got to play it, Billy, play, you got to play it, Billy, play
And you will find it is the right 'em boyo

But if you must lie and deceit
And trample people under your feet
Don't you know it is wrong
It is the wrong 'em boyo


. . .


Now every cheap hood strikes a bargain with the world
And ends up making payments on a sofa or a girl
Love'n'hate tattooed across the knuckles of his hands
The hands that slap his kids around
'Cause they don't understand how
Death or glory becomes just another story
And every gimmick hungry job digging gold from rock'n'roll
Grabs the mike to tell us he'll die before he's sold
But I believe in this
And it's been tested by research
That he who fucks nuns will later join the church
Death or glory becomes just another story
In every dingy basement on every dingy street
I hear every gragging handclap over every dragging beat
That's just the beat of time
The beat that must go on
If you been trying for years
Then we already heard your song

. . .


Elevator! Going up!
In the gleaming corridors of the 51st floor
The money can be made if you really want some more
Executive decision - a clinical precision
Jumping from the windows - filled with indecision

I get good advice from the advertising world
Treat me nice says the party girl
Koke adds life where there isn't any
So freeze, man, freeze

It's the pause that refreshes in the corridors of power
When top men need a top up long before the happy hour
Your snakeskin suit and your alligator boot
You won't need a launderette, you can send them to the vet!

I get my advice from the advertising world
Treat me nice says the party girl
Koke adds life where there isn't any
So freeze, man, freeze

Koka Kola advertising and kokaine
Strolling down the Broadway in the rain
Neon light sign says it
I read it in the paper - they're crazy!
Suit your life, maybe so
In the White House - I know
All Over Berlin (they've been doing it for years)
And in Manhattan!

Coming through the door is a snub nose 44
What the barrel can't snort it can spatter on the floor
Your eyeballs feel like pinballs
And your tongue feels like a fish
You're leaping from the windows - saying don't
Don't give me none of this!

I get good advice from the advertising world
Treat me nice says the party girl
Koke adds life where there isn't any
So freeze, man, freeze
Hit the deck!

. . .


There's a solitary man crying "Hold me."
It's only because he's lonely
If the keeper of time runs slowly
He won't be alive for long

If he only had time to tell of all of the things he planned
With a card up his sleeve,
What would he achieve?
It means nothing

To the opium den and the barroom gin
In the Belmont chair playing violins
The gambler's face cracks into a grin
As he lays down the king of spades

But the dealer just stares
There's something wrong here, he thinks
The gambler is seized and forced to his knees
And shot dead

He only wanted more time
Away from the darkest door
But his luck it gave in
As the dawn light crept in
And he lay on the floor

From the Hundred Year War to the Crimea
With a lance and a musket and a Roman spear
To all of the men who have stood with no fear
In the service of the King

Before you met your fate be sure you
Did not forsake your lover
May not be around anymore

. . .


Yeh, you must treat your lover girl right
If you wanna make lover's rock
You must know a place you can kiss to make lovers rock

'Cause everybody knows it's a crying shame
But nobody knows the poor babie's name
When she forgot that thing that she had to swallow

You western man, you're free with your seed
When you make lovers rock
But whoops!
There goes the strength that you need
To make real cool lovers rock

'Cause a genuine lover takes off his clothes
And he can make a lover in a thousand go's
An' she don't need that thing that she had to swallow

. . .


Well they were given the grapes that go ripe in
the sun
That loosen the screws at the back of the tongue
But they told no one where they had begun-four horsemen

They were given al lthe foods of vanity
And all the instant promises of immortality
Buyt they bit the dust screamin' insanity!-four horsemen

One was over the edge, one was over the cliff
One was lickin' em dry with a bloody great spliff
When they picked up the hiker he didn't want the lift
From the horsemen

But you!
You're not searching, are you now?
You're not looking anyhow
You're never gonna ride that lonely mile
Or put yourself up on trial
Oh, you told me how your life was so bad
An' I agree that it does seem sad
But that's the price that you gotta pay
If you're lazing all around all day
Four horsement coming right through
Four horsemen and they're pissing by you
They make you look like you're wearing a truss
Four hosemen and it's gonna be us

Well they gave useverything for bending the mind
ANd we cleaned out their pockets and we drank 'em blind
IT's a long way to the finish so don't get left behind
By those horsemen

And they gave us the grapes that went ripe in the sun
That loosen the scews at the back of the tongue
But we still told nothing 'bout what was to come
Four horsemen


. . .


Yankee soldier
He wanna shoot some skag
He met it in Cambodia
But now he can't afford a bag
Yankee dollar talk
To the dictators of the world
In fact it's giving orders
An' they can't afford to miss a word
I'm so bored with the U.S.A.
But what can I do?
Yankee detectives
Are always on the TV
'Cos killers in America
Work seven days a week
Never mind the stars and stripes
Let's print the Watergate tapes
I'll salute the new wave
And I hope nobody escapes
I'm so bored with the U.S.A.
But what can I do?
Move up Starsky
For the C.I.A.
Suck on Kojak
For the U.S.A.

. . .


Revolution rock, it is a brand new rock
A bad, bad rock, this here revolution rock

Careful how you move, Mac, you dig me in me back
An' I'm so pilled up that I rattle
I have got the sharpeest knife, so I cut the biggest slice
But I have no time to do battle

Everybody smash up your seats and rock to this
Brand new beat
This here music mash up the nation
This here music cause a sensation
Tell your ma, tell your pa everything's gonna be all right
Can't you feel it? DOn't ignore it
Gonna be Arl-right

Revolution rock, I am in a state of shock
So bad, bad rock, this here revolution rock

Careful how you slide, Clyde, all you did was glide
And you poured your beer in me hat
With my good eye on the beat, living on fixation strete
And I ai't got no time for that

. . .


Say you stand by your man
Tell me something I don't understand
You said you love me and that's a fact
Then you left me, said you felt trapped

Well some things you can explain away
But the heartache's in me till this day

Did you stand by me
No, not at all
Did you stand by me
No way

All the times
When we were close
I'll remember these things the most
I see all my dreams come tumbling down
I won't be happy without you 'round

So all alone I keep the wolves at bay
There is only one thing that I can say

[Chorus]

You must explain why this must be
Did you lie when you spoke to me

Did you stand by me
No, not at all

Now I got a job
But it don't pay
I need new clothes
I need somewhere to stay
But without all these things I can do
But without your love I won't make it through

But you don't understand my point of view
I suppose there's nothing I can do

[Chorus]

You must explain why this must be
Did you lie when you spoke to me?

Did you stand by me
Did you stand by me
No, not at all
Did you stand by me
No way
Did you stand by me
No, not at all
Did you stand by me
No way

. . .


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