It was the first song recorded by The Clash at London Calling’s Wessex studio. According to Marcus Gray’s Route 19 Revisited: The Clash and London Calling, Topper Headon called Cadillac “the first British rock and roll song.” Joe Strummer called Vince Taylor, who presented a leather-clad, wild man image, the beginning of rock and roll in England.
Vince Taylor was born in Middlesex, England but moved to the States at the age of 7 where he attended the fabled Hollywood High. Growing up there, he listened to Gene Vincent and Elvis Presley and, while traveling in London with his sister, formed The Playboys. “Brand New Cadillac” was the B-side to their second single (“Parlophone“) but became one of their most well-known songs and was sought out by collectors even before The Clash covered it.
The choice of Taylor’s song reflects Joe Strummer’s clear preference for “rockers” over “mods” – a constant theme in his compositions and lyrics, his personal image, and a sub-text to the lyrics of the title track of “London Calling“.
Brand New Cadillac
Clash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Drive!
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."
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, big Daddy."
She ain't never coming back!
She ain't never coming back!
She ain't never coming back!
She ain't never coming back!
She ain't never coming back!
The Clash's "Brand New Cadillac" tells the story of a man who is abandoned by his lover after she drives up in a brand new Cadillac. The lyrics detail the man's desperation to get his lover back, begging her to return to him. Despite his pleas, she tells him "balls to you, Big Daddy" and leaves him for good. The chorus of the song features the repetition of the phrase "she ain't never coming back," emphasizing the man's sense of loss and heartbreak.
The song can be interpreted as a commentary on the materialism and consumerism of American culture, with the Cadillac symbolizing the allure of wealth and status. The man's desperation to win back his lover is contrasted with her apparent indifference towards him, as she dismisses his pleas for her to return.
Overall, "Brand New Cadillac" is a fast-paced, energetic song that showcases The Clash's punk-rock roots and rebellious spirit. The lyrics and driving melody capture the frustration and angst of unrequited love, while also commenting on larger cultural issues in a playful and irreverent way.
Line by Line Meaning
My baby drove up in a brand new Cadillac
My significant other arrived in a newly purchased luxurious car
Yes she did!
It's true!
She said, "Hey, come here, Daddy!"
"I ain't never comin' back!"
She called me and ascertained that she wouldn't return
Baby, baby, won't you hear my plea?
C'mon, sugar, just come on back to me
I'm begging for her to come back to me
She said, "Balls to you, Big Daddy."
She disregarded my request
Oh c'mon, just hear my plea
She said, "Balls to you, Daddy."
She ain't coming back to me
I begged her again only to be met with defiance
I said, "Jesus Christ, where'd you get that Cadillac?"
She said, "Balls to you, big Daddy."
She ain't never coming back!
I expressed surprise at the car and she once again refused to return
She ain't never coming back!
She ain't never coming back!
She ain't never coming back!
She ain't never coming back!
She ain't never coming back!
She won't ever come back no matter how much I plead
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HENRY NICOLA MANCINI, VINCE TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gillesgrindel7985
@@cpj93070 I hesitated between 70's and 80's before making a choice.
I thought that Led Zepelin, Deep Purple and lot of other band were more representative of 70's guitar sound than the Clash and that's why I finally chose 80's.
Punk Rock came in the late 70's and were starting a different approach of the guitar more based on sound than on technic.
No more 5mn guitar solo but heavy dirty sound aded with lyrics talking more about their audience daily life.
And it led to the 80's guitar song still based on sound even if they were given a "second role to leave more room to the keyboards. (no need to tell you it wasn't my favourite period as I'm a drummer and I wouldn't have been one only with 80's kind of music).
And I think The Clash career has more year in the 80's than the 70's, hasn't it ? Anyway, I always known them as a 80's rock band more than 70's, an other reason of my choice.
That's the reason behind my 80's choice.
@roromeowow
Drive!
Drive!
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"
Baby, baby, won't you hear my plea?
Oh come on, 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, big Daddy"
She ain't never coming back!
She ain't never coming back!
She ain't never coming back!
She ain't never coming back!
She ain't never coming back!
@stephencoomer5692
Driiiiiiiive!!!
Driiiiiiiive!!!
[Chorus]
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!"
[Verse 1]
Baby, baby, won't you hear my plea?
C'mon, sugar, just come on back to me
She said, "Balls to you, Big Daddy"
[Verse 2]
Baby, baby, won't you hear my plea?
Oh, c'mon, just hear my plea
She said, "Balls to you, Daddy"
She ain't comin' back to me
[Chorus]
Baby, baby drove up in a Cadillac
I said, "Jesus Christ! Where'd ya' get that Cadillac?"
She said, "Balls to you, Daddy"
She ain't never coming back! (x4)
@joelshaw7878
This is the best cut on London Calling. It's the definition of hard driving Rock & Roll. I saw the The Clash in Munich Germany May 14, 1980 when I worked security. We confiscated a box full of chains, a dozen switchblades and two revolvers. Rough crowd. Fantastic Concert. They played most everything off London Calling and the majority of Sandinista! I saw them again in SF during the Combat Rock tour as well, but it just did not have the same electrical jolt as Munich which will be stored in my memory banks forever.
@HighlyContrasted
you lucky lucky man
@tooties545
...and that was the Sunday matinee crowd. 🤣
@eugeneax6007
Yikes, rough crowd indeed. Still must have been an epic show though.
@codjh9
Wish I'd seen 'em live too. I should've... that cover photo on London Calling was taken at the Armadillo World HQ in Austin, and I lived nearby, dammit...
@johnrectangle6034
Saw the Clash two times. First at a concert in Paris organised by a left wing newspaper named Rouge.A hundred of real anarchists which called themselves autonomists tried to enter without paying for a ticket so the security service of the left wing fighted them during the Clash concert in front of the stage. Joe was laughing watching that. It was at this concert that it was said Joe got hepatitis after someone spat on him. Think it's 1978.Second time in 1979 also in Paris The Clash was big at this time. It was after Sandinista. I preferred the first concert coz I preferred the first two albums.
@rileymcgill9893
Their bass bass player is so damn good. He just walks all over the place in every song. Fucking sick
@patthewoodboy
agree ... the cover sums him up :-)
@skumbaeg45
Yeah Paul Simonon has his own fuckin Bass style
@xanthippe9757
Oh hell! You`re so right! WOW!!!