Writing and recording
The song was written by Joe Strummer and Mick Jones. The title alludes to the BBC World Service's station identification: "This is London calling ...", that was used during World War II, often in broadcasts to occupied countries.
The lyrics reflect the concern felt by Strummer about world events with the reference to "a nuclear error" to the incident at Three Mile Island, which occurred earlier in 1979. Joe Strummer has said: "We felt that we were struggling about to slip down a slope or something, grasping with our fingernails. And there was no one there to help us."
The line "London is drowning / And I live by the river" comes from concerns that if the River Thames flooded, most of central London would drown, something that led to the construction of the Thames Barrier. Strummer's concern for social violence is evident through the lines "we ain't got no swing/ except for the ring of that truncheon thing". This is perhaps a reference to the London riots at the time. Social criticism also features through references to the effects of casual drug taking: "we ain't got no high / except for that one with the yellowy eyes".
The lyrics also reflect desperation of the band's situation in 1979 struggling with high debt, without management and arguing with their record label over whether the London Calling album should be a single or double album. The lines referring to "now don't look to us / All that phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust" reflects the concerns of the band over its situation after the punk rock boom in England in 1977 had ended. While many took the line as a slam against the Beatles, another interpretation, offered at the time the song was released, suggested that this line referred not to the Beatles, but to the Broadway production, Beatlemania, which advertised itself as "Not the Beatles, But an Incredible Simulation." Hence, the line castigated late 1970s culture for its lack of substance, such as consuming "phoney Beatlemania," essentially a simulated, rather than actual, experience.
Musically, the song is far removed from their earlier style of frenzied punk rock I-IV-V-I chord progressions, as best exemplified on songs like "Career Opportunities" and "I'm So Bored with the USA". The song is in a minor key — something The Clash had rarely used before — and the inherent dirge-like, apocalyptic feel is intensified by Topper Headon's martial drumming without backbeat, in synchrony with staccato guitar chords; Paul Simonon's haunting and pulsating bass line; the group's deliberate, mid-tempo pace; and Strummer's icy lyrics and baleful delivery. Strummer's wolf-like howls or perhaps Rooster-like crows, during the instrumental break, further fuel the atmosphere of desolation and paranoia implied throughout the song.[original research?] Like many of the tracks on London Calling — including "The Card Cheat", "Revolution Rock", and "Jimmy Jazz" — the song doesn't end by resolving strongly to the tonic or fading out, as most rock and roll songs do. Instead, it breaks down eerily, with Joe Strummer's cryptic last words "I never felt so much a-like..." echoing over Pete Townshend-inspired Morse code feedback (the characters spelling out S-O-S).
"London Calling" was recorded at Wessex Studios located in a former church in Highbury in North London. This studio had already proved to be a popular location with The Sex Pistols, The Pretenders and the Tom Robinson band. The single was produced by Guy Stevens and engineered by Bill Price.
01 London Calling
The Clash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now war is declared and battle come down
London calling to the underworld
Come out of the cupboard, you boys and girls
London calling, now don't look to us
Phony Beatlemania has bitten the dust
London calling, see we ain't got no swing
'Cept for the ring of that truncheon thing
The ice age is coming, the sun is zooming in
Meltdown expected, the wheat is growin' thin
Engines stop running, but I have no fear
'Cause London is drowning, and I, 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 want to shout
But when we were talking I saw you nodding out
London calling, see we ain't got no high
Except for that one with the yellowy eye
The ice age is coming, the sun is zooming in
Engines stop running, the wheat is growin' thin
A nuclear era, but I have no fear
'Cause London is drowning, and I, I live by the river
The ice age is coming, the sun is zooming in
Engines stop running, the wheat is growin' thin
A nuclear era, but I have no fear
London is drowning, and I, 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
And after all this, won't you give me a smile?
I never felt so much a' like a'like a'like
The Clash's "London Calling" is a song that captures the fears and anxieties of a generation living in uncertain times. The opening lines of the song, "London calling to the faraway towns, Now war is declared and battle come down," were a reference to the political and social climate of the late 1970s when the song was written. The United Kingdom was in the midst of social unrest, with widespread poverty and unemployment, and the rise of far-right politics. The song is a call-to-arms to the youth of the nation to rise up against the status quo and fight for change.
The song goes on to address various social issues, including drug addiction, the threat of nuclear war, and environmental decline. The lines "The ice age is coming, the sun is zooming in, Engines stop running, but I have no fear, 'Cause London is drowning, and I, I live by the river" paint a picture of a futuristic society facing disaster. The chorus "London calling" is repeated throughout the song, serving as a rallying cry for those who wish to make a change.
The final verse of the song takes on a more personal tone, with Joe Strummer singing "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, And after all this, won't you give me a smile?" The lyrics are a reflection on the band's experiences living in London and the challenges they faced as young musicians. The final line of the song is a plea for hope and a reminder that even in dark times, there is still reason for optimism.
Line by Line Meaning
London calling to the faraway towns
London is making a call to the distant cities, warning everyone that war has begun.
Now war is declared and battle come down
The time for conflict has begun as the war was declared recently.
London calling to the underworld
London is calling for the oppressed and marginalized groups to come together to stand up for their rights.
Come out of the cupboard, you boys and girls
The call is for people to leave their hiding and come out bravely to tackle the circumstances.
London calling, now don't look to us
London is blaming that the situation is not created by the people of the city, hence it's not their responsibility.
Phony Beatlemania has bitten the dust
The phenomenon of people blindly following any popular culture has come to an end.
London calling, see we ain't got no swing
London is admitting that they don't have the power to change the current situation.
'Cept for the ring of that truncheon thing
The only thing that can make a difference is the violent retaliation of police authorities.
The ice age is coming, the sun is zooming in
The apocalypse is near, the atmosphere is changing, and the climate is getting affected.
Meltdown expected, the wheat is growin' thin
The environment is deteriorating, and food is becoming scarce.
Engines stop running, but I have no fear
The machines have stopped functioning, creating a dystopian world, but the singer is not afraid.
'Cause London is drowning, and I, I live by the river
Due to rising water levels, London is sinking, but the singer still finds hope in the place they've always lived in.
London calling to the imitation zone
London is urging everyone to break free from the pattern of imitation and do what they feel is right.
Forget it, brother, you can go it alone
The call is to not rely on anyone else and be self-sufficient and independent.
London calling to the zombies of death
London is trying to wake up people who are living their lives without any purpose and without any hope.
Quit holding out and draw another breath
Stop living in despair and hopelessness, take a deep breath and start working towards a better tomorrow.
London calling and I don't want to shout
The singer doesn't want to shout, but the situation seems helpless and is getting worse.
But when we were talking I saw you nodding out
Although the singer was discussing important issues with someone, they noticed the other person losing interest or dozing off.
London calling, see we ain't got no high
London is acknowledging that there is a lack of hope or optimism in the current situation.
Except for that one with the yellowy eye
The singer is only opting to look at one thing that gives them hope, despite the overall bleakness.
London is drowning, and I, I live by the river
The repeated line is emphasizing the fact that while London is drowning, the singer's focus remains on the place they call home.
And after all this, won't you give me a smile?
After everything that was said, the singer is still looking for a glimmer of hope and optimism.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOE STRUMMER, MICK JONES, PAUL SIMONON, TOPPER HEADON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@miracleofsound
One of the greatest songs of all time. Sounds like the end of the world
@giandomenicorodino1776
sono d'accordo
@mikeferguson5935
So gosh darn correct. One of my top ten best albums EVER. Side 3 is perfection.
@astraluna6is9
It did. It does. It will always.
@rajs4719
Think it was written because they were having to go back to London because of the threat of a war at the time of something like that. So you were pretty spot on haha
@thomasconrad7998
Holy shit miracle of sound comments on music videos!
@onlinefriend3889
I can't believe a city was named after this song, those people there must be huge Clash fans
@patdan774
Am a huge clash fsn from way back n biracial they r just top musicians 🥰
@bigboiac5592
Ikr they even made it a capital city as well!
@clivesnell
😂😂😂😂nice one!