From their earliest days as a band, The Clash stood apart from their peers with their musicianship as well as their lyrics, the passionate, left-wing political idealism in the lyrics by frontman Joe Strummer and guitarist Mick Jones contrasting with the lyrical nihilism of the Sex Pistols and the musical minimalism of the Ramones. Their 1979 album 'London Calling' is considered by critics as one of the greatest albums in the history of rock music. Rolling Stone declared it the best album of the 80s.
The Clash's attitude and style, as much as their music, has influenced countless bands, both within and outside the sphere of punk rock. Often lauded as "the only band that matters," The Clash were canonized as rock saints even before they broke up. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the class of 2003. Their first five albums, ('The Clash', 'Give 'Em Enough Rope', 'London Calling', 'Sandinista!', and 'Combat Rock') to this day, continue to earn a great deal of interest from rock fans and artists alike.
Mick Jones went on to form Big Audio Dynamite after being fired from The Clash, and he more recently has produced albums by artists such as The Libertines and Babyshambles. In 2004, he formed Carbon/silicon with musician Tony James (of Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik fame). Exploring various genres such as alternative rock and electronic music, he continues to collaborate with other modern groups such as Gorillaz.
Joe Strummer went on to form and front Joe Strummer and the Latino Rockabilly War and then Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros. He also had a notable solo career that involved work in films and other endeavors, often earning critical acclaim. He died on December 22, 2002, the victim of an un-diagnosed congenital heart defect. Mourned by countless punk fans, his life has been subject to several tributes and was memorialized in the 2007 documentary 'Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten'.
Bass player Paul Simonon went on to form Havana 3 A.M., a group that released a self-titled album in 1991, yet he decided to quit music in the early 90s in favour of becoming an artist. In 2006, he returned to music as bass player in a musical project together with singer-songwriter Damon Albarn. The project is often referred to as The Good, The Bad & The Queen, the name of the groups first recorded album that came out in 2007. In terms of his paintings, his well-received work notably was in an exhibition at Thomas Williams Fine Art in London.
Drummer Topper Headon released a solo album, 1986's 'Waking Up', before leaving the music business to become a taxi driver and escape the heroin addiction that cost him his legacy in The Clash. Over the years, he's had sporadic involvement in various music-related endeavors, such as being a key part of the aforementioned 'The Future Is Unwritten' film. He's currently residing in the seaside town of Dover, England.
Members:
1976 Original line-up
Joe Strummer – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Mick Jones – lead guitar, backing vocals
Keith Levene – lead guitar
Paul Simonon – bass guitar, backing vocals
Terry Chimes – drums, percussion
1977
Joe Strummer – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Mick Jones – lead guitar, backing vocals
Paul Simonon – bass guitar, backing vocals
Terry Chimes – drums, percussion
1977-1982 Classic line-up
Joe Strummer – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Mick Jones – lead guitar, backing vocals
Paul Simonon – bass guitar, backing vocals
Topper Headon – drums, percussion
1982-1983
Joe Strummer – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Mick Jones – lead guitar, backing vocals
Paul Simonon – bass guitar, backing vocals
Terry Chimes – drums, percussion
1983
Joe Strummer – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Mick Jones – lead guitar, backing vocals
Paul Simonon – bass guitar, backing vocals
Pete Howard – drums, percussion
1983-1986 Final line-up
Joe Strummer – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Nick Sheppard – lead guitar, backing vocals
Vince White – lead guitar
Paul Simonon – bass guitar, backing vocals
Pete Howard – drums, percussion
037 Rebel Waltz
The Clash Lyrics
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I saw an army of rebels, dancing on air
I dreamed as I slept, I could see the campfires,
A song of the battle, that was born in the flames,
And the rebels were waltzing on air.
I danced with a girl to the tune of a waltz
That was written to be danced on the battlefield
A voice that called "Stand till we fall
We stand till all the boys fall."
As we danced came the news that the war was not won
5 armies were coming, with carrige and gun
Through the heart of the camp
Swept the news from the front
A cloud crossed the moon, a child cried for food
We knew the war could not be won.
So we danced with a rifle, to the rhythm of the gun
In a glade through the trees I saw my only one
Then the earth seemed to rise hell hot as the sun
The soldiers were dying, there was tune to the sighing.
The song was an old rebel one.
As the smoke of our hopes rose high from the field
My eyes played tricks through the moon and the trees
I slept as I dreamed I saw the army rise
A voice began to call, stand till you fall
The tune was an old rebel one.
The Clash's song "Rebel Waltz" is a powerful and emotional tribute to the struggles of revolutionaries and rebel fighters. The song describes a dream where the singer witnesses an army of rebels dancing on air, celebrating their strength and unity in the face of overwhelming adversity. The imagery of the rebels waltzing through the air reinforces the idea that they are untouchable, invincible, and free.
The dream then takes a turn, and the singer finds himself dancing with a girl to the tune of a waltz that was written for the battlefield. The girl's voice urges them to stand together until they fall, a rallying cry that becomes more urgent as news arrives that the war is not yet won and that five armies are approaching. The rebels realize that they are outnumbered and outgunned, but they refuse to give up. As they dance with rifles in hand, they witness the horrors of war firsthand: the clouds crossing the moon, the cries of starving children, and the death of fellow soldiers.
Line by Line Meaning
I slept and I dreamed of a time long ago
The singer is sleeping and dreaming of a past time
I saw an army of rebels, dancing on air
The dream features a rebel army dancing in the air
I dreamed as I slept, I could see the campfires,
While sleeping, the singer sees the campfires
A song of the battle, that was born in the flames,
The song about the battle was created from the flames
And the rebels were waltzing on air.
The rebels continue to dance in the air
I danced with a girl to the tune of a waltz
The singer dances with a girl to a waltz
That was written to be danced on the battlefield
The waltz was meant to be danced during a war
I danced to the tune of a voice of a girl
The artist is dancing to the girl's voice
A voice that called 'Stand till we fall
The girl's voice tells the artist to fight until the end
We stand till all the boys fall.'
They will fight until everyone falls
As we danced came the news that the war was not won
While they are dancing, they learn that the war is not over
5 armies were coming, with carrige and gun
Five armies are approaching with weapons
Through the heart of the camp
The armies are advancing through the campsite
Swept the news from the front
The news of the approaching armies spreads quickly
A cloud crossed the moon, a child cried for food
The moon is covered by clouds, and a child is in desperate need of food
We knew the war could not be won.
They realize it is impossible to win the war
So we danced with a rifle, to the rhythm of the gun
They continue to dance but now with their rifles, inspired by the sounds of the guns
In a glade through the trees I saw my only one
The singer sees their loved one in the woods
Then the earth seemed to rise hell hot as the sun
The ground shakes and becomes as hot as the sun
The soldiers were dying, there was tune to the sighing.
The soldiers are dying, accompanied by painful sounds
The song was an old rebel one.
The song they are singing is an old one about rebellion
As the smoke of our hopes rose high from the field
Their hopes go up in smoke from the battlefield
My eyes played tricks through the moon and the trees
The singer sees things that may not be real due to the moonlight and trees
I slept as I dreamed I saw the army rise
As the artist dreams, they see the army rise again
A voice began to call, stand till you fall
A voice reminds them to stand until they can no longer
The tune was an old rebel one.
The tune they hear is another old song about rebellion
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOE STRUMMER, PAUL SIMONON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind