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
06 The Magnificent Seven
The Clash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ring, ring, it's 7:00 A.M.
Move yourself to go again
Cold water in the face
Brings you back to this awful place
Knuckle merchants and your bankers too
Weather man and the crazy chief
One says sun and one says sleet
A.M., the F.M. the P.M. too
Churnin' out that boogaloo
Gets you up and it gets you out
But how long can you keep it up?
Gimme Honda, gimme Sony
So cheap and real phony
Hong Kong dollar, Indian cents
English pounds and Eskimo pence
You lot, what?
Don't stop, give it all you got
You lot, what?
Don't stop, yeah
You lot, what?
Don't stop, give it all you got
You lot, what?
Don't stop, yeah
Working for a rise, better my station
Take my baby to sophistication
Seen the ads, she thinks it's nice
Better work hard, I seen the price
Never mind that it's time for the bus
We got to work and you're one of us
Clocks go slow in a place of work
Minutes drag and the hours jerk
Yeah, wave bye, bye
(When can I tell 'em what I do?)
(In a second, maan, alright Chuck)
Wave bub-bub-bub-bye to the boss
It's our profit, it's his loss
But anyway the lunch bells ring
Take one hour, do your thang
Cheeesboiger
What do we have for entertainment?
Cops kickin' gypsies on the pavement
Now the news has snapped to attention
Lunar landing of the dentist convention
Italian mobster shoots a lobster
Seafood restaurant gets out of hand
A car in the fridge, a fridge in the car
Like cowboys do in TV land
You lot, what?
Don't stop, give it all you got
You lot, what?
Don't stop, huh
You lot, what?
Don't stop, give it all you got, yeah
You lot, what?
Don't stop
So get back to work and sweat some more
The sun will sink and we'll get out the door
It's no good for man to work in cages
Hit the town, he drinks his wages
You're frettin', you're sweatin'
But did you notice, you ain't gettin'
You're frettin', you're sweatin'
But did you notice, not gettin' anywhere
Don't you ever stop, a long enough to start
Take your car outta that gear
Don't you ever stop, long enough to start
Get your car outta that gear
Karlo Marx and Frederick Engels
Came to the checkout at the seven on eleven
Marx was skint but he had sense
Engels lent him the necessary pence
What have we got? Yeah, ooh
What have we got? Yeah, ooh
What have we got? Magnificence
What have we got?
Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi
Went to the park to check on the game
But they was murdered by the other team
Who went on to win fifty-nil
You can be true, you can be false
You'll be given the same reward
Socrates and Milhous Nixon
Both went the same way through the kitchen
Plato the Greek or Rin Tin Tin
Who's more famous to the billion millions?
News flash, 'Vacuum cleaner sucks up budgie'
Ooh, bye-bye, bub-bye
The song "The Magnificent Seven" by The Clash critiques the repetitive nature of capitalist society through its references to the daily routines of the working class. The opening verse highlights the struggle of waking up to the same routine each day, symbolized by the repetition of the phrase "you lot, what?" The second verse comments on the materialistic values of society by referencing the desire for material goods from different countries. The third verse critiques the monotony of a job by highlighting the slow pace of time in the workplace.
In the chorus, the band calls on the working class to keep going and give their all even if the system doesn't reward them adequately for their efforts. The fourth verse comments on the violence and absurdity of the news, with references to police brutality and strange events. The final verse references historical figures like Karl Marx, Frederick Engels, Martin Luther King Jr., and Mahatma Gandhi to question the standards of fame and success in society. The song ultimately suggests that true fulfillment cannot be achieved through a capitalist system.
Line by Line Meaning
Ring, ring, it's 7:00 A.M.
It's time to start another monotonous day of work
Move yourself to go again
Get up and prepare for another work day
Cold water in the face
An unpleasant reminder of the reality of life
Brings you back to this awful place
A feeling of despair and powerlessness in the face of the daily grind
Knuckle merchants and your bankers too
People focused solely on material wealth
Must get up and learn those rules
Conform to the societal expectations and norms
Weather man and the crazy chief
Diverging opinions and uncertainty
One says sun and one says sleet
Opposing views and conflicting information
A.M., the F.M. the P.M. too
24/7 broadcasting and inundation of media
Churnin' out that boogaloo
Mass production of entertainment and culture
Gets you up and it gets you out
The daily routine helps keep you motivated but also trapped
But how long can you keep it up?
Wondering if the daily grind is worth it
Gimme Honda, gimme Sony
Desire for material possessions
So cheap and real phony
The realization that material possessions are not the key to happiness
Hong Kong dollar, Indian cents
A globalized world and mixed currencies
English pounds and Eskimo pence
A juxtaposition of cultures and societies
You lot, what?
Addressing the listener
Don't stop, give it all you got
Encouraging hard work and dedication
Working for a rise, better my station
Working hard to improve one's position in society
Take my baby to sophistication
Desiring a better life for loved ones
Seen the ads, she thinks it's nice
The influence of advertising on desires and expectations
Better work hard, I seen the price
The cost of consumerism and materialism
Never mind that it's time for the bus
Ignoring the mundanity of public transportation
We got to work and you're one of us
Part of an impersonal, collective workforce
Clocks go slow in a place of work
Time seems to slow down when at work
Minutes drag and the hours jerk
A feeling of time moving too slowly at work
Yeah, wave bye, bye
Sarcastic farewell to authority figures
(When can I tell 'em what I do?)
Desire to be appreciated for one's work and contribution
(In a second, maan, alright Chuck)
Dismissive response to the desire for recognition
Wave bub-bub-bub-bye to the boss
Sarcastic farewell to the boss
It's our profit, it's his loss
Excess labor benefits the employer, not the worker
But anyway the lunch bells ring
A short break during the workday
Take one hour, do your thang
A brief escape from the daily grind
Cheeesboiger
Sarcastic pronunciation of 'cheeseburger'
What do we have for entertainment?
Questioning the value of entertainment and media
Cops kickin' gypsies on the pavement
Police brutality and societal abuses of marginalized groups
Now the news has snapped to attention
The news focuses on sensational stories rather than important issues
Lunar landing of the dentist convention
Ridiculous news stories and irrelevant events
Italian mobster shoots a lobster
Media focus on trivial and irrelevant stories
Seafood restaurant gets out of hand
Even the most mundane events can be sensationalized by the media
A car in the fridge, a fridge in the car
Ridiculous situations that could only happen in the media
Like cowboys do in TV land
The media perpetuates unrealistic expectations and lifestyles
So get back to work and sweat some more
Returning to the daily monotony of work
The sun will sink and we'll get out the door
Another work day is over
It's no good for man to work in cages
Work can feel like being trapped or confined
Hit the town, he drinks his wages
After a hard day's work, people seek to escape and relax
You're frettin', you're sweatin'
Feeling anxious and stressed at work
But did you notice, you ain't gettin'
Despite the hard work, nothing seems to change
Don't you ever stop, a long enough to start
Taking a break or vacation is difficult when caught in the daily grind
Take your car outta that gear
Taking control of one's life and breaking out of the daily routine
Get your car outta that gear
Urging people to break out of their routines and seek new experiences
Karlo Marx and Frederick Engels
Philosophers who critiqued society and the capitalist system
Came to the checkout at the seven on eleven
Even philosophers are not immune from the daily grind of society
Marx was skint but he had sense
Marx recognized the flaws of capitalism despite his own financial struggles
Engels lent him the necessary pence
Engels supported Marx both financially and intellectually
What have we got? Yeah, ooh
Questioning what society has to offer
Magnificence
Despite the flaws and monotony of society, there are still moments of wonder and beauty
Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi
Leaders of social justice movements
Went to the park to check on the game
Even revolutionary leaders need to take breaks and relax
But they was murdered by the other team
Assassination of social justice leaders by oppressive forces
Who went on to win fifty-nil
Oppressive forces continue to maintain their power and control
You can be true, you can be false
People face a choice of living according to their values or conforming to societal norms
You'll be given the same reward
Regardless of if one chooses conformity or individuality, society still operates in largely the same way
Socrates and Milhous Nixon
Philosophers and politicians
Both went the same way through the kitchen
Despite vastly different lives, everyone will eventually face the same fate of death
Plato the Greek or Rin Tin Tin
A philosopher and a dog
Who's more famous to the billion millions?
The absurdity of fame and societal status
News flash, 'Vacuum cleaner sucks up budgie'
The media focuses on trivial and absurd stories rather than important issues
Ooh, bye-bye, bub-bye
Sarcastic farewell to society and its absurdities
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOE STRUMMER, MICK JONES, TOPPER HEADON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jackspry9736
RIP Joe Strummer (August 21, 1952 – December 22, 2002), aged 50
You will be remembered as a legend.
@timbacon2449
20 years already, madness, Letts a good producer too
@101Restoration
Well Joe won 50 nil and what a life and career
@alejandroherrera7965
that bass line is killer
@user-zt2wc3uh1l
Norman Watt Roy
@mattiasgarvello185
fr fr on god the bassline sonfucking zased omg so znas e aso oh mgy god so fuckinfn za s e 🇦🇱 so dificing fAsed i loVeF I OH my godDD SO FUVKong ZasSeed so szase r d so fucking zba se e dos z Ased so za s ed d
@mikaelekstrom4333
I agre. And Topper is a great drummer. I love Clash. Eken Sweden
@Chrisamusic1
@@user-zt2wc3uh1l A wonderful bass player.
@yvonnemulder9038
Love vacuum cleaner sucks some budget magnifificent
@musicsavage
1/3 rock, 1/3 rap, 1/3 disco.....and it works just fine.