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
11 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!