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
Clash
The Clash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is radio clash from pirate satellite
Orbiting your living room,
Cashing in the bill of rights
Cuban army surplus or refusing all third lights
This is radio clash on pirate satellite
This sound does not subscribe
In the psycho shadow of the white right hand
Then that see ghettology as an urban Vietnam
Giving deadly exhibitions of murder by napalm
This is radio clash tearing up the seven veils
This is radio clash please save us, not the whales
This is radio clash underneath a mushroom cloud
This is radio clash
You don't need that funeral shroud
Forces have been looting
My humanity
Curfews have been curbing
The end of liberty
Hands of law have sorted through
My identity
But now this sound is brave
And wants to be free, anyway to be free
This is radio clash on pirate satellite
This is not free europe
Noh an armed force network
This is radio clash using audio ammunition
This is radio clash can we get that world to listen?
This is radio clash using aural ammunition
This is radio clash can we get that world to listen?
This is radio clash on pirate satellite
Orbiting your living room,
Cashing in the bill of rights
This is radio clash on pirate satellite
This is radio clash everybody hold on tight
A-riggy diggy dig dang dang
Go back to urban 'nam
The Clash's song "Radio Clash" is a political commentary on the state of media and government control. The song features a pirate radio station interrupting mainstream programming with a message of rebellion and resistance. The opening lyrics "Interrupting all programs, This is radio clash from pirate satellite" sets the tone for the rest of the song. The pirate radio is an act of defiance against the mainstream media and the government regulations that control what information is released to the public.
The lyric "Cashing in the bill of rights" is a statement about how the government values money over the personal freedoms of its citizens. The song also takes aim at the Vietnam War, stating that the government is giving "deadly exhibitions of murder by napalm." The reference to "urban Vietnam" implies that the government is waging a war on its own citizens.
The song concludes with a call to action, urging listeners to join the rebellion and fight for their freedom. The repeated refrain of "This is radio clash, can we get that world to listen?" emphasizes the message of the song - that it is time to take a stand against the powers that be.
Line by Line Meaning
Interrupting all programs
The song is starting and taking over anything else on the radio
This is radio clash from pirate satellite
The song is being broadcasted via an illegal pirate satellite
Orbiting your living room,
The song is being broadcasted to your home
Cashing in the bill of rights
The song is using the freedom of speech guaranteed by the Bill of Rights to express itself
Cuban army surplus or refusing all third lights
The song is comparing itself to a person who uses Cuban army surplus weapons to fight against the government or someone who refuses to yield to an enemy in a dangerous situation
This sound does not subscribe
The sound the song represents does not conform to or agree with popular ideas or plans
To the international plan
The song is not conforming to any official international agenda
In the psycho shadow of the white right hand
The song is saying that white supremacists have a negative impact on society
Then that see ghettology as an urban Vietnam
The song is saying that people who see slums as war zones are misguided
Giving deadly exhibitions of murder by napalm
The song is saying that people who see slums as war zones are risking innocent lives
This is radio clash tearing up the seven veils
The song is revealing things that were previously hidden
This is radio clash please save us, not the whales
The song is saying that there are more important issues to address than just protecting whales
This is radio clash underneath a mushroom cloud
The song is saying that people are living in a highly dangerous situation
This is radio clash
This is the song Radio Clash
You don't need that funeral shroud
The song is saying that people should not give up hope
Forces have been looting
There are entities that have been stealing from people
My humanity
A reference to the person or people being affected
Curfews have been curbing
There are laws limiting people's freedom of movement
The end of liberty
There is an erosion of people's freedom
Hands of law have sorted through
The government has looked through people's information
My identity
A reference to the person or people being affected
But now this sound is brave
The song is saying that its sound is powerful and courageous
And wants to be free, anyway to be free
The song represents a desire to be free in any way possible
This is not free europe
The song is saying that Europe is not as free as it appears to be
Noh an armed force network
The song is saying that it is not a covert military message
This is radio clash using audio ammunition
The song is actively using the power of sound to make an impact
This is radio clash can we get that world to listen?
The song is asking for the attention of the world
This is radio clash using aural ammunition
The song is again using the power of sound to make an impact
This is radio clash on pirate satellite
The song is broadcasting illegally via a pirate satellite
Everybody hold on tight
The song is asking listeners to hold on and listen carefully
A-riggy diggy dig dang dang
A nonsensical phrase used for emphasis and energy
Go back to urban 'nam
The song is saying to go back to urban areas that are scarred by violence much like Vietnam
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOE STRUMMER, MICK JONES, PAUL SIMONON, TOPPER HEADON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind