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
In The Pouring Rain
The Clash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I could see as I rode in
The ships were gone and the pit fell in
A funeral bell tolled the hour in
A lonely drunkard slumbering
Not the twang of the guitar
Not the shadows of desire
Caught in the pouring pouring rain
Breeze black windows on date street
Where I was raised up on the cheap
(yeah, say!) ask no questions work and sleep
'til the old tango that's on date street
I can hear the sharpen of the pain
Some lucky stranger in the rain
Hear the sharpen of the rain
Lucky stranger ... in the rain
Hammers beat in dusty times
On these weedy rusted lines
Mocking the sun and optomistic signs
All these weedy gates of iron
The sun won't shine my way again
Lucky moon was on the wane
Oh I'll never see a star again
In the pouring pouring rain
A salty band played for the train
A sad trombone and some refrain
The future pointed to the weather vane
The old calypso died of shame
I hear the sharpen of the pain
Some lucky stranger in the rian
Hear the sharpen of the pain
Lucky stranger pouring rain
POURING RAIN !!!
The Clash's song, In The Pouring Rain, reflects on the hardships and struggles of working-class people, and how they have no choice but to persevere through difficult times. The lyrics start by describing the bleak landscape of a town that has been affected by harsh economic times. The ships, which could be seen in the past, are gone, and the pit has fallen in. A funeral bell tolls, signifying a death or loss, and a drunkard is found slumbering alone.
The next few lyrics describe the sound of the pouring rain, which is overwhelming and constant, blocking out every other noise. Even the twang of the guitar and the siren's wail of pain are drowned out by the rain. The shadows of desire, which refer to unfulfilled dreams and aspirations, are also caught in the pouring rain.
The lyrics then move to the singer's personal experience growing up on Date Street, a poor part of town. The people there are expected to work hard, and not question their surroundings. The sharpened pain here could be a metaphor for the struggle of daily life. The song concludes on a nostalgic and mournful note with the singer recalling pleasant memories of music and the future, but realizing that they will likely never experience these things again in the pouring rain.
Line by Line Meaning
I could see as I rode in
As I was traveling, I observed
The ships were gone and the pit fell in
The ships had disappeared and the pit had collapsed
A funeral bell tolled the hour in
I could hear the sound of a bell ringing for a funeral
A lonely drunkard slumbering
I saw a homeless person sleeping
Not the twang of the guitar
It wasn't the sound of a guitar being played
Not even the siren wail of pain
It wasn't even the sound of a siren signaling pain
Not the shadows of desire
It wasn't the feeling of wanting something
Caught in the pouring pouring rain
It was being trapped in heavy rain
Breeze black windows on date street
The windows on Date Street were dark and dingy
Where I was raised up on the cheap
I grew up in a poor area
(yeah, say!) ask no questions work and sleep
People lived there without questioning their lives, only working and sleeping
'til the old tango that's on date street
Until a popular place on Date Street known for a dance style
I can hear the sharpen of the pain
I can hear the intensity of the suffering
Some lucky stranger in the rain
Someone else who is fortunate enough to be in the rain
Hear the sharpen of the rain
The sound of the rain is piercing
Lucky stranger ... in the rain
Someone else who is fortunate enough to be in the rain
Hammers beat in dusty times
The sound of hammers striking in an unproductive period
On these weedy rusted lines
On these abandoned and decaying metal structures
Mocking the sun and optimistic signs
Defying hope and progress
All these weedy gates of iron
All these old gates that are overgrown with weeds
The sun won't shine my way again
I won't see the sun again
Lucky moon was on the wane
The moon was decreasing in size for me
Oh I'll never see a star again
I'll never see a star again
In the pouring pouring rain
In the heavy rain
A salty band played for the train
A band played near the train station
A sad trombone and some refrain
The band played a sad song with a repeating melody
The future pointed to the weather vane
The future was unpredictable, like the direction of a weather vane
The old calypso died of shame
The old calypso music style was no longer popular
Hear the sharpen of the pain
The sound of the suffering is intense
Some lucky stranger in the rain
Someone else who is fortunate enough to be in the rain
Hear the sharpen of the pain
The sound of the suffering is piercing
Lucky stranger pouring rain
Someone else who is fortunate enough to be in the heavy rain
POURING RAIN !!!
Emphasizing the weight and impact of the heavy rain
Contributed by Kaitlyn E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Scott_M23
I’m convinced no one actually dislikes post mick Jones clash. People are just afraid of saying it because the back lash they will receive. The live versions of all the MK2 songs in good quality are just as good as any Sandinista song.
@BadLuckLuke
...The Clash Mark II had some great songs like "North & South" and this one, plus they were a pretty cool live act ! ! !
@clash5j
It's been said before, but I'll say it again. There were some quality Clash songs written post Mick, but they were either left off Cut the Crap or recorded in such a way as to make them almost unrecognizable from how they were performed live
@deerhunter2218
Clash5j I disagree mate, when Michael got sacked the whole rhythm left the band, he and Johnny were great partners in lyrics and in the music itself, it was a shame they parted but great to see them at the charity gig for the firemen/women 👏👏👏
@williamlynd3052
Official live version is on the "Future is Unwritten" soundtrack. Studio versions are also included in the new Joe Strummer "001" boxed set.
@bertanderson2548
I was at that show in Seattle in 1984. My buddy and I had a great time.
@mustlovepretzels
Born on this day(August 21) John Graham Mellor aka Joe Strummer. R.I.P. Joe.
@michaelboyle2316
Great track, good sound
@DugyD97
Wish they recorded this in studio would of been good to hear it in crisp quality, but still brilliant raw :D
@mustlovepretzels
They did. Someone had posted it but obviously it was taken down.