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
Inoculated City
The Clash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sergeant at arms, whatever he says
The sergeant will for his sergeant's pay, obey
The captains until his dying day
The captain will, for his captain's pay, obey
The general order of battle play
The generals bow to the government, obey the charge
You must not relent
What of the neighbours and the prophets in bars?
What are they saying in our public bazaars?
We are tired of the tune, "you must not relent"
At every stroke of the bell in the tower, there goes
Another boy from another side
The bulletins that steady come in say those
Familiar words at the top of the hour
The jamming city increases its hum, and those
Terrible words continue to come
Through brass music of government, hear those
Guns tattoo a roll on the drums
No one mentions the neighbouring war
No one knows what their fighting is for
We are tired of the tune, "you must not relent"
The generals bow to the government
We're tired of the tune, "you must not relent"
The Clash's song "Inoculated City" is a powerful anti-war anthem that delves deep into the themes of obedience, power, and propaganda. The song's lyrics speak about the chain of command that governs the military and how soldiers must blindly follow orders, no matter how immoral or unethical they may be. The soldier boy, the sergeant at arms, the captain, and the general are all mentioned in the song, each of them blindly following orders and fulfilling their duties, even if it means going to war. The lyrics point out the futility of war and how it only leads to destruction and loss of life.
The second verse of the song speaks about the common people and how they are affected by war. The "neighbours and the prophets in bars" represent the common people who are tired of hearing the same old tune of war and conflict. They are tired of the propaganda that government and the military sell to them. The lyrics speak about the toll that war takes on innocent people, especially the young men who are sent to battle. The line, "At every stroke of the bell in the tower, there goes another boy from another side," highlights the sheer number of lives that are lost in war.
The chorus of the song is a call for change. The lyrics, "We are tired of the tune, 'you must not relent,' " is a statement against the blind obedience that has led to so much destruction. The generals and the government must answer for the wars they have started, and the people must stand up to their leaders and demand change.
Overall, "Inoculated City" is a passionate plea for peace and an end to senseless wars. The song's lyrics are a reminder of the horrors of war and the damage it wreaks on society.
Line by Line Meaning
The soldier boy for his soldier's pay, obeys
The young man who joined the military out of necessity obeys his superior officer out of obligation for his meager pay.
The sergeant at arms, whatever he says
The highest-ranking non-commissioned officer in charge of discipline, follows orders without question.
The sergeant will for his sergeant's pay, obey
The sergeant orders his subordinates down the chain of command, even if he may not necessarily agree with them, for his own financial benefit.
The captains until his dying day
A naval officer will follow orders throughout his entire career.
The captain will, for his captain's pay, obey
The captain, like the sergeant, carries out orders from higher-ranking officials to maintain his financial stability as well.
The general order of battle play
The highest-ranking military officials establish the plan of attack.
The generals bow to the government, obey the charge
The highest-ranking military officials answer to the civilian-led government, following their commands.
You must not relent
The soldiers at every level of command are not allowed to give up or stop fighting.
What of the neighbors and the prophets in bars?
What are the community members and religious leaders discussing in their public gatherings?
What are they saying in our public bazaars?
What is the conversation being had by average citizens in everyday places?
We are tired of the tune, 'you must not relent'
The people in the city are sick of the message of never giving up, which only serves to perpetuate war.
At every stroke of the bell in the tower, there goes
Every time a clock chimes, another individual is called upon to fight in the war.
Another boy from another side
Another young person from the opposing side is being sent to fight and die.
The bulletins that steady come in say those
The news updates that frequently arrive bring with them the same message.
Familiar words at the top of the hour
Regularly occurring announcements at the beginning of every hour.
The jamming city increases its hum, and those
The bustling city becomes louder as the war goes on, and the frequency of the familiar announcements persists.
Terrible words continue to come
The constant reminders of the ongoing conflict only serve to amplify the despair of the people living in the city.
Through brass music of government, hear those
The government's blaring announcements are reminiscent of military marching music.
Guns tattoo a roll on the drums
The sound of gunfire is just another beat on the drum of war.
No one mentions the neighboring war
Nobody talks about how the conflict is impacting adjacent regions.
No one knows what their fighting is for
No one truly understands the reasoning behind the violence, and thus it carries on to no end.
We are tired of the tune, 'you must not relent'
The endless repetition of the message to never stop fighting is grating on the common people, who bear the brunt of its consequences.
The generals bow to the government
The people in charge of waging war are subservient to those elected to govern the nation.
We're tired of the tune, 'you must not relent'
People are absolutely worn out from constantly hearing the message to continue fighting, to 'never give up,' and to bear the weight of the never-ending conflict.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOE STRUMMER, MICK JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
비정한세상
"Inoculated City"
The soldier boy for his soliders pay
Obeys the seargent at arms whatever he says
The seargent will for his seargent's pay
Obey the captain 'til his dying day
The captain will for his captain's pay
Obey the general order of battle play
The generals bow to the government
Obey the charge you must not relent
What of the neighbors and the prophets in bars?
What are they saying in the publiz bazaar?
We are tired of the tune
You must not relent
At every stroke of the bell in the tower there goes
Another boy from another side
The bulletins that steady come in say those
Familiar words at the top of the hour
The jamming city increases its hum
And those terrible words continue to come
Through bras music of government hear those
Guns tattoo a roll on the drums
No-one mentions the neighboring war
No one knows what they're fighting for
We are tired of the tune
You must not relent
비정한세상
"Inoculated City"
The soldier boy for his soliders pay
Obeys the seargent at arms whatever he says
The seargent will for his seargent's pay
Obey the captain 'til his dying day
The captain will for his captain's pay
Obey the general order of battle play
The generals bow to the government
Obey the charge you must not relent
What of the neighbors and the prophets in bars?
What are they saying in the publiz bazaar?
We are tired of the tune
You must not relent
At every stroke of the bell in the tower there goes
Another boy from another side
The bulletins that steady come in say those
Familiar words at the top of the hour
The jamming city increases its hum
And those terrible words continue to come
Through bras music of government hear those
Guns tattoo a roll on the drums
No-one mentions the neighboring war
No one knows what they're fighting for
We are tired of the tune
You must not relent
Christian Jones
👍
고무래
비정한 세상... 피토하는 음악..
jenny_jenny_nc
THIS band struck me as important when I was about 5 or 6 years old. I grew up in the sticks. North Carolina. These guys were THERE. Immensely important. Yes, even for a little kid. So.... I can honestly say.... CLASH FOR LIFE!🙏💓🌹🦅🍀🌷
Cole Rogers
It was the same for me. I got it about a month after it came out when I was 10.
Solid EVIL
as a marine, these lyrics touch my soul.
Count Iblis
"Flushing sure beats brushing"
bigmarty11288
This is my favorite clash song. There are many like it but this one is mine.
Kent Borges
THIS BAND CERTAINLY ONE OF THE BEST !
daniel atilano
This is absolutely my favorite song Hands Down my favorite song ever this song is so great