The Clash were a punk rock band from London, England, active from 1976 to 1… Read Full Bio ↴The Clash were a punk rock band from London, England, active from 1976 to 1985. One of the most successful and iconic bands from the first wave of punk in the 70s, they incorporated rock and roll, reggae, rockabilly, and many other music styles into their repertoire. They were legendary for their uncommonly intense stage performances.

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

Life is Wild
The Clash Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hey anybody got a cigarette?

Has anybody got a cigarette
Haven't you declared a disaster zone
Ho! Your car is a total wreck
And I just can't go back home

My girl if she had the dope

We'd get the messieurs on the phone
I still got to get up and go home
Don't start driving on my headstone

Go!
Life is wild life is free
Make him want to stop, gonna fall on me
Life is wild life is free
Make him want to stop, gonna (???) me

Here's to all of my kindred souls
He got a life but ain't got no style
Well heard that your story goes
You nearly broke down after half a mile

Hey that is the way it goes
You better keep a note on file
You'll have to reap what I suppose
Gets you a floor and a (???)

Life is wild life is free
Make him want to stop, gonna fall on me
Life is wild life is free
Make him want to stop, gonna (???) me

Somebody got a cigarette?
A guitar or a blank cassette
Hey! The last thing he'd expect in his bar
Gonna chart the rise of my star

Life is wild life is free
Make him want to stop, gonna fall on me

Life is wild life is free
Make him want to stop, gonna (???) me

Overall Meaning

The Clash's Life is Wild is all about the rawness and unpredictability of life. The lyrics talk about being in a disaster zone, about car crashes, and about being stranded away from home. The singer asks for a cigarette as a way to cope with the chaos around him. He is stranded and needs to go home, but is afraid that if he does, he will end up dead. The drug reference, "My girl if she had the dope, we'd get the messieurs on the phone" suggests that this chaotic existence, while unwanted, is the only way the singer can function.

The song then takes a meta turn, as the singer seems to address the audience directly, saying, "Here's to all of my kindred souls, make him want to stop, gonna fall on me". The singer acknowledges that while life is wild and unpredictable, there is some comfort in shared experiences. The singer also references the rise of a star, suggesting that something good can come out of chaos and despair.

Overall, Life is Wild is a commentary on the randomness of life and the need for human connection to survive. It speaks to the idea that even in the midst of chaos and disaster, there is hope for something better.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey anybody got a cigarette?
Asking if someone has a cigarette to offer

Haven't you declared a disaster zone
Referring to the chaos of the current situation

Ho! Your car is a total wreck
Stating the severe condition of the car

And I just can't go back home
Expressing the unwillingness to return to home

My girl if she had the dope
Referring to drugs

We'd get the messieurs on the phone
Planning to make a call to get drugs

I still got to get up and go home
It's necessary to leave soon

Don't start driving on my headstone
Asking not to die in a car accident

Here's to all of my kindred souls
Raising a toast to the similar people

He got a life but ain't got no style
Talking about someone who has a life but not good taste in things

Well heard that your story goes
Asking to hear someone's story