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, even though it was released near the end of 1979 at first (technically, Jan 1980, in the United States).
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. This was officially confirmed in 2003, when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Their five big albums from their heyday ('The Clash', 'Give 'Em Enough Rope', 'London Calling', 'Sandinista!', and 'Combat Rock') continue to earn a great deal of interest from rock fans into the new millennium.
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
Living in Fame
The Clash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or else I'll put you to shame, listen!
If you say you a selector
You a fe have good selection
A-and I say if you say you a de special
Man I say I want to know your potential
You a say you a de best
But when I put you 'pon you feet
A-some a-some a say you can't play de beat
And I hear you say a Clash a you ruler
Say a Clash sound cooler, eh!
Say a Clash sound sweeter
And now-a-days man a measure mile in a meter, eh!
Live up to your name
Or else you die in shame
A-and a so me say fe live up to your name
A so me tell you say you die in shame
Some a dem a bodysnatcher
Some a dem a barracuda, eh!
But who a know fe me Jah Jah
Fe me Jah a me creator, eh!
Flying saucers, rock-and-roll
Natty Dread a fe be in control
It's all in the whirlwind
I say you've gone with the blockhead
A-and I say me say dat some a dem a Sex Pistol
Nipple erectors
A so me tell you set dem still up on a corner
An a who on a farm
And I'll tell you 'bout the X-generation
Me know dem a victimed
'Cause dem no know fe me sweet Jah Jah, eh!
Clash a you ruler
Say a Clash sound cooler
A-and I tell you say a Clash sound sweeter
And now-a-days man measure mile in a meter
A none a dem deh measure gallon in a liter
And I tell you say me know dem a cheat ya
'Cause when you living inna fame
You got to live up to your name
Or else a suffer and you die inna shame
And I tell you say it's all in the game, eh!
Some a say dem a selector
Dem a fe have good selection
Or else deh moving in the wrong direction
And deh no know dis a reggae vibration
A-and a so me say a Clash a you ruler
And dis ya one a say it a musically cooler, eh!
Me say fe live up to your name
Or else you suffer and you die inna shame
'Cause when you living inna fame
A so me tell you say it's all in the game
And so me talkin' about
Specials and Madness beats,
Big body snatcher, selector, eh!
Flying saucers, rock-and-roll
See you gone in the whirlwind
A-and I tell you say, a you a de blockhead
And some will tell you dat you dreader than dread
And a-some a say a Clash a you ruler
See a Clash sound cooler, aaaye!
Clash sound sweeter
Man a measure mile in a metre, eh!
When you living inna fame
You got to live up to your name
Or else you suffer and you die inna shame
It's all in the game, eh!
This is the game of life
We no wa' no strife
Game of life
We no wa' no strife, no no
Don't, no no no no
Fuckin' hell Mickey
These lyrics of The Clash's song 'Living in Fame' are about the need to live up to one's name, especially in the context of music and fame. The song begins by saying that if you are a selector, you must have good selection, and if you claim to be special, you must show your potential. The song then goes on to criticize those who claim to be the best but cannot play the beat. The lyrics reflect the pressure and competition that comes with being a musician in the public eye.
Throughout the song, The Clash expresses their views on the music industry and criticizes those who cheat or deceive their way to fame. The lines "Flying saucers, rock-and-roll, Natty Dread a fe be in control" reflect the band's interest in reggae music and lyrics that address political and social issues. The song ends with a call to live up to your name and play the game of life with no strife.
Overall, 'Living in Fame' is a commentary on the importance of authenticity and real talent in the music industry. It highlights the idea that fame can be a double-edged sword - it can bring success and opportunities, but also comes with a great deal of pressure and scrutiny.
Line by Line Meaning
If you say you a selector
You a fe have good selection
A-and I say if you say you a de special
Man I say I want to know your potential
If you claim to be a DJ, you must have an excellent selection of music. And if you claim to be special, I want to see your true potential.
You a say you a madness
You a say you a de best
But when I put you 'pon you feet
A-some a-some a say you can't play de beat
You claim to be insane and the best DJ, yet when I give you the opportunity to prove yourself, some people say you can't play the beat.
And I hear you say a Clash a you ruler
Say a Clash sound cooler, eh!
Say a Clash sound sweeter
And now-a-days man a measure mile in a meter, eh!
I hear you saying that The Clash is superior, cooler and sweeter. Nowadays, people measure distance in meters instead of miles.
Live up to your name
Or else you die in shame
A-and a so me say fe live up to your name
A so me tell you say you die in shame
You must live up to your reputation or else you will have to face public embarrassment. That's why I say you should live up to your name because if you don't, you will die in shame.
Some a dem a bodysnatcher
Some a dem a barracuda, eh!
But who a know fe me Jah Jah
Fe me Jah a me creator, eh!
Some people are thieves and predators, but only Jah (God) knows who I truly am and who created me.
Flying saucers, rock-and-roll
Natty Dread a fe be in control
It's all in the whirlwind
I say you've gone with the blockhead
Alien spacecraft, rock music and Rastafarianism are becoming more popular. But if you're naive and foolish, you're going with the wrong crowd.
A-and I say me say dat some a dem a Sex Pistol
Nipple erectors
A so me tell you set dem still up on a corner
An a who on a farm
And I'll tell you 'bout the X-generation
Me know dem a victimed
'Cause dem no know fe me sweet Jah Jah, eh!
Some people are punks and perverts without any morals. I would rather have them removed from society. And let me tell you about the X-generation, they are victims because they don't know the goodness of Jah (God).
Clash a you ruler
Say a Clash sound cooler
A-and I tell you say a Clash sound sweeter
And now-a-days man measure mile in a meter
A none a dem deh measure gallon in a liter
And I tell you say me know dem a cheat ya
The Clash are the kings of music and they sound cooler and sweeter than anyone else. Nowadays, people measure distance in meters instead of miles and nobody measures liquid volume in gallons. I tell you, these people are cheating us.
Some a say dem a selector
Dem a fe have good selection
Or else deh moving in the wrong direction
And deh no know dis a reggae vibration
A-and a so me say a Clash a you ruler
And dis ya one a say it a musically cooler, eh!
Some say they are DJs, but they need to have a good selection of music or else they will end up in the wrong direction. And they don't know the true essence of reggae music. That's why I say The Clash are the best and this song proves it.
When you living inna fame
You got to live up to your name
Or else you suffer and you die inna shame
And I tell you say it's all in the game, eh!
When you become famous, you must live up to your reputation or else you will lose respect and dignity. This is the game of life and if you can't keep up, you will suffer identity loss.
This is the game of life
We no wa' no strife
Game of life
We no wa' no strife, no no
Don't, no no no no
Fuckin' hell Mickey
Life is like a game and we don't want any conflict or struggle. We don't want to fight or argue with anyone. So don't start any trouble, Mickey.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOE STRUMMER, MICK JONES, PAUL SIMONON, TOPPER HEADON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Some John Doe
So you've got to live up to your name
Or else I'll put you to shame, listen!
If you say you a selector
You a fe have good selection
A-and I say if you say you a de special
Man I say I want to know your potential
You a say you a madness
You a say you a de best
But when I put you 'pon you feet
A-some a-some a say you can't play de beat
And I hear you say a Clash a you ruler
Say a Clash sound cooler, eh!
Say a Clash sound sweeter
And now-a-days man a measure mile in a meter, eh!
Live up to your name
Or else you die in shame
A-and a so me say fe live up to your name
A so me tell you say you die in shame
Some a dem a bodysnatcher
Some a dem a barracuda, eh!
But who a know fe me Jah Jah
Fe me Jah a me creator, eh!
Flying saucers, rock-and-roll
Natty Dread a fe be in control
It's all in the whirlwind
I say you've gone with the blockhead
A-and I say me say dat some a dem a Sex Pistol
Nipple erectors
A so me tell you set dem still up on a corner
An a who on a farm
And I'll tell you 'bout the X-generation
Me know dem a victimed
'Cause dem no know fe me sweet Jah Jah, eh!
Clash a you ruler
Say a Clash sound cooler
A-and I tell you say a Clash sound sweeter
And now-a-days man measure mile in a meter
A none a dem deh measure gallon in a liter
And I tell you say me know dem a cheat ya
'Cause when you living inna fame
You got to live up to your name
Or else a suffer and you die inna shame
And I tell you say it's all in the game, eh!
Some a say dem a selector
Dem a fe have good selection
Or else deh moving in the wrong direction
And deh no know dis a reggae vibration
A-and a so me say a Clash a you ruler
And dis ya one a say it a musically cooler, eh!
Me say fe live up to your name
Or else you suffer and you die inna shame
'Cause when you living inna fame
A so me tell you say it's all in the game
And so me talkin' about
Specials and Madness beats,
Big body snatcher, selector, eh!
Flying saucers, rock-and-roll
See you gone in the whirlwind
A-and I tell you say, a you a de blockhead
And some will tell you dat you dreader than dread
And a-some a say a Clash a you ruler
See a Clash sound cooler, aaaye!
Clash sound sweeter
Man a measure mile in a metre, eh!
When you living inna fame
You got to live up to your name
Or else you suffer and you die inna shame
It's all in the game, eh!
This is the game of life
We no wa' no strife
Game of life
We no wa' no strife, no no
Don't, no no no no
Fuckin' hell Mickey
Catiline Matrix
So you've got to live up to your name
Or else I'll put you to shame, listen
If you say you a selector
You a fe have good selection
A-and I say if you say you a the special
Man, I say I want to know your potential
You a say you a madness
You a say you a the best
But when I put you upon you feet
A-some a-some a say you can't play de beat.
And I hear you say a Clash a you ruler
Say a Clash sound cooler, eh
Say a Clash sound sweeter
And now-a-days man a measure mile in a meter, eh
Live up to your name
Or else you die in shame
A-and a so me say fe live up to your name
A so me tell you say you die in shame
Some a dem a bodysnatcher
Some a dem a barracuda, eh
But who a know fe me Jah Jah
Fe me Jah a me creator, eh
Flying saucers, rock-and-roll
Natty Dread a fe be in control
It's all in the whirlwind
I say you've gone with the blockhead
A-and I say me say that some a dem a Sex Pistol
Nipple erectors
A so me tell you set dem sp [?] man a gone
An [?] farm
And I'll tell you about the X-generation
Me know dem a victimed
Because dem no know fe me sweet Jah Jah, eh
Clash a you ruler
Say a Clash sound cooler
A-and I tell you say a Clash sound sweeter
And now-a-days man measure mile in a meter
A none a dem deh measure gallon in a litre
And I tell you say me know them a cheat you
Because when you living in a fame
You got to live up to your name
Or else a suffer and you die in a shame
And I tell you say it's all in the game, eh
Some a say them a selector
Dem a fe have good selection
Or else deh moving in the wrong direction
And they no know this a reggae vibration
A-and a so me say a Clash a you ruler
And dis you one a say it a musically cooler, eh
Me say we live up to your name
Or else you suffer and you die in a shame
Because when you living in a fame
A so me tell you say it's all in the game
And so me talking about
Specials and madness beats
Big body snatcher, [?], eh
Flying saucers, rock-and-roll
See you gone in the whirlwind
A-and I tell you say, a you a the blockhead
And some will tell you that you dreader than dread
(Chorus 1)
When you living in a fame
You got to live up to your name
Or else you suffer and you die in a shame
It's all in the game, eh
This is the game of life
We no want no strife
Game of life
We no want no strife, no no
Don't, no no no no
Fucking hell Mikey
Dump
Amo esta Banda❤️
ELDR
This is so wonderful! It can be challenging to keep going with our own creative pursuits, but this is definitely an inspiration for my music.
bigmarty11288
Your music is probably diggity dank. Keep doing it with love
Reinaldo Leopoldino
Excelente 😃
1998 VoDKa
Love this
TV circus 310
Hell' o Clash .... The live in mass x ! 😆
Some John Doe
So you've got to live up to your name
Or else I'll put you to shame, listen!
If you say you a selector
You a fe have good selection
A-and I say if you say you a de special
Man I say I want to know your potential
You a say you a madness
You a say you a de best
But when I put you 'pon you feet
A-some a-some a say you can't play de beat
And I hear you say a Clash a you ruler
Say a Clash sound cooler, eh!
Say a Clash sound sweeter
And now-a-days man a measure mile in a meter, eh!
Live up to your name
Or else you die in shame
A-and a so me say fe live up to your name
A so me tell you say you die in shame
Some a dem a bodysnatcher
Some a dem a barracuda, eh!
But who a know fe me Jah Jah
Fe me Jah a me creator, eh!
Flying saucers, rock-and-roll
Natty Dread a fe be in control
It's all in the whirlwind
I say you've gone with the blockhead
A-and I say me say dat some a dem a Sex Pistol
Nipple erectors
A so me tell you set dem still up on a corner
An a who on a farm
And I'll tell you 'bout the X-generation
Me know dem a victimed
'Cause dem no know fe me sweet Jah Jah, eh!
Clash a you ruler
Say a Clash sound cooler
A-and I tell you say a Clash sound sweeter
And now-a-days man measure mile in a meter
A none a dem deh measure gallon in a liter
And I tell you say me know dem a cheat ya
'Cause when you living inna fame
You got to live up to your name
Or else a suffer and you die inna shame
And I tell you say it's all in the game, eh!
Some a say dem a selector
Dem a fe have good selection
Or else deh moving in the wrong direction
And deh no know dis a reggae vibration
A-and a so me say a Clash a you ruler
And dis ya one a say it a musically cooler, eh!
Me say fe live up to your name
Or else you suffer and you die inna shame
'Cause when you living inna fame
A so me tell you say it's all in the game
And so me talkin' about
Specials and Madness beats,
Big body snatcher, selector, eh!
Flying saucers, rock-and-roll
See you gone in the whirlwind
A-and I tell you say, a you a de blockhead
And some will tell you dat you dreader than dread
And a-some a say a Clash a you ruler
See a Clash sound cooler, aaaye!
Clash sound sweeter
Man a measure mile in a metre, eh!
When you living inna fame
You got to live up to your name
Or else you suffer and you die inna shame
It's all in the game, eh!
This is the game of life
We no wa' no strife
Game of life
We no wa' no strife, no no
Don't, no no no no
Fuckin' hell Mickey
James Stoltzfus
Thank you
leonie Gray
❤
miriã borges
♡