Midnight Log
The Clash Lyrics


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Working for the devil
You'll have to pay his tax
That means going to see him
Down among the racks
You do his work so fine
He'll remember you

Worried for my friend
As he shows me round the flat
Where I don't want to find him
His lips an' eyelids black
He don't believe my speech
That lines can and should be drawn
Like if he had a shotgun
The barrels would be sawn

Swallowed by the river
Swollen by the rains
That leakin' ol' computer
Of fingerprints and names
Swimming in the river
That floods the neighborhood
I would call to you
But it would do no good

Voting for the law
That's the general occupation
First comes the public safety
Second comes the nation
You won't believe me now
But there's been some illumination
The wisest cops have realized
They fucked the operation

Cooking up the books
A respected occupation
The anchor and foundation of multi-corporations
They don't believe in crime
They don't know that it exists
But to understand
What's right and wrong
The lawyers work in shifts

'N speaking of the devil
He ain't been seen for years
'Cept every twenty minutes
He zooms between me ears
I don't believe in books
But I read all the time




For ciphers to the riddles
An' reasons to the rhymes

Overall Meaning

The Clash's "Midnight Log" is a complex and insightful commentary on the various systems of power that control modern society. The song highlights the ways in which people are forced to compromise their values and work for "the devil", whether that means paying taxes or doing the bidding of corrupt corporations. The lyrics are gritty and raw, painting a vivid picture of a world in which people are constantly struggling to survive and make sense of their surroundings.


The first verse of the song sets the tone by describing the way in which people are forced to work for "the devil" and pay his taxes. It's a metaphor for the way in which we are all trapped in a system of power that we cannot escape, and must learn to navigate in order to survive. The second verse is darker and more intense, highlighting the consequences of working for the devil. The singer is worried for his friend, who is clearly sick and struggling to keep up with the demands of his job. The imagery in this verse is particularly striking, with references to "leakin' ol' computers" and a "river swollen by the rains". It's a vivid and unsettling picture of a world in which nothing can be trusted.


The third verse shifts focus to the political and legal systems that govern society. The lyrics are scathing in their criticism of these systems, painting a picture of a world in which corruption and greed reign supreme. The line "the wisest cops have realized they fucked the operation" is particularly powerful, highlighting the ways in which people who are supposed to uphold the law are often just as corrupt as those they are supposed to be fighting against. The final verse brings the song full circle, with the devil looming large once again. The singer is still grappling with the big questions in life, searching for answers in books and seeking out the hidden truths that lie beneath the surface of the world around him.


Line by Line Meaning

Working for the devil
When you're doing the devil's work, you're going to owe him something in return.


You'll have to pay his tax
There will be a price to pay if you're working for the devil.


That means going to see him
The only way to settle the debt is to go and see the devil.


Down among the racks
The devil won't be easy to find. You'll have to search among all the other people he's collected.


You do his work so fine
If you're working for the devil, you better do a good job.


He'll remember you
The devil won't forget if you owe him something.


Worried for my friend
I was concerned about my friend.


As he shows me round the flat
He was walking me through his apartment.


Where I don't want to find him
I was afraid of what I might see.


His lips an' eyelids black
His lips and eyelids were black, which worried me even more.


He don't believe my speech
My friend wasn't convinced by what I was saying.


That lines can and should be drawn
That there is a clear right and wrong, and that people should choose the right path.


Like if he had a shotgun
It was as if he had a shotgun to his head and was being forced to make a decision.


The barrels would be sawn
He needed to take control of his situation and cut out the negative influences in his life.


Swallowed by the river
People can be lost to their situation and surroundings.


Swollen by the rains
The situation has gotten worse and more dangerous.


That leakin' ol' computer
The system that is supposed to be protecting people is itself imperfect and faulty.


Of fingerprints and names
It has become more about keeping track of people than actually protecting them.


Swimming in the river
The situation has become overwhelming and people are struggling to stay afloat.


That floods the neighborhood
The negative situation has affected and touched everyone in the surrounding area.


I would call to you
I wish I could reach out for help.


But it would do no good
But nothing can be done to fix the situation.


Voting for the law
People are putting their faith in the law and government to protect them.


That's the general occupation
This is what most people believe.


First comes the public safety
Protecting the people is supposed to be the government's first priority.


Second comes the nation
National interests come second.


You won't believe me now
What I'm about to say may sound unbelievable.


But there's been some illumination
People are starting to realize the truth.


The wisest cops have realized
Even the police, who are supposed to uphold the law, are coming around.


They fucked the operation
They've realized that their approach has not been effective and that it's time for a change.


Cooking up the books
Fraud and deceit are common practices in business.


A respected occupation
Despite their shady practices, these businessmen are still respected members of society.


The anchor and foundation of multi-corporations
These businessmen are essential to the success of large corporations.


They don't believe in crime
They don't think what they're doing is wrong, despite it being illegal.


They don't know that it exists
They believe that what they're doing is perfectly normal and legal.


But to understand
If you really want to know the difference between right and wrong,


What's right and wrong
You need dedicated people like lawyers to sort it out.


The lawyers work in shifts
It's a difficult job that requires a lot of time and effort.


'N speaking of the devil
And with that said,


He ain't been seen for years
The devil doesn't show up that often.


'Cept every twenty minutes
But when he does, he's hard to ignore.


He zooms between me ears
He's always there, lurking in the background.


I don't believe in books
I don't put much faith in what I read.


But I read all the time
But I can't stop reading even if I wanted to.


For ciphers to the riddles
I read to gain insights and solve the mysteries of life.


An' reasons to the rhymes
To make sense of the world around me.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOE STRUMMER, MICK JONES, TOPPER HEADON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Some John Doe

Working for the devil
You'll have to pay his tax
That means going to see him
Down among the racks
You do his work so fine
He'll remember you

Worried for my friend
As he shows me round the flat
Where I don't wanna find him
His lips an' eyelids black
He don't believe my speech
That lines can and should be drawn
Lke if he had a shotgun
The barrels would be sawn

Swallowed by the river
Swollen by the rains
That leakin' ol' computer
Of fingerprints and names
Swimming in the river
That floods the neighborhood
I would call to you
But it would do no good

Voting for the law
That's the general occupation
First comes the public safety
Second comes the nation
You won't believe me now
But there's been some illumination
The wisest cops have realized
They fucked the operation

Cooking up the books
A respected occupation
The anchor and foundation of multi-corporations
They don't believe in crime
They don't know that it exists
But to understand
What's right and wrong
The lawyers work in shifts

'N speaking of the devil
He ain't been seen for years
'Cept every 20 mins
He zooms between me ears
I don't believe in books
But I read all the time
For ciphers to the riddles
An' reasons to the rhymes



All comments from YouTube:

Some John Doe

Topper, the best drummer of his generation.

Phil Graham

Human drum machine

James T Donley III

The insane variety of musical styles covered over the course of this album's three discs is astonishing! Rockabilly (as can be heard on this particular track), plus quite a few tracks of reggae/dub (played as well as any Jamaican band ever did - by a bunch of white boys!...BRITISH white boys, at that!! An amazing feat in and of itself, never mind the rest of the record's myriad musical styles and genre-hopping/schizophrenic explorations and all-around envelope-pushing insanity!), straight-up bubblegum pop-rock tracks (such as the almost universally yet unjustly maligned - in my own admittedly idiosyncratic opinion - "Hitsville U.K.," a track which in no way mars the album's majesty; quite the contrary, it only adds to its diversity and overall near-perfection), even disco, a genre that I - along with every other self-respecting punk rocker on Earth - have always despised is represented here (and not just represented but turned - somehow, against all odds and in seeming defiance of all logical possibilities - into something enjoyable with its well-written and well-played, interesting and immediately likeable music along with its ironic and clever anti-McCarthyist lyrics on the improbable punk/disco bastard, "Ivan Meets G.I. Joe"). I mean, the fucking record opens with a hip-hop song, for fuck's sake! In 1980!! And disco isn't even the most unlikely genre covered here - that would probably be what I can only classify as children's music, on Disc Three's self-parodying self-cover of "Career Opportunities," a song that originally appeared - played in the style of straight-ahead '77-style Ramonesesque punk rock - on the Clash's own eponymous debut LP; on Sandinista! it's transformed into a keyboard-driven little kids' sing-along song, sung by (who else but?) several little kids and which somehow fits right in with the rest of this schizophrenic record and which - absurdly, I know - sounds to my ears as good as the original version! And then there's the bizarre violin-driven gallop of "Lose This Skin," led by the wavering, weirdly one-of-a-kind vocals of guest lead singer, Tym Dogg (NOT the same-named nemesis of Snoop Doggy Dogg and Dr. Dre dissed on "Fuck wit Dre Day (and Everybody's Celebratin')" but a multi-instrumentalist from Liverpool and future member of the Mescaleros) a song that is amazing but impossible to classify stylistically, and the marimba-salsa island rhythms of the politically-charged (not quite) title track, "Washington Bullets," with its wistfully sad yet hopeful refrain of "Sandinista!"
The album is a fucking masterpiece, that's all I'm saying.

Shona Beggs

Some people just don't get this album, I agree with you it is a masterpiece.

Take dimmy

I always love the clash being so rockabilly, seems like it is where Joe strummer came from.

Phil Graham

Woody

Prosciutto

Cada instrumento en la canción es increible, incluyendo la voz de Joe.

Some John Doe

Working for the devil
You'll have to pay his tax
That means going to see him
Down among the racks
You do his work so fine
He'll remember you

Worried for my friend
As he shows me round the flat
Where I don't wanna find him
His lips an' eyelids black
He don't believe my speech
That lines can and should be drawn
Lke if he had a shotgun
The barrels would be sawn

Swallowed by the river
Swollen by the rains
That leakin' ol' computer
Of fingerprints and names
Swimming in the river
That floods the neighborhood
I would call to you
But it would do no good

Voting for the law
That's the general occupation
First comes the public safety
Second comes the nation
You won't believe me now
But there's been some illumination
The wisest cops have realized
They fucked the operation

Cooking up the books
A respected occupation
The anchor and foundation of multi-corporations
They don't believe in crime
They don't know that it exists
But to understand
What's right and wrong
The lawyers work in shifts

'N speaking of the devil
He ain't been seen for years
'Cept every 20 mins
He zooms between me ears
I don't believe in books
But I read all the time
For ciphers to the riddles
An' reasons to the rhymes

yelnats von hindinbergh

Should have been the are full of shit !!! Otherwise Perfect song

Emma

amei amei ♥️🇧🇷

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