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
Robber Dub
The Clash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But he never hurt nobody
He just loved to live that way
And he loved
Never loved a shovel
Break
Said I never been in prison
Someday you'll meet your rocking chair
'Cause that's where we're spinning
There's
Yeah
My daddy was a bank robber
But he never hurt nobody
He
Get away, get away
Money
He loved to steal your money
The Clash's song Robber Dub is a tribute of sorts to a man named Ronnie Biggs, who was a member of the gang that pulled off the infamous Great train robbery of 1963. In the song, the singer proudly proclaims that his father was a bank robber, but one who "never hurt nobody". He goes on to say that his father simply loved to live the outlaw lifestyle and loved the adrenaline rush that came with stealing.
The lyrics also touch on themes of mortality and fate, with the old man in the bar warning that "someday you'll meet your rocking chair", implying that death is inevitable and that one should live life to the fullest while they can. The song also features a catchy dub-inspired beat and some fun vocal effects, adding to the overall playful and irreverent tone of the lyrics.
Overall, Robber Dub is a fun and energetic song that celebrates the rebellious spirit and carefree attitude of those who live outside the law.
Line by Line Meaning
My Daddy was a bank robber
The singer's father used to rob banks
But he never hurt nobody
Despite what he did, the father never caused any physical harm to anyone
He just loved to live that way
Robbing banks was something the father enjoyed doing as a lifestyle choice
And he loved
The father had great affection for his way of life, which included robbing banks
Never loved a shovel
The father didn't enjoy physical labor or hard work
Break
The singer is ending this thought and moving on to a new one
The old man spoke up in a bar
An elderly man spoke while in a bar
Said I never been in prison
The elderly man claimed to have never served time in prison
Someday you'll meet your rocking chair
The elderly man is implying that the artist will grow old and eventually die
'Cause that's where we're spinning
The idea of growing old and dying is inevitable and constantly present
There's
The singer is introducing a new thought or idea
Yeah
The artist is expressing agreement or affirmation
My daddy was a bank robber
The singer is reiterating their father's occupation
But he never hurt nobody
The father's actions never caused physical harm to others
He
The singer is continuing their thought about their father
Get away, get away
The father's main motivation for robbing banks was to escape with money
Money
The artist is emphasizing that money was the main objective for their father's bank robberies
He loved to steal your money
The father had a great affinity for taking other people's money through his bank robberies
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOE STRUMMER, MICK JONES, PAUL SIMONON, TOPPER HEADON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
hagustus p
still the best band in the world in my humble opinion . Sandinista needs to be played as soon as you wake up on a sunday morning start to finish .
swaggs
I can't call them the best band in the world, but I can definitely call them one of thee best and very influential too.
O Macey
Well that'll be 2 and a half hours out of my morning haha
gus cunningham
Vulcanaxx 2 and a half hours well spent .my friend.
O Macey
Indeed it is
Daryl Gibbs
I agree
jgw3000
Been listening to this since the '80s, now my hair is grey and uncombed. Such memorable music
sawdoctony
Have u met ur rockin chair ???
spin brown
All these years later since I first heard this,and it is still a fucking great song
quantumfighter
pure gold! thanks for keeping this one up here! - and you better continue to ;)