Somebody Got Murdered
The Clash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
While riding in a car
Some ol' guy takes a swig
And passes back the jar
But where they were last night
No-one can remember
Somebody got murdered
Goodbye, for keeps, forever
Somebody got murdered
Somebody's dead forever
And you're minding your own business
Carrying spare change
You wouldn't cosh a barber
You're hungry all the same
I been very tempted
To grab it from the till
I been very hungry
But not enough to kill
Somebody got murdered
His name cannot be found
A small stain on the pavement
They'll scrub it off the ground
As the daily crown disperses
No-one says that much
Somebody got murdered
And it' left me with a touch
Somebody got murdered
Somebody's dead forever
Sounds like murder!
Those shouts!
Are they drunk down below?
It's late, and my watch stopped
Some time ago
Sounds like murder!
Those screams!
Are they drunk down below?
The Clash's song Somebody Got Murdered is a commentary on urban violence and the way in which people can often become desensitized to it. The first verse sets the scene, with someone lighting a cigarette while riding in a car, and an old man taking a swig from a bottle. None of them can remember where they were the night before, perhaps indicating that they were out doing something they shouldn't have been. The chorus then hits, with the repeated refrain "Somebody got murdered, somebody's dead forever."
The second verse takes a more personal turn, as the singer describes being hungry and tempted to steal from the till, but not enough to resort to murder. The chorus then repeats once more, this time with the addition of the lines "Sounds like murder! Those shouts! Are they drunk down below?"
The final verse brings the song to a close, with the singer noting that the "daily crown" disperses without saying much about the murder, leaving only a small stain on the pavement that will eventually be scrubbed away. The song ends with the repeated lines "Sounds like murder! Those screams! Are they drunk down below?"
Overall, Somebody Got Murdered is a powerful commentary on the way in which violence can be normalized in society, with people becoming desensitized to it and not really caring about the lives that are lost.
Line by Line Meaning
Someone lights a cigarette
A person lights up a cigarette while in a car.
While riding in a car
The person is smoking while the car is moving.
Some ol' guy takes a swig
An old man drinks from a bottle.
And passes back the jar
The bottle is then handed over to someone else.
But where they were last night
No one knows where they were the previous night.
No-one can remember
The details have been forgotten.
Somebody got murdered
A person was killed.
Goodbye, for keeps, forever
This person is gone forever.
And you're minding your own business
You are going about your day-to-day routine.
Carrying spare change
You have some extra money in your pocket.
You wouldn't cosh a barber
You are not the type of person to hit or harm someone.
You're hungry all the same
Despite your good nature, you are still struggling to get by.
I been very tempted
There have been times when you have been tempted.
To grab it from the till
To steal money from the cash register.
I been very hungry
You have been very hungry before.
But not enough to kill
Despite your struggles, you would never resort to taking someone's life.
His name cannot be found
The person who was murdered is unknown.
A small stain on the pavement
There is evidence of the crime, but it is small and insignificant.
They'll scrub it off the ground
Eventually, the evidence will be cleaned up and forgotten.
As the daily crown disperses
The people who gathered around the scene of the crime eventually leave and go about their business.
No-one says that much
People are not talking about the murder very much.
And it's left me with a touch
The murder has had an impact on the artist, leaving them with a sense of sadness or unease.
Sounds like murder!
The singer hears suspicious sounds and feels like someone might have been killed.
Those shouts!
Loud voices can be heard.
Are they drunk down below?
The source of the noise is unknown, but it is coming from somewhere nearby.
It's late, and my watch stopped
The time is unknown because the singer's watch has stopped working.
Some time ago
It has been a while since the time was last known.
Those screams!
Loud cries can be heard.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOE STRUMMER, MICK JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MichaelD8393
For those who don't know, there's an interesting backstory to this song. In early 1980, Joe Strummer was approached by composer Jack Nitzsche, who was assembling the soundtrack and score for the movie Cruising, directed by William Freidkin and starring Al Pacino in the lead role. Nitzsche asked Joe to provide a "heavy rock song" for the soundtrack, but Joe had trouble at first and decided to wait until the next day. When he arrived back at his flat in London that evening, Joe learned that a parking attendant in the area had been stabbed to death in an argument over £5 (about $7 U.S.) While the resulting song here wasn't used in the movie, likely because it's not a heavy song as Nitzsche requested, Joe was inspired by the murder and had much of the lyrics written the next day. Let's break them down:
"Someone lights a cigarette
While riding in a car
Some old guy takes a swig
And passes back the jar
But where they were last night
No one can remember
Somebody got murdered
Goodbye for keeps forever"
The first verse suggests that two people – a smoker in a car and an old man sharing a drink with someone else – the narrator encounters could be suspects in the attendant's murder, but because no one – the police, any witnesses to the murder, or the narrator himself – knows where they were at the time of the murder the night before, their potential involvement can't be confirmed or denied.
"And you're minding your own business
Carrying spare change
You wouldn't cosh a barber
You're hungry all the same
I've been very tempted
To grab it from the till
I've been very hungry
But not enough to kill"
The second verse suggests that most people minding their own business must not have a lot of money on them at all times – including at the time of the murder – and while they wouldn't cosh (beat up) their barber, they're likely struggling financially and might be desperate for money. But while they might be desperate enough to attempt a robbery, they're not desperate enough to kill anyone over money.
Somebody got murdered
His name cannot be found
A small stain on the pavement
They'll scrub it off the ground
As the daily crowd disperses
No one says that much
Somebody got murdered
And it's left me with a touch"
The third verse here says that the name of the killer cannot be found – a lot like Jack the Ripper's true name – and the narrator makes clear that he feels like the police cleaned any bloodstains up too soon, assuming the blood was the victim's, but not considering if it could actually be the killer's. Meanwhile, as the rest of the crowd goes about their usual daily routine of work or school, they let the news of the murder blow over their heads while it's left the narrator with a touch likely of worry; he's thinking perhaps there could be a serial killer on the loose. Or that he feels for the victim's family for losing their father/son/brother etc.
All in all, Somebody Got Murdered here demonstrates that songwriting inspiration can just pop up out of nowhere when you least expect it. The murder of a parking attendant inspired Joe Strummer to write one of the Clash's best songs ever, even though its inspiration was tragic and scary. As far as I know, the attendant's murderer wasn't identified or caught, and that suggests the murderer could still be alive today, looking for more victims.
Some John Doe
Someone lights a cigarette
While riding in a car
Some ol' guy takes a swig
And passes back the jar
But where they were last night
No-one can remember
Somebody got murdered
Goodbye, for keeps, forever
Somebody got murdered
Somebody's dead forever
And you're minding your own business
Carrying spare change
You wouldn't cosh a barber
You're hungry all the same
I been very tempted
To grab it from the till
I been very hungry
But not enough to kill
Somebody got murdered
Somebody's dead forever
Somebody got murdered
His name cannot be found
A small stain on the pavement
They'll scrub it off the ground
As the daily crowd disperses
No-one says that much
Somebody got murdered
And it' left me with a touch
Somebody got murdered
Somebody's dead forever
Sounds like murder!
Those shouts!
Are they drunk down below?
It's late, and my watch stopped
Some time ago
Sounds like murder!
Those screams!
Are they drunk down below?
Nix Gips 🇩🇪
One of the best and totally underrated Clash songs.
Herbert Richard
It is beautiful indeed. The record, now forty years old, sounds as though it were recorded today. Are The Clash the greatest rock group in history?
John Heston
@Herbert Richard Yes
Frank Rizzo
so underrated...
Herbert Richard
Crackback you plebe.
Herbert Richard
It is stone cold perfect in every respect. Agreed.
debra tansey
This album is part of my soul and brings back the memories of so many special people who are long gone from this world.. This album ❤
MichaelD8393
For those who don't know, there's an interesting backstory to this song. In early 1980, Joe Strummer was approached by composer Jack Nitzsche, who was assembling the soundtrack and score for the movie Cruising, directed by William Freidkin and starring Al Pacino in the lead role. Nitzsche asked Joe to provide a "heavy rock song" for the soundtrack, but Joe had trouble at first and decided to wait until the next day. When he arrived back at his flat in London that evening, Joe learned that a parking attendant in the area had been stabbed to death in an argument over £5 (about $7 U.S.) While the resulting song here wasn't used in the movie, likely because it's not a heavy song as Nitzsche requested, Joe was inspired by the murder and had much of the lyrics written the next day. Let's break them down:
"Someone lights a cigarette
While riding in a car
Some old guy takes a swig
And passes back the jar
But where they were last night
No one can remember
Somebody got murdered
Goodbye for keeps forever"
The first verse suggests that two people – a smoker in a car and an old man sharing a drink with someone else – the narrator encounters could be suspects in the attendant's murder, but because no one – the police, any witnesses to the murder, or the narrator himself – knows where they were at the time of the murder the night before, their potential involvement can't be confirmed or denied.
"And you're minding your own business
Carrying spare change
You wouldn't cosh a barber
You're hungry all the same
I've been very tempted
To grab it from the till
I've been very hungry
But not enough to kill"
The second verse suggests that most people minding their own business must not have a lot of money on them at all times – including at the time of the murder – and while they wouldn't cosh (beat up) their barber, they're likely struggling financially and might be desperate for money. But while they might be desperate enough to attempt a robbery, they're not desperate enough to kill anyone over money.
Somebody got murdered
His name cannot be found
A small stain on the pavement
They'll scrub it off the ground
As the daily crowd disperses
No one says that much
Somebody got murdered
And it's left me with a touch"
The third verse here says that the name of the killer cannot be found – a lot like Jack the Ripper's true name – and the narrator makes clear that he feels like the police cleaned any bloodstains up too soon, assuming the blood was the victim's, but not considering if it could actually be the killer's. Meanwhile, as the rest of the crowd goes about their usual daily routine of work or school, they let the news of the murder blow over their heads while it's left the narrator with a touch likely of worry; he's thinking perhaps there could be a serial killer on the loose. Or that he feels for the victim's family for losing their father/son/brother etc.
All in all, Somebody Got Murdered here demonstrates that songwriting inspiration can just pop up out of nowhere when you least expect it. The murder of a parking attendant inspired Joe Strummer to write one of the Clash's best songs ever, even though its inspiration was tragic and scary. As far as I know, the attendant's murderer wasn't identified or caught, and that suggests the murderer could still be alive today, looking for more victims.
디오 12
I wonder why Joe gave it to Mick to sing instead of singing it himself. Most times when Mick sang lead it was his own lyrics (Should I Stay or Should I Go, Stay Free, Train in Vain, etc.).
MichaelD8393
@디오 12 I think Joe thought Mick's voice would be better suited for this song. Then again, that’s just my speculation, so take it with a grain of salt.