Something about England
The Clash Lyrics

They say immigrants steal the hubcaps Of respected gentlemen
Some people think that immigrants are responsible for stealing the valuables of respected citizens.

They say it would be wine and roses If England were for Englishmen again
Some people believe that if England were to exclude immigrants and foreigners, everything would be perfect and idyllic.

I saw a dirty overcoat At the foot of the pillar of the road Propped inside was an old man Whom time could not erode
The singer observed an old man with a weathered appearance sitting under an overpass.

The night was snapped by sirens Those blue lights circled fast The dance hall called for an ambulance The bars all closed up fast
A chaotic scene unfolded, with flashing emergency lights and the closure of entertainment venues.

My silence gazing at the ceiling While roaming the single room I thought the old man could help me If he could explain the gloom
The artist, alone in a room, considered speaking to the old man as a way of understanding the world's troubles.

You really think it's all new You really think about it too The old man scoffed as he spoke to me "I'll tell you a thing or two"
The old man dismissed the idea that current societal issues were new or unique, and began to lecture the singer about his life experiences.

I missed the fourteen-eighteen war But not the sorrow afterwards With my father dead, my mother ran off My brothers took the pay of hoods
The old man had lived through the aftermath of World War I and its impact on his family.

The twenties turned, the north was dead The hunger strike came marching south At the garden party not a word was said The ladies lifted cake to their mouths
The societal issues continued into the 1920s, including a hunger strike and poverty in the northern regions of England, which were dismissed by the wealthy elites.

The next war began and my ship sailed With battle orders writ in red In five long years of bullets and shells We left ten million dead
The old man was involved in World War II and witnessed the devastation and loss of life it caused.

The few returned to old Piccadilly We limped around Leicester Square The world was busy rebuilding itself The architects could not care
After the conclusion of the war, the survivors returned to a changed England, with cities like Piccadilly feeling familiar but also different.

But how could we know when I was young All the changes that were to come? All the photos in the wallets on the battlefield And now the terror of the scientific sun
The old man pondered how different things might have been if he had known the world-changing events that would occur during his lifetime, culminating in the potential destruction of humanity through scientific advancement.

There was masters and servants and servants and dogs They taught you how to touch your cap Through strikes and famine and war and peace England never closed this gap
The societal hierarchy of England remained firmly in place despite various conflicts and hardships throughout the years.

So leave me now the moon is up Remember all the tales I tell The memories that you have dredged up Are on letters forwarded from hell
The old man asks the singer to depart, as painful memories are too difficult to bear.

(It's a long way to Tipperary) (It's a long way to go) (Goodbye, Piccadilly) (Farewell, Leicester Square)
The singer reminisces about the classic songs and phrases from his youth.

The streets were by now deserted The gangs had trudged off home The lights clicked out in the bedsits Old England was all alone
The world quiets down and the lights go out as a new day approaches, leaving England in its current state of loneliness and social division.