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
The Magnificent Seven
The Clash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ring, ring, it's 7:00 A.M.
Move yourself to go again
Cold water in the face
Brings you back to this awful place
Knuckle merchants and your bankers too
Weather man and the crazy chief
One says sun and one says sleet
A.M., the F.M. the P.M. too
Churnin' out that boogaloo
Gets you up and it gets you out
But how long can you keep it up?
Gimme Honda, gimme Sony
So cheap and real phony
Hong Kong dollar, Indian cents
English pounds and Eskimo pence
You lot, what?
Don't stop, give it all you got
You lot, what?
Don't stop, yeah
You lot, what?
Don't stop, give it all you got
You lot, what?
Don't stop, yeah
Working for a rise, better my station
Take my baby to sophistication
Seen the ads, she thinks it's nice
Better work hard, I seen the price
Never mind that it's time for the bus
We got to work and you're one of us
Clocks go slow in a place of work
Minutes drag and the hours jerk
Yeah, wave bye, bye (when can I tell 'em what I do?)
(In a second, maan, alright Chuck)
Wave bub-bub-bub-bye to the boss
It's our profit, it's his loss
But anyway the lunch bells ring
Take one hour, do your thang
Cheeesboiger
What do we have for entertainment?
Cops kickin' gypsies on the pavement
Now the news has snapped to attention
Lunar landing of the dentist convention
Italian mobster shoots a lobster
Seafood restaurant gets out of hand
A car in the fridge, a fridge in the car
Like cowboys do in TV land
You lot, what?
Don't stop, give it all you got
You lot, what?
Don't stop, huh
You lot, what?
Don't stop, give it all you got, yeah
You lot, what?
Don't stop
So get back to work and sweat some more
The sun will sink and we'll get out the door
It's no good for man to work in cages
Hit the town, he drinks his wages
You're frettin', you're sweatin'
But did you notice, you ain't gettin'
You're frettin', you're sweatin'
But did you notice, not gettin' anywhere
Don't you ever stop, a long enough to start
Take your car outta that gear
Don't you ever stop, long enough to start
Get your car outta that gear
Karlo Marx and Frederick Engels
Came to the checkout at the 7-11
Marx was skint but he had sense
Engels lent him the necessary pence
What have we got? Yeah, ooh
What have we got? Yeah, ooh
What have we got? Magnificence
What have we got?
Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi
Went to the park to check on the game
But they was murdered by the other team
Who went on to win fifty-nil
You can be true, you can be false
You'll be given the same reward
Socrates and Milhous Nixon
Both went the same way through the kitchen
Plato the Greek or Rin Tin Tin
Who's more famous to the billion millions?
News flash, 'Vacuum cleaner sucks up budgie'
Ooh, bye-bye, bub-bye
The magnificent seven
Magnificent
Magnificent seven
The Clash's song The Magnificent Seven is an anthem about the daily grind of work and the struggle to keep up with the capitalist system. The lyrics are a critique of consumerism, capitalism, and the idea of the American Dream. The song starts off with the singer waking up early to face another day of work, with the lines "Ring, ring, it's 7:00 A.M., Move yourself to go again, Cold water in the face, Brings you back to this awful place." The song then talks about how everyone from "knuckle merchants and your bankers too" to "weather man and the crazy chief" have to learn the rules of the system and churn out the same boogaloo. The song also mentions the desire for material possessions such as a Honda or a Sony, which are ironically "cheap and real phony." The song ends with a reminder that even though people can work hard, they may not necessarily get anywhere and might end up perpetually trapped in the cycle of work and consumption.
The Magnificent Seven was inspired by a meeting that The Clash had with jazz musician Gil Evans, who suggested that they combine punk rock with jazz funk. The song features a horn section and a funky bassline and was a departure from The Clash's earlier punk rock sound. The song was recorded in New York City and was produced by veteran producer Sandy Pearlman, who was famous for his work with cult bands Blue Oyster Cult and The Dictators. The song was released as a single in 1981 and was also included on the album Sandinista!.
Line by Line Meaning
Ring, ring, it's 7:00 A.M.
Your day starts too early.
Move yourself to go again
You have to get out of bed and start your day.
Cold water in the face
The misery of waking up.
Brings you back to this awful place
You hate your job and the daily grind.
Knuckle merchants and your bankers too
Capitalists are everywhere and control your life.
Must get up and learn those rules
You have to follow society's expectations and conform to capitalism.
Weather man and the crazy chief
You can't even trust the news.
One says sun and one says sleet
The news is inconsistent and unreliable.
A.M., the F.M. the P.M. too
Radio is everywhere and constantly bombards you with music and news.
Churnin' out that boogaloo
The music on the radio is meaningless pop.
Gets you up and it gets you out
The radio helps you start your day, but also promotes consumerism and capitalism.
But how long can you keep it up?
How long can you keep up with the daily grind?
Gimme Honda, gimme Sony
You are bombarded with ads for consumer products.
So cheap and real phony
The products advertised are cheap and fake.
Hong Kong dollar, Indian cents
You have to deal with different currencies and economies.
English pounds and Eskimo pence
The absurdity of the capitalist world.
You lot, what?
Addressing the audience directly, encouraging them to keep going.
Don't stop, give it all you got
Keep working hard and don't give up.
Working for a rise, better my station
Trying to work hard to get ahead in life.
Take my baby to sophistication
Wanting a better life for your child.
Seen the ads, she thinks it's nice
Consumerism even affects young children.
Better work hard, I seen the price
You have to work hard to afford consumer products.
Never mind that it's time for the bus
Even public transportation is a hassle.
We got to work and you're one of us
You're part of the working class.
Clocks go slow in a place of work
Time moves slowly when you're at work.
Minutes drag and the hours jerk
It feels like time is standing still when you're working.
Yeah, wave bye, bye (when can I tell 'em what I do?)
Wanting to escape your boring job and do something more fulfilling.
(In a second, maan, alright Chuck)
Sarcasm about the idea of quitting your job.
Wave bub-bub-bub-bye to the boss
Thinking about quitting your job and saying goodbye to your boss.
It's our profit, it's his loss
Your boss benefits from your work more than you do.
But anyway the lunch bells ring
Looking forward to the small pleasures in life, like lunch break.
Take one hour, do your thang
Enjoy your break and do something you enjoy.
Cheeesboiger
A playful way of saying cheeseburger.
What do we have for entertainment?
Sarcasm about the lack of entertainment in daily life.
Cops kickin' gypsies on the pavement
The reality of police brutality and discrimination.
Now the news has snapped to attention
The news is suddenly interested in the story of the cops kicking the gypsies.
Lunar landing of the dentist convention
The absurdity of the news, which contrasts the serious event (police brutality) with a ridiculous one (a dentist convention on the moon).
Italian mobster shoots a lobster
More absurd and comical news stories.
Seafood restaurant gets out of hand
Another absurd news story.
A car in the fridge, a fridge in the car
More absurd and nonsensical news stories.
Like cowboys do in TV land
The absurdity of TV shows and their unrealistic depictions of life.
So get back to work and sweat some more
Encouraging the audience to work harder and not give up.
The sun will sink and we'll get out the door
Working until dark and then leaving work.
It's no good for man to work in cages
Comparing work to being in a cage or prison.
Hit the town, he drinks his wages
Going out and spending all your money after work.
You're frettin', you're sweatin'
Stressing and working hard.
But did you notice, you ain't gettin'
Despite all your hard work, you're not really getting anywhere.
Don't you ever stop, a long enough to start
Encouraging the audience to keep going and not give up.
Take your car outta that gear
The car metaphorically represents your life, and encouraging you to take control of it.
Get your car outta that gear
Continuing the metaphor of taking control of your life.
Karlo Marx and Frederick Engels
References to famous philosophers known for their critiques of capitalism.
Came to the checkout at the 7-11
Making fun of the common occurrence of finding famous people in everyday settings.
Marx was skint but he had sense
Marx may not have been rich, but he was smart.
Engels lent him the necessary pence
Engels helped Marx financially.
What have we got? Yeah, ooh
Asking the audience what they have in life.
Magnificence
The answer is that there is no real magnificence in life.
Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi
References to famous activists who fought for equality and justice.
Went to the park to check on the game
Talking about the human desire to find entertainment and escape from reality.
But they was murdered by the other team
Tragic events occur and good people can be punished for trying to do good.
Who went on to win fifty-nil
The absurdity of the situation - winning a game after murdering their opponents.
You can be true, you can be false
Discussing the idea of being true to yourself versus being fake in order to succeed in life.
You'll be given the same reward
Regardless of whether you are true or false, the outcome is the same.
Socrates and Milhous Nixon
References to a philosopher and a politician who both faced death.
Both went the same way through the kitchen
Despite their different backgrounds, they both met the same fate.
Plato the Greek or Rin Tin Tin
Comparing a Greek philosopher to a popular TV dog.
Who's more famous to the billion millions?
Despite their different levels of fame, they are both well-known figures.
News flash, 'Vacuum cleaner sucks up budgie'
Another absurd and nonsensical news story.
Ooh, bye-bye, bub-bye
Ending the song with absurd and playful humor.
The magnificent seven
A sarcastic reference to the idea of living in a magnificently perfect world.
Magnificent
Continuing with the sarcastic tone and acknowledging that there is no real magnificence in life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOE STRUMMER, MICK JONES, TOPPER HEADON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Saber_Matrix
That bass line💯
@luzluz3752
👏👏👏
@emazeta3356
Norman Watt-Roy Rules!
@yyz4761
I love the bassist for this band, the dude rocks balls
@user-fz6ud5hq2w
And what about the drummer? Fantastic!
@onefatcoconut2617
My favorite part is when someone shouts “Cheeseboiger!”.
@violetsky5202
Joe shouts it 😆👍👍
@MrByebyelove
Dat joe
@joedecker3900
My favorite part is the whole damn song
@yvonnemulder9038
Yess