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
Up in Heaven
The Clash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Reality estates that the hero's got
And every hour's maked by the chime of a clock
And whatcha gonna do when the darkness surrounds?
You can piss in the lifts which have broken down
You can watch from the debris the last bedroom light
We're invisible here just past midnight
Their children daub slogans to prove they lived there
A giant pipe organ up in the air
You can't live in a home which should not have been built
By the bourgeois clerks who bear no guilt
When the wind hits this building this building it tilts
One day it will surely fall to the ground...
Fear is just another commodity here
They sell us peeping holes to peek when we hear
A bang on the door resoundingly clear
Who would really want to move in here?
The children play faraway, the corridors are bare
This room is a cage its like captivity
How can anyone exist in such misery?
It has been said not only here
"Allianza dollars are spent
To raise the towering buildings
For the weary bones of the workers
To go back in the morning
To be strong in the morning"
The song "Up in Heaven" by The Clash depicts the grim reality of the working-class families living in the high-rise tower blocks of London in the 1970s. At a surface level, the lyrics describe the despair and hopelessness of the residents living in an unwelcoming environment. The buildings are described as "crumbling rocks" and "reality estates" that are nothing more than cages or captivity for the people who live in them. The high-rise buildings are also compared to a "giant pipe organ up in the air," representing the oppressive nature of the structures.
The chorus of the song asks the question, "whatcha gonna do when the darkness surrounds?" The darkness could represent the literal lack of light that the residents have to face once the sun goes down, or the metaphorical darkness of their situation. The lyrics suggest that the residents are left to fend for themselves as they endure the hardships of living in the tower blocks. They may be invisible to the outside world, but they cannot escape the misery that they are forced to exist in.
The song also touches on the social dynamics within the tower blocks. There is a sense of tension and unease between the husbands and wives, as well as a feeling of detachment between the children and their surroundings. The lyrics "their children daub slogans to prove they lived there" suggest that the residents are trying to make the best of a bad situation by leaving their mark on the building itself. Ultimately, the song conveys a feeling of hopelessness and despair, with the only escape from this miserable existence seeming to be the destruction of the buildings themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
The towers of London, these crumbling rocks
The deteriorating buildings in London.
Reality estates that the hero's got
The unattainable living situations that the powerful and wealthy have.
And every hour's maked by the chime of a clock
The passage of time is marked by the sound of the clock.
And whatcha gonna do when the darkness surrounds?
What actions can you take when there's no hope left.
You can piss in the lifts which have broken down
Resorting to destructive behavior when there's no other way to express one's frustrations.
You can watch from the debris the last bedroom light
Observing the last signs of life from the crumbling remains.
We're invisible here just past midnight
At night, those living in such misery are forgotten and ignored.
The wives hate their husbands and their husbands don't care
The marriage is a loveless situation with no hope of improvement.
Their children daub slogans to prove they lived there
The children celebrate their existence in such a desolate place as a form of rebellion.
A giant pipe organ up in the air
The towering and imposing buildings that are built with no regard for the people living inside.
You can't live in a home which should not have been built
Living in a place that was never meant to be a home.
By the bourgeois clerks who bear no guilt
The wealthy and powerful who build these structures with no accountability.
When the wind hits this building this building it tilts
The physical instability of the buildings expose people to danger.
One day it will surely fall to the ground...
The inevitable collapse of these dilapidated buildings.
Fear is just another commodity here
Fear is used as a tool to control people living in such miserable conditions.
They sell us peeping holes to peek when we hear
Even the basic need for privacy isn't granted - it's sold to the highest bidder.
A bang on the door resoundingly clear
The constant threat of violence in such an unstable environment.
Who would really want to move in here?
The rhetorical question that shows how undesirable this place is.
The children play faraway, the corridors are bare
The children are forced to find ways to escape their harsh reality, while the hallways are empty and desolate.
This room is a cage its like captivity
The place that's meant to be a home feels like a prison.
How can anyone exist in such misery?
The question that remains unanswered - how can humans withstand such sadness and despair?
It has been said not only here
This isn't just an isolated issue, but common in many parts of the world.
"Allianza dollars are spent
This is a reference to the alliance between rich countries and companies that fund such developments.
To raise the towering buildings
The purpose of the alliance is to fund the construction of tall buildings that are uninhabitable.
"For the weary bones of the workers
The workers are used to build structures that will not benefit them in any way.
To go back in the morning
The workers will have to return to their daily work after building such structures.
"To be strong in the morning"
The workers are expected to work diligently and tirelessly every day, despite their harsh living conditions.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOE STRUMMER, MICK JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MegaBando
no other album in the world means more to me... and even though times have gotten tough, i still love you dad...
@michaelmurphy2330
That song leaps out at you! It's utterly fabulous, the tune, the words, the musicianship, with Mick and Joe singing together! Unbeatable! the subject matter is more relatable today than in1980,
@michaelmurphy2330
@@talorcmacallan4268 Hello, totally agree. a wonderful song..
@barryashcroft3080
Sounds as relevant in 2022 as it did in 1980. The clash the only band that mattered to an awful lot of people
@nanoTT
The vibe is immaculate
@herbertrichard614
Very nicely put. There is something about this record. I could paint a house while listening to it. Typically, I never listen to anything when working.
@diegoguerrero2179
My favorite album, forever. 🤘
@herbertrichard614
Right on, sir! Saint Dinista!
@herbertrichard614
SANDINISTA!
@deerhunter2218
The album took a bit of a kicking but some of the songs on it are possibly the Clash best stuff, Something About England,, Somebody Got Murdered is up with the best Clash song ever in my opinion, a truly amazing band!