London Calling
Punken var erklæret mere eller mindre død da The Clash fik sit første virkelige gennembrud i 1979. Samme år overtog Thatcher og de konservative regeringsposten. London Calling handler om de kampe, både ideologiske og dagligdags, der i slutningen af 1970’erne truede med at rive Storbritannien i stykker - »all that Beatlemania has bitten the dust«, sang forsangeren Joe Strummer: Væk var blomsterbørnene, arbejdspladserne og optimismen. Nu var en istid på vej, lød bandets profeti.
London Calling
London calling to the faraway towns
Now that war is declared – and battle come down
London calling to the underworld
Come out of the cupboard, all you boys and girls
London calling, now don't look at us
All that phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust
London calling, see we ain't got no swing
'Cept for the ring of that truncheon thing
[Chorus]
The ice age is coming, the sun is zooming in
Meltdown expected and the wheat is growing thin
Engines stop running, but I have no fear
London is drowning, and I live by the river
London calling to the imitation zone
Forget it, brother, an' go it alone
London calling upon the zombies of death
Quit holding out and draw another breath
London calling and I don't wanna shout
But when we were talking I saw you nodding out
London calling, see we ain't got no highs
Except for that one with the yellowy eyes
[Chorus x2]
The ice age is coming, the sun is zooming in
Engines stop running, the wheat is growing thin
A nuclear era, but I have no fear
'Cause London is drowning, and I live by the river
Now get this
London calling, yeah, I was there, too
An' you know what they said? Well, some of it was true!
London calling at the top of the dial
After all this, won't you give me a smile?
I never felt so much a' like
