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London calling to the faraway towns
Now war is declared and battle come down
London calling to the underworld
Come out of the cupboard, you boys and girls
London calling, now don't look to us
Phony Beatlemania has bitten the dust
London calling, see we ain't got no swing
'Cept for the ring of that truncheon thing
The ice age is coming, the sun is zooming in
Meltdown expected, the wheat is growin' thin
Engines stop running, but I have no fear
'Cause London is drowning, and I, I live by the river
London calling to the imitation zone
Forget it, brother, you can go it alone
London calling to the zombies of death
Quit holding out and draw another breath
London calling and I don't want to shout
But when we were talking I saw you nodding out
London calling, see we ain't got no high
Except for that one with the yellowy eye
The ice age is coming, the sun is zooming in
Engines stop running, the wheat is growin' thin
A nuclear era, but I have no fear
'Cause London is drowning, and I, I live by the river
The ice age is coming, the sun is zooming in
Engines stop running, the wheat is growin' thin
A nuclear era, but I have no fear
London is drowning, and I, I live by the river
Now get this
London calling, yes, I was there, too
An' you know what they said? Well, some of it was true!
London calling at the top of the dial
And after all this, won't you give me a smile?
I never felt so much a' like a'like a'like
Now war is declared and battle come down
London calling to the underworld
Come out of the cupboard, you boys and girls
London calling, now don't look to us
Phony Beatlemania has bitten the dust
London calling, see we ain't got no swing
'Cept for the ring of that truncheon thing
The ice age is coming, the sun is zooming in
Meltdown expected, the wheat is growin' thin
Engines stop running, but I have no fear
'Cause London is drowning, and I, I live by the river
London calling to the imitation zone
Forget it, brother, you can go it alone
London calling to the zombies of death
Quit holding out and draw another breath
London calling and I don't want to shout
But when we were talking I saw you nodding out
London calling, see we ain't got no high
Except for that one with the yellowy eye
The ice age is coming, the sun is zooming in
Engines stop running, the wheat is growin' thin
A nuclear era, but I have no fear
'Cause London is drowning, and I, I live by the river
The ice age is coming, the sun is zooming in
Engines stop running, the wheat is growin' thin
A nuclear era, but I have no fear
London is drowning, and I, I live by the river
Now get this
London calling, yes, I was there, too
An' you know what they said? Well, some of it was true!
London calling at the top of the dial
And after all this, won't you give me a smile?
I never felt so much a' like a'like a'like
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I think the recorded lyrics for the track are slightly different from what is presented on site.
the sun's zooming in => The suns at an end
london is drowning => london is burning.
the change is probable the result of the CBS feeling the actual lines are too subversive, (ie too "violent", too "dangerous")
Taking these differences into accoun we find the song becomes more potent in its symbolism, underlying meaning and general tone--and this way we find that it also fits more harmoniously in tune with some of the broader themes and images that permiate through the entire album. meaningsthe
Typically, if I am listining to this song it is likely the alternate version which is found on the vanilla tapes (london calling 30th aniversary ed), which I find to be much superior. That version has some completely different lyrics. These seem far more bad ass than the ones they settled on, although I am not exactly sure what Strummer is singing here.
London calling!
to the fools in the crowd (or perhaps 'to the fools and the crown')
??? -{line that is completely uninteligable to me}
london calling--we're the kings of the south--hated all over, kings of the mouth
well you get the picture. My humble request is for someone with a more discerning ear than mine to post a definativve set of lyrics for this version of the song.
this liCould someone if I am going to listen to this song I listenI listen actually, I am
and the world is going to hell in a river of shit
the merchants of death grow fat and greasy on our slavish consumerism
as we anaesthetise ourselves with tv religion sport alcohol smack and weed
to drown out the dreams of screams in the night
get up. stand up. fight to our last breath like the people of egypt, tunisia, libya in the face of bullets and bombs
change our world by changing ourselves become the human beings we are meant to be
look inside and find the warrior within
rise up and show the old rich fat cat pigs and their brain dead robocops we won't take their shit any more
Its the top of the dial. one minute to midnight. not too late yet
just remember to do it with a smile :¬)
I love that line. Everyone goes on about how good The Beatles were, when there were far better groups that existed in the 60's imho :)
This is one of the greatest punk rock songs ever!
basically not to believe everything that is being said.
Its explained on the future is unwritten