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Midnight to six man
For the first time from Jamaica
Dillinger and Leroy Smart
Delroy Wilson, your cool operator
Ken Boothe for UK pop reggae
With backing bands, sound systems
And if they've got anything to say
There's many black ears here to listen
But it was Four Tops all night with encores from stage right
Charging from the bass knives to the treble
But onstage they ain't got no roots, rock rebel
Onstage they ain't got no roots, rock rebel
Dress back, jump back, this is a bluebeat attack
Because it won't get you anywhere
Fooling with your guns
The British Army is waiting out there
And it weighs fifteen hundred tons
White youth, black youth
Better find another solution
Why not phone up Robin Hood
And ask him for some wealth distribution
Punk rockers in the UK
They won't notice anyway
They're all too busy fighting
For a good place under the lighting
The new groups are not concerned
With what there is to be learned
They got Burton suits, ha, you think it's funny
Turning rebellion into money
All over people changing their votes
Along with their overcoats
If Adolf Hitler flew in today
They'd send a limousine anyway
I'm the all night drug-prowling wolf
Who looks so sick in the sun
I'm the white man in the Palais
Just looking for fun
I'm only
Looking for fun
For the first time from Jamaica
Dillinger and Leroy Smart
Delroy Wilson, your cool operator
Ken Boothe for UK pop reggae
With backing bands, sound systems
And if they've got anything to say
There's many black ears here to listen
But it was Four Tops all night with encores from stage right
Charging from the bass knives to the treble
But onstage they ain't got no roots, rock rebel
Onstage they ain't got no roots, rock rebel
Dress back, jump back, this is a bluebeat attack
Because it won't get you anywhere
Fooling with your guns
The British Army is waiting out there
And it weighs fifteen hundred tons
White youth, black youth
Better find another solution
Why not phone up Robin Hood
And ask him for some wealth distribution
Punk rockers in the UK
They won't notice anyway
They're all too busy fighting
For a good place under the lighting
The new groups are not concerned
With what there is to be learned
They got Burton suits, ha, you think it's funny
Turning rebellion into money
All over people changing their votes
Along with their overcoats
If Adolf Hitler flew in today
They'd send a limousine anyway
I'm the all night drug-prowling wolf
Who looks so sick in the sun
I'm the white man in the Palais
Just looking for fun
I'm only
Looking for fun
Lyrics submitted by aebassist
Track duration: 04:00
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'All over people changing their votes
Along with their overcoats
If Adolf Hitler flew in today
They'd send a limousine anyway'
Then Thatcher was elected in 1979... The Clash saw it coming.
if you dont under stand it, google it: four tops. dillinger. leroy smart. ken both. bluebeat. delroy wilson
other than that, the lyrics tell you what its about: superficialiatiy. (spelling.)
"But onstage they ain't got no roots, rock rebel
Onstage they ain't got no roots, rock rebel"(in some live version joe changes the second or first line to offstage)
superficiality
Punk rockers in the UK
They won't notice anyway
They're all too busy fighting
For a good place under the lighting
superficiality
The new groups are not concerned
With what there is to be learned
They got Burton suits, ha, you think it's funny
Turning rebellion into money
superficiality
All over people changing their votes
Along with their overcoats
If Adolf Hitler flew in today
They'd send a limousine anyway
the second two lines there are so striking we often forget the first two. changing votes as quiclky as you take off you jacket.
but again:
superficiality
To me it seems Strummer is simply expressing his feeling of disappointment after "it was Four Tops all night with encores from stage right" instead of Leroy Smart and Dillinger. He thumbs his nose at the "industry" aspect of pop music, but as far as this song being an "attack" I don't agree. Strummer was a musician's musician and on top of that he was a tremendously smart guy. His lyrics are littered with genuine social reflections, and it was well known that he did not appreciate the way that the most popular songs were the only ones that got played on the radio. One could be sure that he enjoyed a highly diverse record collection. His disgruntled approach to the writing in this song is more of a resignation than a challenge. The last line of the song reflects a feeling of helplessness as he puts together a number of social reflections that he has no measure of control over which he would love to change but yet knows that no matter what he does it never will, much like the fleecing of this soulful music that he holds so dear.
they'd send a limosine anyway.....
Joe is taking the piss outta everything and everyone.
Brilliant!!
and they where at first uneasy on being the only white guys there , then they were shocked that they were welcome with open arms :)
R.I.P. Joe Strummer and Mikey Dread
RIP Joe Strummer