London calling

The Clash (1979)

Analyse

Introduction :

Firstly, the punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the English-speaking country like United Kingdom, United States, and Australia. The punk rock group The Clash was very significant of this music movement. This group was formed in 1976 in Great Britain. The Clash was committed, against the monarchy and aristocracy; however, unlike many of their peers, they rejected nihilism, and the racism. And of course, against the contextual politic, among other things, against the price minister Margaret Thatcher, and the Queen Elizabeth II.

                                                                                                  

                                                                           Lyrics:

"London Calling"

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

Phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust

London calling, see we ain't got no swing

'Cept for the ring of that truncheon thing

[Chorus 1:]

The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in

Meltdown expected, the wheat is growing thin

Engines stop running, but I have no fear

'Cause London is drowning, and 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 wanna shout

But while we were talking, I saw you nodding out

London calling, see we ain't got no high

Except for that one with the yellowy eyes

[Chorus 2: x2]

The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in

Engines stop running, the wheat is growing thin

A nuclear error, but I have no fear

'Cause London is drowning, and 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!

The Clash

The

London calling at the top of the dial

After all this, won't you give me a smile?

London calling

I never felt so much alike alike alike alike

 Explanation:

-The London calling to the faraway towns, underworld → London calling call every one, all the person to the revolt

-Beatlemania → Beatlemania is a term that originated during the 1960s to describe the intense fan frenzy directed toward  british rock band the Beatles during the early years of their success.

Beatlemania

-Nuclear error --> The Nuclear error is a reference to the nuclear accident in the Three Miles Island in 1979.       

Nuclear accident, Three Mile Island

To conclude the text is very committed politically, attacking violently the symbols of past " Phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust ", in reaction to Margaret Thatcher's arrival to the power " The ice age is coming" .The title of the song reminds the slogan " This is London calling... " which used the BBC during the Second World War.. To finish this song speaks bad event of time, the nuclear error, and others as the frequent floods of London by the Thames* ( « London is drowning » )

*Thames = tamise l'inondation par le fleuve de la tamise

Leblond Martin, Théo Kersaho, 1