Clampdown

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Clampdown (n.) – a severe or concerted attempt to suppress something. Its lyrics comment on people who forsake the idealism of youth and urge young people to fight the… Read More

Dec. 14, 19791 viewer72.5K views

Clampdown Lyrics

[Verse 1]
(The kingdom is ransacked
The jewels all taken back
And the chopper descends
They're hidden in the back
With a message on a half-baked tape
And the spool goes 'round
Sayin' I'm back here in this place
And I could cry
And there's smoke you could click on)

[Chorus]
A'what are we gonna do now?
Takin' off his turban, they said, "Is this man a Jew?"
Workin' for the clampdown
They put up a poster sayin' "We earn more than you!"
We're workin' for the clampdown
We will teach our twisted speech
To the young believers
We will train our blue-eyed men
To be young believers

[Post-Chorus]
The judge said "Five to ten" but I say "Double that again"
I'm not (workin' for the clampdown)
No man born with a livin' soul
Can be (workin' for the clampdown)
Kick over the wall, cause governments to fall
How can you refuse it?
Let fury have the hour, anger can be power
D'you know that you can use it?

[Verse 2]
The voices in your head are callin'
Stop wasting your time, there's nothing comin'
Only a fool would think someone could save you
The men at the factory are old and cunning
You don't owe nothin', boy get running!
It's the best years of your life they want to steal

[Chorus]
But, you grow up and you calm down
And you're (workin' for the clampdown)
You start wearin' blue and brown
And (workin' for the clampdown)
So you got someone to boss around
It makes ya' feel big now
You drift until you brutalize
Make your first kill now

[Post-Chorus]
In these days of evil presidentes
(Workin' for the clampdown)
But lately one or two has fully paid their dues
For (workin' for the clampdown)
Ha! Get along! Get along!
(Workin' for the clampdown)
Ha! Get along! Get along!
(Workin' for the clampdown)

[Bridge]
Yeah I’m workin' hard in Harrisburg
Workin' hard in Petersburg
(Workin' for the clampdown)
(Workin' for the clampdown)
Ha! Get along! Get along
Beggin' to be melted down
(Get along, get along)
Work
Work
And I ain't giving away no secrets – ha!
Work
More work
More work
Work
Work
Work
Work

[Outro]
Who's barmy now?

About

Clampdown (n.) – a severe or concerted attempt to suppress something.

Its lyrics comment on people who forsake the idealism of youth and urge young people to fight the status quo.

This is one of the Clash’s most complex songs, tackling simultaneously the crushing oppression of capitalism and the dangers of living under fascism. By singing about both here, Joe Strummer equates them: those who run the work force in capitalist societies are no less “clampdowns” than oppressive governments, from the steel plants in Harrisburg to the communists in St. Petersburg.