The Clash » Tracks » London Calling

The Clash – London Calling (3:19)

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About This Track

“London Calling” is a song by the British punk rock band The Clash. It was released as a single from the band’s 1979 double album London Calling. This apocalyptic, politically charged rant features the band’s famous combination of reggae basslines and punk electric guitar and vocals.


Writing and recording

The song was written by Joe Strummer and Mick Jones. The title alludes to the BBC World Service’s station identification: “This is London calling …”, that was used during World War II, often in broadcasts to occupied countries.

The lyrics reflect the concern felt by Strummer about world events with the reference to “a nuclear error” to the incident at Three Mile Island, which occurred earlier in 1979. Joe Strummer has said: “We felt that we were struggling about to slip down a slope or something, grasping with our fingernails. And there was no one there to help us.”

The line “London is drowning / And I live by the river” comes from concerns that if the River Thames flooded, most of central London would drown, something that led to the construction of the Thames Barrier. Strummer’s concern for social violence is evident through the lines “we ain’t got no swing/ except for the ring of that truncheon thing”. This is perhaps a reference to the London riots at the time. Social criticism also features through references to the effects of casual drug taking: “we ain’t got no high / except for that one with the yellowy eyes”.
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Albums featuring this track

  • London Calling
    The Clash Play
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  • The Singles
    The Clash Play
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  • The Essential Clash
    The Clash Play
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  • London Calling (disc 1: Original LP)
    The Clash Play
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See all 72 albums

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  • HarryFearless

    CLASSIC x

    Sunday evening

  • abunono

    And seven lights before him sent,as through the Calacirian to hidden land forlorn he went

    last week

  • keithhorner1

    Problem appears to be sorted now. saw them in Sophia Gardens, Cardiff as part of the London Calling tour

    9 days ago

  • DvorakTyper

    Hey - it's still The Clash !! Different isn't bad - & it's good!

    18 days ago

  • silvasonicsurfa

    ...joke X Factor version surely.........banned

    19 days ago

  • maplejet

    WTF is this version!!

    26 days ago

  • enyalb24

    WTF???? SUCKY !!!!!!

    28 days ago

  • Overseer02

    This version is from The Vanella Tapes of London Calling. You should probly fix that last fm. It's good though. JPD

    last month

  • Panecea

    Tempo is waaaaaayyyy off

    last month

  • iamrta

    ...

    last month

  • keithhorner1

    WTF! What is this version! CRAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPP

    last month

  • giggleloop1

    Only one word for this version ..... SHITE!!!!!!

    last month

  • bazooka-joe76

    wasn dat fürne luschige version ...is das überhaupt The Clash? Klingt wie ein besoffener Hippie...

    last month

  • DavCnuk

    Live by the river!

    last month

  • TantoTempo

    Lastfm is so shit.

    March 2012

  • randomnamez

    Sounds polly wolly crappy. Clash what a band. :)

    March 2012

  • HitMeWithIt

    Is this even The Clash now? Sounds shite :(

    March 2012

  • DaveBaldwin

    Ahhh, the Methodone years...

    March 2012

  • roarfeastpunk

    :( Joe

    March 2012

  • RAGGLEMAN

    OK, and this is just a guess so don't shoot me down. Maybe a 'special CD edition' of London Calling has been released with the original album and another CD of rare rehearsals, outakes, demo's etc. and this version is taken from that CD. So it's still from London Calling but it's a piece of valuable history rather than the finished brilliance. bye.

    March 2012
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