The Clash » Tracks » Straight To Hell

The Clash – Straight To Hell (5:27)

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About This Track

“Straight to Hell” is a song by The Clash, from their album Combat Rock. It was released as a double ‘A’ side single with “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” on September 17, 1982 in 12” and 7” vinyl format (the 7” vinyl is a picture disc).

Like those of many songs by the Clash, the lyrics of “Straight to Hell” decry injustice. The first verse refers to the shutting down of steel mills in Northern England and the alienation and racism suffered by immigrants despite their attempts to integrate into British society. The second verse concerns the abandonment of children in Vietnam who were fathered by American soldiers during the Vietnam War. The third verse contrasts the American Dream as seen through the eyes of an Amerasian child with a dystopian vision of American reality. The final verse considers the plight of immigrants throughout the world. Due to this difficult subject material, as well as the slow, aching beat, the song is one of the most downbeat tracks in the Clash’s history.

The reference to “Amerasian Blues” describes the abandonment of children fathered by American soldiers stationed in Vietnam during the Vietnam War: an Amerasian child is portrayed as presenting an absent American father, “papa-san,” with a photograph of his parents, pleading with his father to take him home to America. The child’s plea is rejected. “-san” being a Japanese rather than Vietnamese honorific that was used by US troops in Vietnam who referred to Vietnamese men and women especially older men and women and “mama-san” and “papa-san”.
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Albums featuring this track

  • Combat Rock
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  • The Essential Clash
    The Clash Play
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  • London Calling / Combat Rock
    The Clash Play
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  • The Ultimate Collection
    The Clash Play
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See all 30 albums

Shouts

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  • jii_vee

    I don't know if I should hate or love MIA for sampling The Clash.

    Tuesday evening

  • tinybutmighty

    MIA's sampling of this is amazing! Two great musical pioneers...

    28 days ago

  • kylelikescoffee

    I'll pass on MIA, but the Menzingers cover rules.

    last month

  • kwoolsey

    Cool MIA cover

    March 2012

  • incsuch311

    Love how MIA sampled this. [5]

    March 2012

  • coquettish

    MIA's sample of this is fucking awful, I mean she's cool sure, but it's kind of an insult to the subject matter of the original.

    March 2012

  • Pellkoppf

    ♫

    February 2012

  • Helawolf

    Love how MIA sampled this. [4]

    February 2012

  • Tom_Pullings

    Love how MIA sampled this. [3]

    February 2012

  • CompleteLunacy

    it ain't Coca-Cola, it's rice.

    January 2012

  • asmackofham

    Best Clash song.

    January 2012

  • G0DSTAR

    Love how MIA sampled this. [2] -- See I was wondering where I heard that before, and now I know.

    January 2012

  • SOLOMUSIKA

    ♥ ))

    January 2012

  • thomaslebrun

    :)

    January 2012

  • Yunie58

    It could be anywhere, most likely could be any frontier, any hemisphere.

    January 2012

  • JuliusNepos

    this is your paradise

    January 2012

  • CosmicBushell

    Love how MIA sampled this.

    December 2011

  • Riverstokes

    Fav Clash tune out of 100s!

    November 2011

  • No3pencil

    Deep track. Clash Rock!

    October 2011

  • jfbittrich

    lol @ people who don't understand the idea of sampling (2)

    October 2011
See all 300 shouts

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