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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”.
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
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Combat Rock
The Clash
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The Essential Clash
The Clash Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $16.99
- 7digital $16.99
- iTunes $19.99
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- Amazon $8.75
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The Ultimate Collection
The Clash Buy- Download Album
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- Amazon $46.48
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London Calling / Combat Rock
The Clash Buy- Download Album
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Shouts
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Tom_Pullings wrote:
Love how MIA sampled this. [3]
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CompleteLunacy wrote:
it ain't Coca-Cola, it's rice.
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asmackofham wrote:
Best Clash song.
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G0DSTAR wrote:
Love how MIA sampled this. [2] -- See I was wondering where I heard that before, and now I know.
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SOLOMUSIKA wrote:
♥ ))
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thomaslebrun wrote:
:)
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Yunie58 wrote:
It could be anywhere, most likely could be any frontier, any hemisphere.
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JuliusNepos wrote:
this is your paradise
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CosmicBushell wrote:
Love how MIA sampled this.
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Riverstokes wrote:
Fav Clash tune out of 100s!
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No3pencil wrote:
Deep track. Clash Rock!
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jfbittrich wrote:
lol @ people who don't understand the idea of sampling (2)
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monokhrome_nite wrote:
lol @ people who don't understand the idea of sampling
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laura_bird88 wrote:
Hmm, different lyrics on this version, interesting
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PhilipFryer wrote:
This is one of the best fuckin songs of 80s!
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la_perdida wrote:
I can totally hear the intro that Paper Planes stole here.
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Phix_9 wrote:
massimo lopove
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a_theorem wrote:
classic
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ln2x wrote:
Mama-san
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Rafilda wrote:
Ohhhh Papa-san... Please take me home
Track Stats
661,013 Scrobbles
150,806 Listeners
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Recent Activity
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horate added Straight To Hell to his Loved Tracks. 6 hours ago
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horate added Straight To Hell to the playlist Lista de temas de horate. 6 hours ago
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horate added Straight To Hell to horate’s library. 6 hours ago
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XxLordbelialxX and kbomb001 loved The Clash – Straight To Hell. 6 hours ago
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kbomb001 added Straight To Hell to kbomb001’s library. yesterday evening
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Tom_Pullings, Punk_Floyd, FreeWorld313313 and 4 other people loved The Clash – Straight To Hell. yesterday evening
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Stoner_Graeme added Straight To Hell to Stoner_Graeme’s library. Thursday morning
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dciarlariello, aali_, albertlespaul and 1 other person loved The Clash – Straight To Hell. Wednesday evening
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SextonBlake wrote about Straight To Hell in One In Ten : A Statistical Reminder Of A World That Doesn't Care. Wednesday morning
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nat_48 added Straight To Hell to her Loved Tracks. Wednesday morning
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