Album: London Calling (1979)

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• (Hey)
  
  Now every cheap hood strikes a bargain with the world
  Ends up making payments on a sofa or a girl
  Love and hate tattooed across the knuckles of his hands
  Hands that slap his kids around 'cause they don't understand how
  
  Death or glory becomes just another story
  Death or glory becomes just another story
  
  And every gimmick hungry yob digging gold from rock 'n' roll
  Grabs the mic to tell us he'll die before he's sold
  But I believe in this and it's been tested by research
  He who fucks nuns will later join the church
  
  Death or glory becomes just another story
  Death or glory becomes just another story
  
  Fear in the gun sights
  They say lie low
  You say okay
  Don't wanna play a show
  No other thinking
  Was it death or glory now?
  Playing the blues of kings
  Sure looks better now
  
  Death or glory, just another story
  Death or glory, just another story
  
  In every dingy basement on every dingy street
  Every dragging hand clap over every dragging beat
  That's just the beat of time, beat that must go on
  If you've been trying for years we already heard your song
  
  Death or glory becomes just another story
  Death or glory, just another story
  
  Gotta march a long way
  Fight a long time
  Got to travel over mountains
  Got to travel over seas
  We gonna fight you, brother
  We gonna fight 'til you lose
  We gonna raise trouble
  We gonna raise hell
  We gonna fight you, brother
  Raise hell
  
  Death or glory becomes just another story
  Death or glory becomes just another story (hear me, hear me)
  Death or glory, just another story
  Death or glory becomes just another story Writer/s: Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Topper Headon
  Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 14

• Scott from Rhode Island"He who f nuns will some day join the church" has got to be one of the best lines in rock n' roll. I think it means more than just selling out. Still I can't quite get my mind around it. There is conformity in rebellion. You can't be a part of something and still be an individual.
• Luke from Auckland, New ZealandI'm pretty much in tune with Terry's (Ottawa, Canada) comment, while I personally also put 'Give 'Em Enough Rope' up there as the album which signaled that we could expect great things from this band.
  I am somewhat disappointed not to see another personal favourite, 'Hateful', in the list - thought that shared similar qualities to 'Death Or Glory', in terms of 'punch', writing, melody and 'succinctness'.
• Ross from Leicester, United KingdomI don't agree that it's about being "hit or miss". I thinks it's more about those who claim they'll "never sell out" becoming part of the system they're supposed to be against - whether it's in the music business or life. The Clash were being accused of this from when they signed to CBS and onwards, so I think it's them having a dig back at their critics.
• Ross from Leicester, United KingdomRe "Love and hate tattooed..." These were common tattoos in the UK at the time. I guess the line refers to people who put on a hard and rebellious image to the outside world but in reality are bullies, domestic abusers etc "hands that slap his kids around..."
• Chris from Claremont, CaI heard the cover by Social Distortion, then I heard it again whilst playing Skate 2; Though I like the Clash version a bit better
• Terry from Ottawa, CanadaThis one of the best songs from one of the clashes' best album. I remember at the time, its cohesive, ambition and damn fine writing blew us away. Bordering on mainstream but as hard as any they ever did. the he f---s nuns line hasn't been matched since. Still, I prefer Sandanista to London Calling. Splitting hairs, I know
• Matthew from Milford, MaThose who f--k nuns? Oh my God!
• Mudassir from Bolton, EnglandFirst 2 verses, surely the greatest lyrics ever?!
• Theresa from Pittsburgh, PaI think this song speaks to the idealism of youth versus the realism of experience.
• Chelsea from Wichita, KsI agree with Ed.
• Pissing_wanker from The Inside Of My Head-ville, OhThe line: "Love and hate tatooed across his hands" sounds very much like a reference to a movie, Night of the Hunter, starring shelley Winters and someone else. but i really don't know. just thought i'd throw it out there. and "josh" is right, the social distortion version is ok, but im a music snob and must only listen to the original. but yeah...
• Andy from Halifax, EnglandI'd agree with Ed.
  
  "'N' every gimmick hungry yob digging gold from rock 'n' roll
  Grabs the mike to tell us he'll die before he's sold"
  
  Outlining the way so many artists loose their integrity as the big offers come in and this "death or glory" attitude is now 'just another story'.
  
  Echoed in Babyshambles "F*ck forever", in the context of Pete Doherty's own situation.
• Ed from London, CanadaI think it means that those who say they won't sell out end up selling out, "Those who f--k nuns will later join the church."
• Josh from Las Vegas, NvSocial distortions cover aint bad

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