Safe European Home

Album: Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978)
Play Video
  • Well, I just got back and I wish I'd never leave now (where'd ya go?)
    Who dat Martian arrival at the airport, yeah? (where'd ya go?)
    How many local dollars for a local anesthetic? (where'd ya go?)
    The Johnny on the corner wasn't very sympathetic (where'd ya go?)

    I went to the place where every white face
    Is an invitation to robbery
    And sitting here in my safe European home
    Don't want to go back there again

    Wasn't I lucky, wouldn't it be loverly? (where'd ya go?)
    Send us all cards, have a laying-in on Sunday (where'd ya go?)
    I was there for two weeks, so how come I never tell, now? (where'd ya go?)
    That natty dread drink at the Sheraton hotel, yeah (where'd ya go?)

    I went to the place where every white face
    Is an invitation to robbery
    And sitting here in my safe European home
    Don't want to go back there again

    They got the sun, and they got the palm trees (where'd ya go?)
    They got the weed, and they got the taxis (where'd ya go?)
    Whoa, the harder they come, the home of ol' bluebeat (where'd ya go?)
    I'd stay and be a tourist but I can't take the gunplay (where'd ya go?)

    I went to the place where every white face
    Is an invitation to robbery
    And sitting here in my safe European home
    Don't want to go back there again

    What?
    Rudie come from Jamaica, Rudie can't fail
    Rudie come from Jamaica, Rudie can't fail
    Rudie come from Jamaica, 'cause Rudie can't fail
    Rudie come From Jamaica, Rudie can't fail (European home)
    Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie can't fail (European home)
    Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie can't fail (European home)
    Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie can't fail (European home)
    Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie can't fail (European home)
    Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie can't fail (European home)
    Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie can't fail (European home)
    Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie can't fail (European home)
    Rudie come From Jamaica, Rudie can't fail (explosive European home)
    Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie can't fail (twenty-four track European home)
    Elder come and a-Rudie go, no one knows where the policeman's go Writer/s: JOE STRUMMER, MICK JONES, PAUL SIMONON, TOPPER HEADON
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 3

  • Paul GitJust listened to it again on a whim.. that opening tap from Topper and WHAM.... great song.
  • Adrian from BarkingI've always read it as more of an ironic comment on peo+people's perceptions but i'm no expert
  • D. Jones from CalgaryI love this song, and I love the Clash. It was the first song I ever heard by them, and I've been hearing it since I was a baby thanks to my dad owning Give Em Enough Rope. Those lyrics "I went to the place where every white face is an invitation to robbery." used to just go in one ear and out the other, but now they hold a lot of meaning. I play guitar and write my own songs, thanks to inspiration from The Clash. They effing rock.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Facebook, Bromance and Email - The First Songs To Use New Words

Facebook, Bromance and Email - The First Songs To Use New WordsSong Writing

Where words like "email," "thirsty," "Twitter" and "gangsta" first showed up in songs, and which songs popularized them.

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie Combination

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie CombinationSong Writing

In 1986, a Stephen King novella was made into a movie, with a classic song serving as title, soundtrack and tone.

Adele

AdeleFact or Fiction

Despite her reticent personality, Adele's life and music are filled with intrigue. See if you can spot the true tales.

Ian Anderson: "The delight in making music is that you don't have a formula"

Ian Anderson: "The delight in making music is that you don't have a formula"Songwriter Interviews

Ian talks about his 3 or 4 blatant attempts to write a pop song, and also the ones he most connected with, including "Locomotive Breath."

John Lee Hooker

John Lee HookerSongwriter Interviews

Into the vaults for Bruce Pollock's 1984 conversation with the esteemed bluesman. Hooker talks about transforming a Tony Bennett classic and why you don't have to be sad and lonely to write the blues.

Al Jourgensen of Ministry

Al Jourgensen of MinistrySongwriter Interviews

In the name of song explanation, Al talks about scoring heroin for William Burroughs, and that's not even the most shocking story in this one.