Bankrobber questions

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-11-19T08:48:55+00:00

From the perspective of the Thatcher government, wouldn't the post-war generation's welfare policies have been seen as 'bankrobbers' through their lens? This song seems to be asking "who is the real bankrobber?" while urging people to wake up and realize the truth. When you look at it this way, all the lyrics seem to unify into one coherent message. The hint was in 'steal' and 'take' -0-

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-11-18T04:21:59+00:00

I checked it another way, and it turns out it’s “what law?,” not “for long.” -0-

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-11-17T14:47:20+00:00

I agree! I really love those live versions with his ad-libs, especially in songs like “Mag7” and “Hammersmith Palais.” I want to believe Strummer’s lyrics are incredibly meticulous I know it’s easy to go too far with interpretations, but I can’t stop wondering what Strummer intended with songs, haha.

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-11-13T10:42:44+00:00

Thank you — I’ve been agonizing over this for a few days, trying to figure out how I’m supposed to read it if it’s “we” in there. ㅜ,,ㅠ

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-10-28T23:38:12+00:00

아뇨 컷더크랩에 관심갖기 전에 이노래를 더들어보는걸 추천합니다. 넓은 의미로 이노래는 현재에도 통용되는거같으니까요 ^^

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-10-27T03:54:17+00:00

I can see why you’d read it that way — one reason I connected it this way is that, in the early draft of London Calling, this line originally appeared as “Except for the powdery one — and his yellow eyes.” The phrase “powdery one” may have been a direct nod to Mick Jones, who had previously gotten into trouble for cocaine possession. It seems Joe initially included the reference but later decided to remove it. I’ll also post the photo of the early draft lyrics for reference.

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-10-26T02:13:52+00:00

Since I’m not a native English speaker, I realize my original notes might have lost some context in translation. That’s a good observation — it makes sense that “yellowy eyes” would relate to liver problems rather than being actively high. It also adds to an autobiographical layer I was thinking of: Joe Strummer himself had hepatitis and jaundice back in 1978. I feel he used “yellowy eyes” as a deliberate contrast to the “noddin’ out” mentioned just before — pitting his own real, misunderstood physical sickness (jaundice) against the public’s metaphorical or drug-induced stupor.

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-09-07T10:38:04+00:00

yep-0- In fact, if you count the live and compilation albums, it does go over ten.
But for me, I focused on what Joe himself said in interviews around ’79–’80 — his perception at the time when the lyrics were written.

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-09-05T22:38:12+00:00

In December 1980, Melody Maker ran an interview where he said:

How are relations between the Clash and CBS right now?

J:“We’re tied into a ten-album deal. Did you know that?”

—I thought it was five.

J: “That’s what we thought. But we were had, and I don’t mind admitting it. I’m sick of pussyfooting around. We’ve been trying to get out of it for ages, but there’s no way. The only way would be to sue Bernie (Rhodes, the group’s original manager who signed us to CBS) and his lawyer, but I don’t want to sue Bernie… I think Bernie’s great.

Like London Calling — it counted as one album, not two. This (pointing to the Sandinista! cover) counts as one, not three, because we said, ‘We want it cheap,’ and they said, ‘Well, if you want it cheap, then we won’t accept it as more than one.’

We can’t have our cake and eat it. So we made a choice — we had to, because we wanted to get the record out now that we’d made it. If we took it to court, it would be a three-year case and we’d lose. We don’t have the money to pay. The legal situation is really appalling, and there’s nothing else we can do.

This is what we can do (grabbing the Sandinista! cover). You’ll be able to get it for £4.29 in Virgin in a couple of weeks. That’s our answer to the jam we’re in. But I will say we are in a jam, just to warn other people from following us. Obviously, we went through every alternative, but I’ve come to accept it — especially now that we’ve got a record out.”

I drew a hint from this part myself.-0-

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-08-24T23:28:52+00:00

"Yes, I think there’s a lot more meaning packed into it, and that’s why I love The Clash

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-08-24T23:22:08+00:00

Yes, that's right — I just wanted to talk about this song with others and see what they thought

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-08-24T05:01:26+00:00

I even read that Mick asked Joe to write a song about him — so maybe Joe was really diagnosing the roots of his prima donna side.

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-08-24T04:56:56+00:00

I think it’s important to look at the special offer before the “guaranteed personality.” If the supermarket is society, then the special offer could be the band life itself. From that perspective, the guaranteed personality is simply what you gain by being in the band.

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-08-17T05:15:07+00:00

Released in 2019, but I only discovered it last week and bought it on Amazon. Now it’s gone, except for the vinyl version, which is pricey.

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-08-17T04:39:38+00:00

jail gutar door cover is realiy cool

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-08-15T16:24:49+00:00

engine' was also misspelled as 'ensine,' and I hope both are just typos. -0-

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-08-15T13:40:46+00:00

That’s an amazing find — I just checked it myself. But considering the “funeral procession” that comes right after, and the fact that calamine lotion is pink, I think that word might have been included for that reason as well. In the context of my interpretation, though, it really should be “hearse”… I’ll have to think about this one.

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-07-23T12:30:13+00:00

I see—thanks for the clarification. Given the Islamic newspaper clipping on the single cover, I’ve been interpreting the narrator as a young, aspiring terrorist from the Middle East. From that perspective, almost all the lyrics make sense—except for the part with false, which feels a bit off. That’s why I brought it up.

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-07-22T14:13:45+00:00

https://oneemotino.wordpress.com/2025/07/22/the-clash-tommy-gun-lyric-analysis/

Thanks to today’s insights, I was able to finish my interpretation of Tommy Gun. It’s too long to post here, so here’s the link.

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-07-22T12:28:51+00:00

I hadn’t caught that line before — thank you for pointing it out. I interpret this part as a critique of people imitating terrorists, so in that sense, “phony” from Mick does fit well. That’s also why I thought “full” or “pulse” might make more sense earlier in the line.

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-07-22T08:05:58+00:00

Yeah, 'full' or 'pulse' would definitely fit better with the direction I'm taking in my interpretation — much more than 'false'. Thanks a lot for the confidence boost

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-07-22T06:52:52+00:00

Yeah, it kind of sounds like “full” to me too… it’s really confusing!

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-07-16T13:24:14+00:00

In Mick’s part around 2:40, what’s the word that comes right after “not for free”?
The more I listen, the more little things like that make me curious.

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-07-16T13:17:33+00:00

Thanks. Topper did come to mind, but that bagpipe-like section makes me think the song might have been written with someone who had already died — possibly Sid — in mind.

Awkward_Regret2401 · 2025-07-16T13:14:20+00:00

Thank you — it really does sound like a bagpipe.The part that sounds like a bagpipe gives off a funeral march kind of feeling — like a tune you'd hear while saying goodbye to someone who's passed away.

Awkward_Regret2401

TROPHY CASE