Song explication

London calling to the faraway towns
Now war is declared and battle come down
London calling to the underworld
Come out of the cupboard you boys and girls
London calling, now don't lecture us

Phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust

London calling, see we ain't got no swing

'Cept for the reign of that truncheon thing

The ice age is coming, the sun is zooming in

Meltdown expected, the wheat is growing thin

Engines stop running, but I have no fear

'Cause London is drowning and I live by the river

London calling to the imitation zone

Forget it, brother you can go at it alone

London calling to the zombies of death

Quit holding out and draw another breath

London calling and I don't wanna shout

But while we were talking I saw you running out

London calling see we ain't got no high

Except for that one with the yellowy eyes

The ice age is coming, the sun is zooming in

Engines stop running, the wheat is growing thin

A nuclear error, but I have no fear

'Cause london is drowning and I, I live by the river

The ice age is coming, the sun zooming in

Engines stop running, the wheat is growing thin

A nuclear error, but I have no fear

'Cause London is drowning and I, I live by the river

Now get this, London calling, yes, I was there, too

And you know what they said well some of it was true

London calling at the top of the dial

And after all this, won't you give me a smile?

London calling, I never felt so much alive alive alive alive






London Calling by The Clash

The Clash's hit song "London Calling" was released in 1979 on their album London Calling. Many of their songs have roots in English history and events as evident in this song. The song uses striking images, allusions and juxtaposition throughout to illustrate an apocalyptic world which all citizens were facing during the Cold War.
The title of not only the album and song is also the opening words off the track, "London calling." This is an allusion to when BBC would identify themselves when broadcasting into other countries during World War II, always beginning with the phrase " This is London calling..." The song begins with London first "calling to faraway towns" then it immediately follows by "calling to the underworld" which conjures images of cities ravaged by war like they were during WWII and might be if the Cold War they were in the midst of escalated anymore.
Not only was the world in the middle of its own crisis but the band was also. One can tell that the band was struggling when London calls upon them, "London calling, now don't lecture us Phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust." The punk rock band was left in the dust of the English punk rock phenomena that was The Beatles.
The song references the growing social violence England was experiencing, "London calling, see we ain't got no swing 'cept for the reign of that truncheon thing." The repetition of the t's in "truncheon thing" creates a harsh sound similar to the yelling often heard during riots common during the time. In the line truncheon is the only word with two syllables mimic the beatings many felt under the baton. Another growing social issue during the time was the casual drug use by the English as illustrated in the line "London calling see we ain't got no high except for that one with the yellowy eyes."
The chorus of the song is a series highly descriptive apocalyptic images. An "ice age", the "sun zooming in", a "meltdown", "engines stop running", and "wheat growing thin." However graphic these images are what truly brings terror is "London drowning" referring to the people's fear of the flooding of the River Thames and a "nuclear error" referring to the Three Mile Island incident these two instances struck people to their core and had them paralyzed with fear, all but the speaker whose response juxtaposes the images. He is happy that he " lives by the river" and has "no fear" of nuclear problems.
It is this apathetic slightly removed attitude toward these serious issues that is reflected in the tone and cadence of the song. The entire structure of the song is based around life threating circumstances and its steady beat only intensifies with the growing threats. The songs constant pounding beat adds to the tension felt throughout the situations in the song. It is almost as if the song takes on a pulse of its own making the listener nervous and paranoid but this speaker feeds of this energy never feeling "so much alive alive alive alive"