Washington Bullets
The Clash
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Oh! Mama, Mama look there! Your children are playing in that street again Don't you know what happened down there? A youth of fourteen got shot down there The Kokane guns of Jamdown Town The killing clowns, the blood money men Are shooting those Washington bullets again As every cell in Chile will tell The cries of the tortured men Remember Allende, and the days before, Before the army came Please remember Victor Jara, In the Santiago Stadium, Es verdad - those Washington Bullets again And in the Bay of Pigs in 1961, Havana fought the playboy in the Cuban sun, For Castro is a color, Is a redder than red, Those Washington bullets want Castro dead For Castro is the color... ...That will earn you a spray of lead For the very first time ever, When they had a revolution in Nicaragua, There was no interference from America Human rights in America Well the people fought the leader, And up he flew... With no Washington bullets what else could he do? 'N' if you can find a Afghan rebel That the Moscow bullets missed Ask him what he thinks of voting Communist... ...Ask the Dalai Lama in the hills of Tibet, How many monks did the Chinese get? In a war-torn swamp stop any mercenary, 'N' check the British bullets in his armory Que? Sandinista!
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Written by: JOE STRUMMER, MICK JONES
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Album Release"Washington Bullets" is a track from "Sandinista!", the fourth studio album of the British punk rock band, The Clash. The album was released in December 1980.
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LyricsThe song’s lyrics were penned down by Joe Strummer, the frontman of The Clash. They encompass political commentary and highlight the US government's foreign policy and involvement in various coups and uprisings around the world.
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Title ReferenceThe song title refers to the professional basketball team, the Washington Bullets. However, it metaphorically represents the bullets from guns supplied by the American government during various political uprisings.
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Specific MentionsThe song mentions specific historic events such as the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua, the Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba, the post-revolutionary society of Vietnam and the aftermath of Salvador Allende’s rule in Chile.
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Musical ArrangementOne of the distinctive features of "Washington Bullets" is its musical arrangement. The track contains a mix of punk rock and dub elements, illustrative of the band's experimental approach on the album.
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Polynesian InfluenceThis is the first song in the trilogy on Side 6 of the "Sandinista!" album referred to as "The Equaliser", which prominently features a xylophone as well as Polynesian-style melodies.
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CriticismWhile this song has been acclaimed by critics for its political commentary, it also faced criticism and was considered highly controversial upon release for commenting on sensitive political issues.
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Unconventional"Washington Bullets" stands as an example of The Clash's deviation from punk's traditional three-chord structures, deploying a wide range of musical styles, including reggae, dub, rockabilly, ska, and Polynesian music.
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Thematic ContinuityThe band touches upon various subjects they had written about before, such as Britain's foreign policy, manifestations of American imperialism and the support of dictators by the Western powers, thus preserving thematic continuity with their previous work.
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PopularityAlthough it was not released as a single and didn't make it onto any charts, "Washington Bullets" has held its place as one of The Clash's most important songs, especially amongst fans who appreciate its political themes and its demonstration of the band's diverse musical influences.
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