London's Burning
The Clash
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London's burning London's burning All across the town, all across the night Everybody's driving with full headlights Black or white, you turn it on, you face the new religion Everybody's sitting 'round watching television London's burning with boredom now London's burning dial nine-nine-nine-nine-nine London's burning with boredom now London's burning dial nine-nine-nine-nine-nine I'm up and down the Westway, in and out the lights What a great traffic system, it's so bright I can't think of a better way to spend the night Than speeding around underneath the yellow lights London's burning with boredom now London's burning dial nine-nine-nine-nine-nine London's burning with boredom now London's burning dial nine-nine-nine-nine-nine Now I'm in the subway and I'm looking for the flat This one leads to this block, this one leads to that The wind howls through the empty blocks looking for a home I run through the empty stone because I'm all alone London's burning with boredom now London's burning dial nine-nine-nine-nine-nine London's burning with boredom now London's burning dial nine-nine-nine-nine-nine London's burning
Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer
Written by: JOE STRUMMER, MICK JONES, PAUL SIMONON, TOPPER HEADON
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
11 facts about this song
Album Background"London's Burning" is a song by British punk rock band, The Clash. It's prominently featured on their debut, self-titled album, which was released in 1977.
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Song ThemeThe song's inspiration comes from the city of London, indicating the urban discontent and cultural disarray that was prevalent in the city during the 1970s.
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Lyrics CompositionLyrically, it represents the band's raw and unfiltered look at their environment. The song's famous refrain, "London's burning with boredom now", refers to the aimlessness and disillusionment of youth during their era.
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Signature Sound"London's Burning" is a perfect example of The Clash's signature punk rock sound. It embodies the band's unique mix of raw energy, anger, and a fierce social critique that characterized their music.
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Global AppealDespite its specific focus on London, the song resonated with listeners across the globe, thereby helping to catapult The Clash to international fame.
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Album RecognitionThe album, including "London's Burning," is widely received as one of the best punk albums of all time and helped establish The Clash as one of the key bands within the punk culture.
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Emphasis on Social DeclineThe song illustrates a definitive period in London's history, being considered emblematic of the disillusion and social decline characteristic of late '70s and early '80s UK culture.
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Use in MediaThe iconic opening guitar riff of "London's Burning" has been used in various media as a representation of the punk era, thrusting the song into pop culture status.
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Live PerformancesThe Clash frequently played "London's Burning" as part of their live set, and it was received with great enthusiasm by fans.
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Cover VersionsSeveral bands and artists have covered "London's Burning" since its release, including Stiff Little Fingers and SpizzEnergi, among others. These versions further amplify the song's lasting impact and cultural significance.
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Not to be Confused"London's Burning" should not be confused with the English nursery rhyme of the same name or the TV series about firefighters. Despite sharing the same name, they are vastly different in content and origin.
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Citation
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"London's Burning Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Sep. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/3298522/The+Clash/London%27s+Burning>.
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