In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
I hear a gang fire on a human factory farm
Are they howling out or doing somebody harm
On a catwalk jungle somebody grabbed my arm
A voice spoke so cold it matched the weapon in her palm
This is England
This knife of Sheffield steel
This is England
This is how we feel
Time on his hands freezing in those clothes
He won't go for the carrot
They beat him by the pole
Some sunny day confronted by his soul
He's out at sea, too far off, he can't go home
This is England
What we're supposed to die for
This is England
And we're never gonna cry no more
Black shadow of the Vincent
Falls on a Triumph line
I got my motorcycle jacket
But I'm walking all the time
South Atlantic wind blows
Ice from a dying creed
I see no glory
When will we be free
This is England
We can chain you to the rail
This is England
We can kill you in a jail
The British boots go kick them
Got 'em in the head
Police ain't watchin'
The newspapers been read
Who cares to protest
A (???) in the eye like a flare
Out came the batons and
The British warned themselves
This is England
The land of (il)legal dances
This is England
Land of a thousand stances
This is England
This knife of Sheffield steel
This is England
This is how we feel
This is England
This is England
Are they howling out or doing somebody harm
On a catwalk jungle somebody grabbed my arm
A voice spoke so cold it matched the weapon in her palm
This is England
This knife of Sheffield steel
This is England
This is how we feel
Time on his hands freezing in those clothes
He won't go for the carrot
They beat him by the pole
Some sunny day confronted by his soul
He's out at sea, too far off, he can't go home
This is England
What we're supposed to die for
This is England
And we're never gonna cry no more
Black shadow of the Vincent
Falls on a Triumph line
I got my motorcycle jacket
But I'm walking all the time
South Atlantic wind blows
Ice from a dying creed
I see no glory
When will we be free
This is England
We can chain you to the rail
This is England
We can kill you in a jail
The British boots go kick them
Got 'em in the head
Police ain't watchin'
The newspapers been read
Who cares to protest
A (???) in the eye like a flare
Out came the batons and
The British warned themselves
This is England
The land of (il)legal dances
This is England
Land of a thousand stances
This is England
This knife of Sheffield steel
This is England
This is how we feel
This is England
This is England
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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The lyrics still aren't correct.
Verse 1, Line 1: I hear a gang fight on a human factory farm
Verse 2: Time on his hands the freezing mohawk strolls He won't go for the carrot, been beaten by the pole Some sunny day, confronted by his soul His eyes will see how fast you can grow old
Verse 4: Hey, British boots go kick Bengali in the head Police sit watchin', the newspaper's being read All deaf to protest and after the attacker fled Out came the batons and the biggest one then said,
"This is England" Land of illegal dances This is England Land of one thousand stances This is England This knife of Sheffield steel This is England This is how we feel
This is England This is England
This is probably the best song on Cut the Crap and the last Great Clash Song before the band broke.
How do you change the lyrics? these are completely wrong - it should be "Big British boots go kick Bengali in the head, police sit watching, the newspapers being read". It's a reference to the anti-Asian racism that was prevalent in Britain in the late 1970s, and the rise of the National Front. The Police were often seen as being racist and not doing enough about fascist/racist groups.
A great song, that enlivens you, making you hungry for change.
Very political, like virtually all of Clash's tracks.
Yeah for sure the best on Cut the Crap. I love the atmosphere of the song, all eerie and stuff. Great shit.
"Land of illegal dances is definately a reference to capoiera a martial art that looks like breakdancing that was illegal from like 1700 tothe 70s can anyone explain "black shadow of the vincent etc..." plz pst me
The Vincent Black Shadow was a popular British racing motorcycle, and Triumph is a British motorcycle manufacturer.
Excellent Song; sums up Britain at that time in one. However, these lyrics are wrong; like indiemonkey said it should read "British boots go kick Bengali in the head"
My favourite Clash song. Too bad that there's mistakes such as "A (???) in the eye like a flare"
I wrote "my favourite Clash song". I think that's incorrect. It's my favourite song, period.