The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
My daddy was a bank robber
But he never hurt nobody
He just loved to live that way
And he loved to steal your money
Some is rich, and some is poor
And that's the way the world is
But I don't believe in laying back
Sayin' how bad your luck is
So he came to jazz it up
Never learned to shovel
Break your back to earn our pay
Don't forget to grovel
My daddy was a bank robber
But he never hurt nobody
He just loved to live that way
And he loved to take your money
He's gone now
The old man spoke up in a bar
Said "I never been in prison
A lifetime serving one machine
Is ten times worse than prison"
Imagine if all the boys in jail
Could get out now together
Whadda you think they'd want to say to us?
While we was being clever
Someday you'll meet your rocking chair
'Cause that's where we're spinning
There's no point to want to comb your hair
When it's grey and thinning
Oh
Hey, my daddy was a bank robber
But he never hurt nobody
He just loved to live that way
And he loved to steal your money
So he came to jazz it up
We never learned to shovel
Break your back to earn your pay
And don't forget to grovel, hey
Get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away
My daddy was a bank robber
But he never hurt nobody
He just loved to live that way
And he loved to steal your money
Hey
Run, rabbit run
Brrrp, strike out boys, for the hills
I can find that hole in the wall
I know that they never will
Daddy was a bank robber
But he never hurt nobody
He just loved to live that way
But he never hurt nobody
He just loved to live that way
And he loved to steal your money
Some is rich, and some is poor
And that's the way the world is
But I don't believe in laying back
Sayin' how bad your luck is
So he came to jazz it up
Never learned to shovel
Break your back to earn our pay
Don't forget to grovel
My daddy was a bank robber
But he never hurt nobody
He just loved to live that way
And he loved to take your money
He's gone now
The old man spoke up in a bar
Said "I never been in prison
A lifetime serving one machine
Is ten times worse than prison"
Imagine if all the boys in jail
Could get out now together
Whadda you think they'd want to say to us?
While we was being clever
Someday you'll meet your rocking chair
'Cause that's where we're spinning
There's no point to want to comb your hair
When it's grey and thinning
Oh
Hey, my daddy was a bank robber
But he never hurt nobody
He just loved to live that way
And he loved to steal your money
So he came to jazz it up
We never learned to shovel
Break your back to earn your pay
And don't forget to grovel, hey
Get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away
My daddy was a bank robber
But he never hurt nobody
He just loved to live that way
And he loved to steal your money
Hey
Run, rabbit run
Brrrp, strike out boys, for the hills
I can find that hole in the wall
I know that they never will
Daddy was a bank robber
But he never hurt nobody
He just loved to live that way
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I think what the clash meant by 10 times worse, was that if you work your whole life at one job and waste away doing nothing, it is worse then spending a small amount of time in prison. I think the whole point of the song is that life is short (hence SOMEDAY YOU'LL MEET YOUR ROCKING CHAIR), people aren't meant to work like slaves in pointless jobs that consume your whole life just to fuel capitilism. I think the point they are trying to make is working a job like that, is like being in prison (or 10 times worse haha).
i had to write an analysis of a poem of my choice for my english class this year and used this song:
I had always been afraid of an in-depth analysis of this poem. I was afraid it would take away the mystery this work has, as well as my reverence for it. Now that I have, I can see my stupidity — this poem is so much better than I had given it credit for. In the past, whenever I looked at or listened to this work, I took in each stanza individually. They each could almost be poems by themselves. But when they are placed in order, they mean much more as a whole than they do alone. Yet the best way to analyze this poem is still piece by piece, to make sure nothing is missed. So get out a pen and start taking notes.
My daddy was a bankrobber But he never hurt nobody He just loved to live that way And he loved to steal your money
The first stanza gives us our first speaker and our basic information. The speaker is a child, whose use of “daddy,” implies their age. His father “was a bank robber.” Was. He “loved to live that way” and “loved to steal your money.” Everything is in the past tense, as if the speaker is talking about someone who has died.
Some is rich, and some is poor That's the way the world is But I don't believe in lying back Saying how bad your luck is
So we came to jazz it up We never loved a shovel Break your back to earn your pay And don't forget to grovel
The second and third stanzas change speakers to the bank robber himself. He is talking about his glory days; he doesn’t believe in sitting around waiting for life. He “came to jazz it up.” He believes he came into the world with the ability to take it, to seize life, so obviously he “never loved a shovel.” The next two lines are unforgettable: Break your back to earn your pay And don’t forget to grovel. Clearly that is not what the bank robber wants to live by. Look at that diction: “Grovel: To lie or crawl face downwards as in fear or humility.” Beyond that, I think these stanzas are best left untouched.
The old man spoke up in a bar Said, "I never been in prison" A lifetime serving one machine Is ten times worse than prison
The fourth stanza switches its speaker again, back to the bank robber’s son (or daughter?) as well as some quotes from an old man in a bar to whom the bank robber has been talking to in the previous stanzas. Just picture this stanza line by line. There’s an old man in a bar. He’s either been working one job his entire life or feels that his life has been ill spent on serving one machine: society’s expectations. He’s clearly unhappy enough to say that his life is “ten times worse than prison.”
Imagine if all the boys in jail Could get out now together What do you think they'd want to say to us While we was being clever?
Someday you'll meet your rocking chair Because that's where we're spinning There's no point to want to comb your hair When it's grey and thinning
Run, rabbit, run Strike out, boys, for the hills I can find that hole in the wall And I know that they never will
Then the eighth stanza is the bank robber’s memory of a job he pulled with his accomplices. He remembers his ignorant confidence, as if he is Dillinger or Baby Face Nelson screaming “Run, rabbit, run;” he has his gun hand and a smile surrounding his cigar. This poem means so much to me. I still have no idea why. I think it is incredibly intriguing. I can’t even really figure out its central purpose. It is similar to didactic poetry--poetry that preaches--but asks more questions than it gives answers. It poses the question of how one should live life. The old man who lived his life like society wanted is incredibly upset, as is the bank robber who lived his life by seizing the day. So maybe the central purpose has nothing to do with preaching about seizing the day nor telling people to give up and obey society. Maybe the central purpose is to preach about questioning your life and what you are doing with it.
@clash4life I can appreciate that you love the Clash and Bankrobber...and I love rock and roll as much as anyone...but “reverence” is something that should never be associated with RnR (IMO). It’s “only rock n roll” (shitty song, great band, great concept - it’s ONLY rock n roll, it “not supposed to be that GOOD...”)....also, this is not a “poem”.
ah some of the video was filmed on lewisham high street. and it looks even skankier than it does now.
i think the idea of a bankrobber is pure clash imagery. they loved all that wild west stuff u know. its one of those crimes which is romantic and carried out by dashing rogues not murderous backstabbers. thats the idea of this song in a way. it encapsulates that feeling the clash give, where crimes against the suits and penpushers is justified but crimes against the human spirit are outlawed, when in reality its the other way around.
only discovered this from rocknrolla..klass film.brilliant song, really appeals to me its my thoughts into song. just bought their essential album gonna get listenin..
a true classic by an outstanding group
agree totally. good tune to smoke to. blink 182 have loads of comments on their page, yet the clash have very few.how sad.
@chineapple punx come on, this is what proves you’re a REAL PUNK, not like those pussies who like Blink-182! <br /> <br /> ...or are THEY more punk because they don’t CARE what anyone thinks about what they listen to....hmmm
Toxic I agree 100 percent. Chineapple, I agree it sucks, Blink 182 could certainly pick up a few things from The Clash.
THE OLD MAN SPOKE UP IN A BAR SAID I NEVER BEEN IN PRISON A LIFETIME SERVING ONE MACHINE IS TEN TIMES WORSE THAN PRISON
My fav verse, peace.
i understand what the verse is supposed to convey, but it's a bit dramatic, huh? TEN times worse than prison? I've been to prison for less than 24 hours, and there's no fucking way I wanna go back.
but i guess by this point The Clash had a poetic license to kill...
great chugging bassline, btw...
@Chinup yeah well, working for a living IS a prison, one you don’t even notice most of the time...one you’ve kinda been duped into, by your parents and teachers and everybody you trust tell8ng you that working IS life, etc etc. And they tell you this because they believe it. And you believe them because you TRUST them.
THERE'S NO POINT TO WANNA COMB YOUR HAIR WHEN IT'S GREY AND THINNING
That's my favorite line.
Same here, Joeyboy. Great song hehe.