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.
This is a public service announcement
With guitar
Know your rights
All three of them
Number one
You have the right not to be killed
Murder is a crime
Unless it was done
By a policeman
Or an aristocrat
Oh, know your rights
And number two
You have the right to food money
Providing of course
You don't mind a little
Investigation, humiliation
And if you cross your fingers
Rehabilitation
Know your rights
These are your rights
Hey, say, Wang
Oh, know these rights
Number three
You have the right to free speech
As long as
You're not dumb enough to actually try it
Know your rights
These are your rights
Oh, know your rights
These are your rights
All three of 'em
Ha!
It has been suggested in some quarters
That this is not enough
Well
Get off the streets
Run
Get off the streets
With guitar
Know your rights
All three of them
Number one
You have the right not to be killed
Murder is a crime
Unless it was done
By a policeman
Or an aristocrat
Oh, know your rights
And number two
You have the right to food money
Providing of course
You don't mind a little
Investigation, humiliation
And if you cross your fingers
Rehabilitation
Know your rights
These are your rights
Hey, say, Wang
Oh, know these rights
Number three
You have the right to free speech
As long as
You're not dumb enough to actually try it
Know your rights
These are your rights
Oh, know your rights
These are your rights
All three of 'em
Ha!
It has been suggested in some quarters
That this is not enough
Well
Get off the streets
Run
Get off the streets
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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.
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Dreamwalker
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
American Town
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Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
This song just epitomizes Joe Strummer. What a fucking revolutionary, no one else could write a song about human rights like this. I love how he's just basically flipping the finger to the government with this. It's like he's thinking, we're supposed to be lucky to have all these so called 'rights', but all the shit we have to go through to get them, is it really worth it?
the meaning of this song is obvious, but here is some side info.
Supposedly Joe wrote this song after a series of poorly produced public service announcements were broadcasted in areas of extreme poverty in England. Because of poor education people had to learn their rights through a commercial on the television. I heard this song was a sarcastic response to those messages. I could be wrong though.
This song means,the government sucks.They claim you have rights,that you are free.But you're not.Plain and simple.You can do what you want,but there is a price to pay at the end.So **** the government,basically.Wow,nobody commented on one of the coolest songs from the Clash.Darn.
i really hope i dont have to explain the meaning of this one but this song has the greatest intro EVER "This is a public service announcement With guitar"
I'm pretty sure the "investigation, humiliation" refers to the government researching and testing people to see if they were poor enough to be put on welfare. Hence, if you were lucky, you would be "rehabilitated" back into society. (?) P.S. Fantastic politically-charged song.
This song is called "Know YOUR Rights" not "You"
this song is one of the most self explanatory ever
one of my favourite clash songs. i love joes voice when he says "by a poliiiiiiiceman". obviously self explanatory. i love sarcasm in lyrics - "all three of them" is a great line
heh heh heh i can sense the sarcasm in this song
the clash are geniuses
for some reason this sounds like a song bob dylan would write. dont ask why