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Know Your Rights Lyrics
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 aristocrat
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
Wang
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
All three of them
It has been suggested
In some quarters that this is not enough!
Well . . .
Get off the streets
Get off the streets
Run
You don't have a home to go to
Smush
Finally then I will read you your rights
You have the right to remain silent
You are warned that anything you say
Can and will be taken down
And used as evidence against you
Listen to this
Run
With guitar
Know your rights, all three of them
You have the right not to be killed
Murder is a crime!
Unless it was done by a
Policeman or aristocrat
Know your rights
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
These are your rights
Wang
You have the right to free speech
As long as you're not
Dumb enough to actually try it
These are your rights
All three of them
It has been suggested
In some quarters that this is not enough!
Well . . .
Get off the streets
Run
You don't have a home to go to
Smush
You are warned that anything you say
Can and will be taken down
And used as evidence against you
Run
Song Info
Copyright
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Writer
Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Topper Headon
Duration
3:41
Producer
The Clash, Glyn Johns
Release date
1982-01-01t00:00:00
Sentiment
Positive
Submitted by
aebassist On Jan 03, 2002
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
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.
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"
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.
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
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"
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