London's Burning

The Clash

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


Lyrics submitted by aebassist

London's Burning Lyrics as written by Mick Jones Joe Strummer

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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London's Burning song meanings
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14 Comments

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  • +5
    General CommentIf anything, London Calling is a darker version of this. This is generally about unemployment, racial/social tensions etcetc and the basic alienation of youth around this time. London Calling is about the Cold War and the apocalpse
    zoecedon March 16, 2003   Link
  • +2
    General Commenthey fuckyouall, that was very descriptive - I'll be sure and jot down that you love the Clash...go post that shit on your fucking website.
    Chinupon November 30, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General CommentLondon's burning was a populor british tv show in the early mid nineties so I doubt they were referencing it in this song.
    Violentpacifiston March 05, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General CommentI LOVE THIS SONG
    empty_satireon July 11, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Commentjeeze calm down. This song is great so sarcastic "What a great traffic system - it's so bright I can't think of a better way to spend the night Then speeding around underneath the yellow lights"
    The meaning is obvious still, a great song challenging the status Quo.
    Cpt-Sensibleon August 22, 2005   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning999 is the British version of 911. I think the correct lyric is:
    London's burning with boredom now
    London's burning, dial ni-ni-999

    London's "burning" means the city is all lit up by traffic (headlights and streetlights) and televisions. People are driving around or watching television but there is no real purpose in their lives ("I can't think of a better way to spend the night"). This is viewed as a cultural emergengy (dial ni-ni-999).


    sxon January 14, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General Commentmakes me wanna dance my litle heart out. WOO YEAH for the clash. uh huh.
    marlyshmarlyon March 08, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Commentits about being bored in london duh
    aceospades91on April 25, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General CommentCatchy. Fun. Great lyrics. God, I love the Clash.
    -----------
    freewebs.com/…
    fuckyouallon June 05, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Commentlondon is burnin, don't tell the queen.

    for those of you who haven't checked out joe strummer's mescaleros stuff, please, please do. this song is referenced in burnin' streets.
    thedarkcanuckon May 29, 2006   Link

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