"Clampdown" by The Clash

Whether you support the current changes with the government's decisions on passing the health care reform bills or not, you have to admit that the news over this weekend was riddled with various political propaganda. When I hear politics, I only hear The Clash in the back of my mind. But then again, The Clash will always be a favorite band to me

Now, with the left telling you that these new health care policies are going to be the best for mankind while the right is telling you that this changes are going to take away your rights, I really ended up hearing "Clampdown" by The Clash in the back of mind.

The song starts off with an eerie monologue that is virtually inaudible;

1-2-3

The kingdom is ransacked, the jewels all taken back

And the chopper descends

They're hidden in the back, with a message on a half-baked tape

With the spool going round, saying I'm back here in this place

And I could cry

And there's smoke you could click on

What are we going to do now?

A catchy drum beat is maintained throughout the song. The lyrics themselves touch on the topic of the Nazi regime.

Taking off his turban, they said, is this man a Jew?

Cause they're working for the clampdown

They put up a poster saying we earn more than you!

When we're working for the clampdown

We will teach our twisted speech

To the young believers

We will train our blue-eyed men

To be young believers

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The men in the factory are old and cunning

You don't owe nothing, so boy get running!

It's the best years of your life they want to steal!

You grow up and you calm down and you're working for the clampdown.

You start wearing the blue and brown and you're working for the clampdown.

So you got someone to boss around. It makes you feel big now...

Hitler's Aryan race had blue eyes and were young men who followed his propaganda. His private armies; the SA and SS had blue and brown uniforms. Now, the most interesting part of this song is the fact that these references are more metamorphic than Joe Strummer intended. In an article here on page 4,  Strummer actually talks about the song in great detail. To quote:

"Yeah" Strummer begins, "this song and our overall message was to wake-up, pay attention to what really is going on around you, politically, socially all of it...before you know it you have become what you despise."

It's also a great song to listen to while at work and feeling disgruntle.