Death or Glory (The Clash)
Now every cheap hood strikes a bargain with the
world
And ends up making payments on a sofa or a girl
Love ‘n’ hate tattooed across the knuckles of his hands
Hands that slap his kids around ’cause they don’t understand how
Death or glory becomes just another story
Death or glory becomes just another story
‘N’ every gimmick hungry yob digging gold from rock ‘n’ roll
Grabs the mike to tell us he’ll die before he’s sold
But I believe in this-and it’s been tested by research
he who fucks nuns will later join the church
Death or glory becomes just another story
Death or glory becomes just another story
Fear in the down sex
they say lie low
You say ok
don’t wanna play a show
No other thinking
was it death or glory now
Playing the blues of kings
sure looks better now
Death or glory just another story
Death or glory just another story
From every dingy basement on every dingy street
every dragging handclap over every dragging beat
That’s just the beat of time-the beat that must go on
If you’ve been trying for years we already heard your song
Death or glory becomes just another story
Death or glory just another story
Gonna march a long way
Fight a long time
Get to travel over mountains
Got to travel over seas
We’re gonna fight your brother
We’re gonna fight til you lose
We’re gonna raise trouble
We’re gonna raise hell
We’re gonna fight your brother
We’re gonna raise hell
Death or glory becomes just another story
Death or glory becomes just another story
Death or glory just another story
Death or glory becomes just another story
Lately, we’ve taken the habit of going to church every other week or so, giving our teens that valuable sleep for growth they need. This weekend we weren’t scheduled to go, but I felt I had to go for sanity’s sake—escape the house. So I went to the early service, where I enjoy just sitting in stupor, not thinking, not rushing, just breathing. The pastor/reverend/priest was talking about lent. Talking about how we don’t have to give things up, necessarily, but that sometimes the best Lenten thing we can do is be nice to ourselves. Then, I started thinking about the Clash. I was hearing Death or Glory, understanding how many of our visions of rightness lose their luster as we are pulled into the bigger school of fish.
I saw the fists of the guy in the song, the “Love and Hate tattooed across the knuckles of his hand.†I pictured the same guy with tattoos coming up his neck, poking above the collar of his repairman’s wardrobe. At that moment, I had this incredible urge to grab a black sharpie and write LOVE and HATE on my knuckles. Then I thought of an idea: a Clash Halloween party! We could have people manifest London Calling in their dress or demeanor.
MattWricks, you’re invited.
Comment by Sunsun — 7 March 2009 @ 8:30 pm
this has always been one of my favorites, but mostly because of the music. sadly, i’ve never examined the lyrics in great depth. limited time. what can i say.
a great question: what is required in religious discipline? anything. nothing. less. more.
listen. mostly, i try to listen. that seems to be what is needed on both sides.
Comment by MattWriks — 9 March 2009 @ 1:50 am