Charlie Don't Surf

Album: Sandinista! (1980)
Play Video
  • [Chorus:]
    Charlie don't surf and we think he should
    Charlie don't surf and you know that it ain't no good
    Charlie don't surf for his hamburger Momma
    Charlie's gonna be a napalm star

    Everybody wants to rule the world
    Must be something we get from birth
    One truth is we never learn
    Satellites will make space burn

    We've been told to keep the strangers out
    We don't like them starting to hang around
    We don't like them all over town
    Across the world we are going to blow them down

    [Chorus:]

    The reign of the super powers must be over
    So many armies can't free the earth
    Soon the rock will roll over
    Africa is choking on their Coca Cola

    It's a one a way street in a one horse town
    One way people starting to brag around
    You can laugh, put them down
    These one way people gonna blow us down

    [Chorus:]

    Charlie don't surf he'll never learn
    Charlie don't surf though he's got a gun
    Charlie don't surf think that he should
    Charlie don't surf we really think he should
    Charlie don't surf

    Charlie don't surf and we think he should
    Charlie don't surf and you know that it ain't no good
    Charlie don't surf for his hamburger Momma
    Charlie don't surf Writer/s: JOE STRUMMER, MICK JONES
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 3

  • Tri Pod from 49417If Tears for Fears "stole" the "E.W.T.R.T.W." line from this song, they also crafted an infinitely better song around it.
    Presumably, the best "fiver" Orzabal ever spent.
  • Charlie from Norcalperspective is not Vietcong, it's yankee
  • Gregmz from SocalNapalm stars
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

70s Music Quiz 1

70s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

The '70s gave us Muppets, disco and Van Halen, all which show up in this groovy quiz.

"Stairway To Heaven" Lawsuit: A Timeline

"Stairway To Heaven" Lawsuit: A TimelineSong Writing

Untangling the events that led to the "Stairway To Heaven" lawsuit.

Experience Nirvana with Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt

Experience Nirvana with Sub Pop Founder Bruce PavittSong Writing

The man who ran Nirvana's first label gets beyond the sensationalism (drugs, Courtney) to discuss their musical and cultural triumphs in the years before Nevermind.

Queen

QueenFact or Fiction

Scaramouch, a hoople and a superhero soundtrack - see if you can spot the real Queen stories.

Ian Gillan of Deep Purple

Ian Gillan of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan explains the "few red lights" in "Smoke On The Water" and talks about songs from their 2020 album Whoosh!