• Midnight to six man
  For the first time from Jamaica
  Dillinger and Leroy Smart
  Delroy Wilson, your cool operator
  
  Ken Boothe for UK pop reggae
  With backing bands sound systems
  And if they've got anything to say
  There's many black ears here to listen
  
  But it was Four Tops all night with encores from stage right
  Charging from the bass knives to the treble
  But onstage they ain't got no roots rock rebel
  Onstage they ain't got no roots rock rebel
  
  Dress back jump back, this is a bluebeat attack
  'Cause it won't get you anywhere
  Fooling with the guns
  The British Army is waiting out there
  An' it weighs fifteen hundred tons
  
  White youth, black youth
  Better find another solution
  Why not phone up Robin Hood
  And ask him for some wealth distribution
  
  Punk rockers in the UK
  They won't notice anyway
  They're all too busy fighting
  For a good place under the lighting
  
  The new groups are not concerned
  With what there is to be learned
  They got Burton suits, ha, you think it's funny
  Turning rebellion into money
  
  All over people changing their votes
  Along with their overcoats
  If Adolf Hitler flew in today
  They'd send a limousine anyway
  
  I'm the all night drug-prowling wolf
  Who looks so sick in the sun
  I'm the white man in the Palais
  Just lookin' for fun
  
  I'm only
  Looking for fun
  
  I'm only
  Looking for fun Writer/s: JOE STRUMMER, MICK JONES, PAUL SIMONON, TOPPER HEADON
  Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 7

• Dr Syn from UokIt’s definitely about The Jam, but what does it mean? Does it mean that the new group are turning rebellion into money? Or does it mean that the new group think The Clash are funny because they are perceived to be turning rebellion into money?
  
  Anyway, CHOON!
• Mick Easingwood from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Uk. The line about "new group's not being concerned about what there is to learn. They got Burton suits, you think it's funny, turning rebellion into money." This is a direct dig at the punk groups who were "selling out" or had no political conscience and The Jam in particular. The Jam had been thrown off The White Riot Tour, for refusing to loan some of their equipment to the minor support acts. The song was written in the summer of 1977 after The White Riot Tour had just ended. It was also after the legendary Hammersmith Palais All Nighter featuring Delroy Wilson, Four Tops, Dillinger, etc on May 30th.
  The short lived "power pop" fad lasted a couple of months at the start of 1978 and has no relevance to this Clash classic whatsoever.
• Pompey Skin from ThailandThe comment is not about The Jame. It referred to the new Power Pop movement that was starting in the UK with groups such as the Pleasers. The Jam were a hardly a new group by this time.
• Deethewriter from Saint Petersburg, Russia Federation"Strummerville" by Stiff Little Fingers: One of the more heartfelt several Strummer RIP songs – this time with a reference to "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais": "And if music seems mundane / It's cos the companies get their own way / And all the young bands seem to say / Please turn our rebellion into money…"
• Tim from Springfield, MaHaha very true, and thanks for the comment!
• Jon from Hackney, United KingdomProbably years late, but I'll try to answer Tim: It's probably because it is such a Joe-being-pi**ed-off song. I mean, I love it, but understand if others don't, so much. He (Joe)does slag off just about everyone, after all (bless him).
• Tim from Springfield, MaWhy hasn't anyone commented on this song yet?! It's one of my all time favorite Clash songs, and I just registered because it deserves a comment

More Songfacts:

One DanceDrake

Drake's "One Dance" was the first ever song to rack up one billion streams on Spotify.

Evening StarJudas Priest

Judas Priest's "Evening Star" is a Christmas carol that describes the journey of the Magi from a first person perspective.

Killing In The NameRage Against the Machine

The most intense song we know that deploys a cowbell is "Killing In The Name," the most popular song by Rage Against The Machine. Their drummer kept a cowbell on his kit and used it in some of their recordings.

Crazy KidsKesha

Kesha (known at the time as Ke$ha) was still pretty wild when she released her song "Crazy Kids" in 2012. It's about one of her birthday parties that got a little out of hand.

Lifestyles Of The Rich And FamousGood Charlotte

The first Good Charlotte hit, "Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous," is a send-up of celebrity culture, but the group's leaders, Joel and Benji Madden, both married celebrities: Nicole Richie and Cameron Diaz, respectively.

Soul ManSam & Dave

"Soul Man" was a new term when the song was written in 1967. As defined by Sam & Dave, the "soul man" was a farmer "comin' to ya on a dusty road."

Editor's Picks

Zakk WyldeSongwriter Interviews

When he was playing Ozzfest with Black Label Society, a kid told Zakk he was the best Ozzy guitarist - Zakk had to correct him.

Emmylou HarrisSongwriter Interviews

She thinks of herself as a "song interpreter," but back in the '80s another country star convinced Emmylou to take a crack at songwriting.

Eagles Lyrics QuizMusic Quiz

Lots of life lessons in these Eagles lyrics - can you match them to the correct song?

Joe Elliott of Def LeppardSongwriter Interviews

The Def Leppard frontman talks about their "lamentable" hit he never thought of as a single, and why he's juiced by his Mott The Hoople cover band.

KissFact or Fiction

Kiss is the subject of many outlandish rumors - some of which happen to be true. See if you can spot the fakes.

Michael FrantiSongwriter Interviews

Franti tells the story behind his hit "Say Hey (I Love You)" and explains why yoga is an integral part of his lifestyle and his Soulshine tour.