I don’t live in London, so I’m not in a position to understand the context of the London Riots like those in the thick of things can. Like many though, I’m watching and thinking about why they happened now, what caused them, how they are similar or different from other recent (and future) ‘uprisings’ of youth, and what they mean in the larger scheme of things.
Sometimes you can’t capture a reason with words alone, and maybe there is no reasonable or tangible explanation for what is happening. But a few songs come to mind that do a good job of conveying that feeling of (sometimes pointless) teen angst…. I imagine many other songs could be added. (Send links and lyrics and I’ll grow the playlist….)
Anarchy in the UK by the Sex Pistols, 1976
“I am an anti-christ
I am an anarchist
Don’t know what I want but
I know how to get it
I wanna destroy the passer by cos I
I wanna BE anarchy!
Anarchy for the U.K it’s coming sometime and maybe
I give a wrong time stop a traffic line
your future dream is a shopping scheme
cos I, I wanna BE anarchy!
In the city
How many ways to get what you want
I use the best I use the rest
I use the enemy
I use anarchy cos I wanna be anarchy.”
London Calling by the Clash, 1977
“London calling to the faraway towns
Now war is declared, and battle come down
London calling to the underworld
Come out of the cupboard, you boys and girls
London calling, now don’t look to us
Phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust
London calling, see we ain’t got no swing
‘Cept for the ring of that truncheon thing”
Teenage Riot by Sonic Youth, 1988
“It better work out
I hope it works out my way
‘Cause it’s getting kind of quiet in my city’s head
Takes a teen age riot to get me out of bed right now”
Smells like Teen Spirit by Nirvana, 1991
“With the lights out
It’s less dangerous
Here we are now
Entertain us”
Geezers Need Excitement by the Streets, 2002
“Geezerz need excitement
If their lives don’t provide them this they incite violence
Common sense simple common sense
Geezerz need excitement
if their lives don’t provide them this they incite violence
Common sense simple common sense”
World Town by M.I.A. 2007
“Yo dont be calling me desperate
When i’m knocking on the door
Every wall you build i’ll knock it down to the floor
See me see me bubbling quietly
See me see me acting like you ain’t met me
See me see me bubbling quietly
See me see me acting like you ain’t met me
Hands up
Guns out
Represent the world town”
Killing in the Name by Rage against the Machine, 1993
“Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me.
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me.
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me.
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me.
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me.
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me.
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me.
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me.”
UPDATES AND ADDITIONS:
We’re not gonna Take It by Twisted Sister, 1984 (suggested by @talesfromthhood)
“We’re not gonna take it
No, we’re not gonna take it
We’re not gonna take it anymore”
Fight for your Right to Party by the Beastie Boys, 1986 (suggested by @talesfromthhood)
“You gotta fight for your right to party”
Party for your Right to Fight by Public Enemy, 1988
| “Power, equality And we’re out to get it I know some of you ain’t wid it This party started right in ’66 With a pro-Black radical mix Then at the hour of twelve Some force cut the power And emerged from hell It was your so called government That made this occur Like the grafted devils they were” |
I Predict a Riot by Kaiser Chiefs, 2004 (suggested by @catg89)
“I predict a riot, I predict a riot
I predict a riot, I predict a riot
I tried to get to my taxi
A man in a tracksuit attacked me
He said that he saw it before me
Wants to get things a bit gory
Girls scrabble around with no clothes on
To borrow a pound for a condom
If it wasn’t for chip fat, they’d be frozen
They’re not very sensible”
Panic by the Smiths, 1986 (suggested by @ithorpe)
“Panic on the streets of London
Panic on the streets of Birmingham
I wonder to myself
Could life ever be sane again ?
The Leeds side-streets that you slip down
I wonder to myself
Hopes may rise on the Grasmere
But Honey Pie, you’re not safe here
So you run down
To the safety of the town
But there’s Panic on the streets of Carlisle
Dublin, Dundee, Humberside
I wonder to myself
Burn down the disco
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music that they constantly play
IT SAYS NOTHING TO ME ABOUT MY LIFE”
White Man in Hammersmith Palais by the Clash, 1977 (suggested by @paulclammer)
“White youth, black youth
Better find another solution
Why not phone up Robin Hood
and ask him for some wealth distribution.”
April 26, 1992 by Sublime, 1996 (suggested by @michaelkbusch)
“April 26th, 1992,
there was a riot on the streets,
tell me where were you?
You were sittin’ home watchin’ your TV,
while I was paticipatin’ in some anarchy.
First spot we hit it was my liqour store.
I finally got all that alcohol I can’t afford.
With red lights flashin’ time to retire,
And then we turned that liquor store into a structure fire.
Next stop we hit it was the music shop,
It only took one brick to make that window drop.
Finally we got our own p.a.
Where do you think I got this guitar that you’re hearing today?
Hey!
…
Never doin no time
When we returned to the pad to unload everything,
It dawned on me that I need new home furnishings.
So once again we filled the van until it was full,
since that day my livin’ room’s been more comfortable.
Cause everybody in the hood has had it up to here,
It’s getting harder and harder and harder each and every year.
Some kids went in a store with their mother,
I saw her when she came out she was gettin some pampers.
They said it was for the black man,
they said it was for the mexican,
and not for the white man.
But if you look at the streets it wasn’t about Rodney King,
It’s bout this fucked up situation and these fucked up police.
It’s about coming up and staying on top
and screamin’ 187 on a mother fuckin’ cop.”
Burning down the House by the Talking Heads, 1983 (suggested by @viewfromthecave)
“Watch out, you might get what you’re after
Cool babies, strange but not a stranger
I’m an ordinary guy
Burning down the house”
Baba O Riley by the Who, 1971 (suggested by @viewfromthecave)
“Don’t cry
Don’t raise your eye
It’s only teenage wasteland…
(they’re all wasted!)”
All We Ever Wanted Was Everything by Bauhuas, 1982 (suggested by @meowtree)
“All we ever wanted was everything
All we ever got was cold.
Get up, eat jelly, sandwich bars and barbed wire
Squash every week into a day.
The sound of the drum is calling
The sound of the drum has called
Flash of youth shoot out of darkness
Factory town”
Fire in the Booth by Akala, 2005 (suggested by @telamigo)
I never made it
As a working class hero
21st Century Breakdown
I once was lost but never was found
I think I am losing
What’s left of my mind
To the 20th century deadline”
“…Now don’t get me wrong I love what you done with the place
I just wish we had a chance to help build it
Instead of just moving into this home of disrepair
And expect it to work, prosper and then share
Constantly relying on consuming to feel content
But only because we lost touch with this home that we’ve spent
Trillions of dollars tainting for our wants and not our needs
And now we’re growing tired of planting bleary-eyed seeds
….. And I know that we’ve still got time
But I do not think we’re invincible
And I’m thinking that its a sign
Deep breaths, clentched fists,
Here comes another jug-ger-naut!
The idea of community
Will be something displayed in a museum”
.
Now nothing ever ever goes my wayOne fluid gesture, like stepping back in time.
Trapped in amber, petrified.
And still not satisfiedAirs and social graces, elocution so divine.
I’ll stick to my needle, and my favourite waste of time,
both spineless and sublime.”Since I was born I started to decay.
Now nothing ever – ever goes my way.
We’re gonna scream until we’re satisfied.
What are we running for ? We’ve got the right to be angry.
What are we running for when there’s nowhere we can run to anymore ?
We can’t afford to be innocent
stand up and face the enemy.
It’s a do or die situation – we will be invincible.
And with the power of conviction there is no sacrifice.
It’s a do or die situation – we will be invincible.Won’t anybody help us ?
What are we running for when there’s nowhere”.
Violent Crimein by Mayhem N.O.D.B., 2008 (suggested by Harle)
(couldn’t find any lyrics for it….)
