The Break-Up

Introduction

The cover image was borrowed from this site

It's now 2023, and this is my first post of 2023, and I decided to pick a first album to play this year and chose "London Calling", the Clash's signature album which is full of incredible songs covering many styles complete with the Elvis Presley influenced typography on the cover of the album.

Compare the Elvis Presley album.

Train In Vain by The Clash

If I remember rightly, this was a hidden track on the original release of the album which I bought for £3.50 from WH Smiths in Liverpool when I worked there for Littlewoods. When I heard it I fell in love with the heartbreak of the lyrics, and this was by a major punk band, although The Clash were always more than punk, yes they were anti-establishment, but pro the ones that the establishment attacked. They were very political and in Joe Strummer and Mick Jones had two second-to-none songwriters and frontmen (though we lost Strummer twenty years ago in 2002, Jones is still with us and producing some amazing music which I will share with you in a Mick Jones feature sometime soon).

First of all, I thought I would share the complete lyrics with you and then go on to talk about them.

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Songwriters: Topper Headon / Mick Jones / Paul Simonon / Joe Strummer

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Say you stand by your man

Tell me something I don't understand

You said you love me and that's a fact

And then you left me, said you felt trapped

Well, some things you can explain away

But my heartache's in me 'til this day

You didn't stand by me

No, not at all

You didn't stand by me

No way

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All the times when we were close

I'll remember these things the most

I see all my dreams come tumbling down

I can't be happy without you around

So alone I keep the wolves at bay

And there's only one thing that I can say

You didn't stand by me

No, not at all

You didn't stand by me

No way

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You must explain why this must be

Did you lie when you spoke to me?

Did you stand by me?

No, not at all

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Now I got a job, but it don't pay

I need new clothes, I need somewhere to stay

But without all these things I can do

But without your love, I won't make it through

But you don't understand my point of view

I suppose there's nothing I can do

You didn't stand by me

No, not at all

You didn't stand by me

No way

You didn't stand by me

No, not at all

You didn't stand by me

No way

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You must explain why this must be

Did you lie when you spoke to me?

Did you stand by me?

Did you stand by me?

No, not at all

Did you stand by me?

No way

Did you stand by me?

No, not at all

Did you stand by me?

No way

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This is a song for any break-up, either lovers or friends or both. There is no reason given for the break-up and the party left behind feels cut adrift, not knowing what has happened and trying to move forward but every day they are still in that situation.

I recently read a meme that said "If you want someone to never forget you, wound them" and these lines really hit me when I first heard them in the eighties when a got the album and still ring true today.

You said you love me and that's a fact

And then you left me, said you felt trapped

Well, some things you can explain away

But my heartache's in me 'til this day

Conclusion

This is a stunning song, I sang it live twice, and it comes from an incredible album. Take a couple of minutes to read the lyrics and listen to the song. It may resonate with you as much as it does with me.