“Spanish Bombs” from their third iconic album London Calling, is not my favorite by The Clash, but it is the one that lingers in my head after listening to it. Not just because the chorus is so catchy, but I always think, ‘I should learn about the Spanish Civil War …’, ’cause I have no idea what they’re talking about. It’s written by Joe Strummer after he had a discussion about the ETA (the Basque nationalist seperatist organisation), who had their bloodiest, most deadly period between 1978 and 1980 – around the time the song was written.
The lyrics reveal details like different cities that were bombed and communist and anarchist symbolism. He crams so much information in the song that it almost feels a bit too full, especially for such a seemingly upbeat punk single. There’s a story that frames the historical data as well; the protagonist is on a plane to Spain with his lover. On his way to the holiday destination he recalls the tragic events of the Civil War in 1939, on top of that he relates it to the ETA and IRA bombings at the time. I’m not here to give you a history lesson, but the little I picked up getting ready for this post about the detail steeped in every line, made me admire the band even more for putting so much depth in three minutes of punky goodness.
The Clash – Spanish Bombs
