London Calling - if only for London 2012

If only...

Were he still with us Joe Strummer, born John Graham Mellor, would have been sixty today. He was, as the result of a congenital and undiagnosed heart defect, taken away in December 2002.
Were that not so I can hardly imagine that he would not have been on the stage at the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympiad. 'The Clash' was not the first punk band, by any means, but they gave the whole genre wings...
They focussed their anger on sensible issues. In fact the members were from really quite comfortable backgrounds; and while they were genuinely angry they were also rather annoyingly but curiously, simultaneously, disarmingly literate.
This 1979 album was, I think, not just the defining moment of British Punk...

Had it not been for this album, and the inspiration it provided, the whole punk movement might have faded into obscurity - a bright spark, lit for the most part by angry young men in a fit of pique, that lasted for so little time.
There would thus have been no Green Day, just to make a single example.
The bad behaviour in this image is all down to Paul Simonon, who lives on, and so does the bass guitar in question (in bits as destroyed in this rampage, something that he later much regretted doing), in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, OH.
The inspiration for the album cover is down to that of Elvis Presley's first.

What the Hell. It's what we were born to do.

I hope I don't need to tell you about the three women who were today sentenced to two years in prison for singing a song.  It is true that it was controversial in its lyric and that they chose a rather dangerously high profile location to do it, but even so.

What they did may well have been wrong, illegal indeed under the law that prevails there, and so some punishment due. On the other hand, ask yourself this. Is the outrage, let alone the sentence of two years in prison, a reflection of a system that is not really at peace with its own identity; uncomfortable politically, religiously and culturally?
Maybe it is not for me to comment but here, because you had the nerve to do it, is my slightly irreverent (because that was the whole problem here) take on it:
  
Poor choice of venue maybe, Pussy Riot.  Had you chosen Frome's Cheese & Grain instead we would have bought you drinks and looked after you rather than arranging for your arrest.
Look at it this way:  Did we arrest and then imprison 'The Sex Pistols', back in 1977, for their seditious version of 'God Save The Queen', our National Anthem, because it was arguably in rather poor taste? No.
They had their day as anti-heroes and punk remains a vital part of the curious thing that is British culture. Her Majesty The Queen, very respectfully, waited a further thirty-five years before taking her revenge by appearing with James Bond.

Lyrics once again - Can't Make It So

It's a long time since I've turned my attention to song lyrics but since someone asked about those of Ellen and The Escapades today I just have to try. Yes I certainly can, but probably not until next week.
  
Oh well, I relented after a fashion but this might have to suffice just for now.  This is the song 'Can't Make It So', from that album - All The Crooked Scenes:
 
It's a no go
Telling you to come home
Saying that you can't go
I'm sorry but I can't make it so.
  
Could I have been there?
My words can make a change
Can my actions now compare?
They know they did you wrong.
  
Its up to me 
Just wait and see
  
You were so close
Now to even let go
Why'd you wanna take me?
I'm sorry but I can't make it so

It's a no go
Telling you to come home
Saying that you can't go
I'm sorry but I can't make it so.

Could I have been there?
My words can make a change
Can my actions now compare?
They from thy did you wrong
  
It's up to me 
Just wait and see
  
Just let me make you happy.
  
Actually, I have now just remembered why I started the whole lyric thing in the first place and it is rather simple - I enjoy doing it.