The Clash
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The song is about conscientious objection. Strummer and the rest of the Clash grew up in England, which for centuries has celebrated a tradition of fighting “for King/Queen and country”. Being a Marxist, Strummer rejects laying down one’s life for the sake of a sovereign monarch.
[Verse 1]
It's up to you, not to heed the call up
And you must not act, the way you were brought up
Who knows the reasons, why you have grown up?
Who knows the plans or why they were drawn up?
[Chorus]
It's up to you, not to heed the call up
I don't want to die
It's up to you, not to hear the call up
I don't want to kill
[Verse 2]
For he who will die
Is he who will kill?
Maybe I want to see the wheatfields
Over Kiev and down to the sea
[Chorus]
It's up to you, not to heed the call up
I don't want to die
It's up to you, not to hear the call up
I don't want to kill
[Verse 3]
All the young people down the ages
They gladly marched off to die
Proud city father used to watch them
Tears in their eyes
[Chorus]
It's up to you, not to heed the call up
I don't want to die
It's up to you, not to hear the call up
I don't want to kill
[Bridge]
For he who will die
Is he who will kill?
[Verse 3]
There is a rose, that I want to live for
Although, God knows, I may not have met her
There is a dance and I should be with her
There is a town, unlike any other
[Outro]
It's up to you not to hear the call up
And you must not act, the way you were brought up
Who gives you work, why should you do it?
At fifty five minutes past eleven, there is a rose
It's up to you not to hear the call up
It's up to you not to hear the call up
I don't want to die
There is a rose, that I want to live for
It's up to you not to hear the call up
The Call Up was written by Topper Headon & Mick Jones & Paul Simonon & Joe Strummer.
The Call Up was produced by Mikey Dread & The Clash.
The Clash released The Call Up on Fri Nov 28 1980.