Going Underground
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| “Going Underground” | |||||
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| Single by The Jam | |||||
| B-side | The Dreams of Children | ||||
| Released | 10th March 1980 | ||||
| Format | 7" vinyl | ||||
| Genre | Mod Revival | ||||
| Length | 2:50 | ||||
| Label | Polydor (UK) | ||||
| Writer(s) | Paul Weller | ||||
| Producer | Vic Coppersmith-Heaven | ||||
| The Jam singles chronology | |||||
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"Going Underground" was the first British number one chart single by The Jam, released in March 1980. It went straight in at number one, a rare feat at the time, and spent three weeks at the top. It was the first of three instant chart-toppers for the group.
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[edit] Song profile
"Going Underground" was not released on any of the band's six studio albums initially, although it has appeared on many compilation/re-releases since then. The single's B-side was "Dreams of Children", which had originally been intended to be the A-side; following a mix-up at the pressing plant, the single became a double-A-side, and DJs tended to choose the more melodic "Going Underground" to play on the radio.
The song provided the inspiration for the Nemesis the Warlock character in the weekly comic book 2000 AD.[1] The song was parodied in 2004 by the Amateur Transplants as "London Underground", a humorous song full of abuse at the London Underground Strike. It was also turned into "Go England" by Virgin Radio for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.[2] In March 2005, Q magazine placed "Going Underground" at number 73 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks, and in October 2006 placed it at number 98 in their list of the 100 Greatest Songs Ever.
[edit] Lyrics
The song includes several indictments of the British policy on arms, and challenges its relative emphasis compared with social provision. It also points a telling finger at the "public" (ie electorate).
- You want more money of course I don't mind / To buy nuclear textbooks for Atomic crimes
This line is a reference to the UK's commitment to nuclear weapons, implying (through the use of "I don't mind") a level of acceptance on the part of the general populace to the study ("textbooks") of annihilation - whereas,
- You'll see kidney machines replaced by rockets and guns
claims that these values translate directly into investment in weaponry at the expense of life-saving health care.
[edit] Cultural Impact
The song has been used as the theme song for Air America Radio's The Majority Report.
The song is played it the end of the movie Football Factory.
The song has also been used by the 'Amateur Transplants' for their parody, 'London Underground'.
[edit] References
- ^ [1] Reference from 2000AD website
- ^ Going Underground. The Truck Driver's Gear Change Hall of Shame. Retrieved on 2007-01-28.
| Preceded by "Together We Are Beautiful" by Fern Kinney |
UK number one single March 16, 1980 |
Succeeded by "Working My Way Back to You" by The Detroit Spinners |
