Straight to Hell

Annotation

The Clash, a British punk rock band that formed in London in 1976, which featured in 1982 (during the release of this single) Joe Strummer (guitar, vocals), Paul Simonon (bass, vocals), Mick Jones (guitar, vocals, 1976-83), and Topper Headon (drums, vocals, 1977-82). In 1981 they released the single "This Is Radio Clash" (CBS # CBS A1797), which referenced the Vietnam War and napalm (a jellied gasoline mixture which the US government extensively used during the war, as previously discussed). The group followed this up in 1982 with the track "Straight to Hell" (CBS # A 2646) which mentioned Vietnam in the second and third verses. In 1981 they released the song "Charlie Don't Surf" on the album Sandinista! (CBS # FSLN 1), a reference to the 1979 Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The song referenced the use of napalm. The track "Straight to Hell" (CBS # A 2646) dealt with the abandonment of Vietnamese children fathered by American soldiers during the war, known as "Amerasian". In the song the Amerasian child ask his American father - "papa san" (a Japanese word, but used by US soldiers in Vietnam to refer to older Vietnamese men and women) - to take him home to the US. It also contained a Christmas reference: "When it's Christmas out in Ho Chi Minh City". Composed by Strummer, Jones, Simonon, and Headon. It appeared on the 1981 album Combat Rock (CBS # FMLN 2).& Vietnam War: Punk Songs

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Christmas Songs

The Clash, a British punk rock band that formed in London in 1976, which featured in 1982 (during the release of this single) Joe Strummer (guitar, vocals), Paul Simonon (bass, vocals), Mick Jones (guitar, vocals, 1976-83), and Topper Headon (drums, vocals, 1977-82). In 1981 they released the single "This Is Radio Clash" (CBS # CBS A1797), which referenced the Vietnam War and napalm (a jellied gasoline mixture which the US government extensively used during the war, as previously discussed). The group followed this up in 1982 with the track "Straight to Hell" (CBS # A 2646) which mentioned Vietnam in the second and third verses. In 1981 they released the song "Charlie Don't Surf" on the album Sandinista! (CBS # FSLN 1), a reference to the 1979 Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The song referenced the use of napalm. The track "Straight to Hell" (CBS # A 2646) dealt with the abandonment of Vietnamese children fathered by American soldiers during the war, known as "Amerasian". In the song the Amerasian child ask his American father - "papa san" (a Japanese word, but used by US soldiers in Vietnam to refer to older Vietnamese men and women) - to take him home to the US. It also contained a Christmas reference: "When it's Christmas out in Ho Chi Minh City". Composed by Strummer, Jones, Simonon, and Headon. It appeared on the 1981 album Combat Rock (CBS # FMLN 2).

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Punk Songs

The Clash, a British Punk Rock band that formed in London in 1976, which featured in 1982 (during the release of this single) Joe Strummer (guitar, vocals), Paul Simonon (bass, vocals), Mick Jones (guitar, vocals, 1976-83), and Topper Headon (drums, vocals, 1977-82). In 1981 they released the single "This Is Radio Clash" (CBS # CBS A1797), which referenced the Vietnam War and napalm (a jellied gasoline mixture which the US government extensively used during the war, as previously discussed). The group followed this up in 1982 with the track "Straight to Hell" (CBS # A 2646) which mentioned Vietnam in the second and third verses. In 1981 they released the song "Charlie Don't Surf" on the album Sandinista! (CBS # FSLN 1), a reference to the 1979 Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The song referenced the use of napalm. The track "Straight to Hell" (CBS # A 2646) dealt with the abandonment of Vietnamese children fathered by American soldiers during the war, known as "Amerasian". In the song the Amerasian child ask his American father - "papa san" (a Japanese word, but used by US soldiers in Vietnam to refer to older Vietnamese men and women) - to take him home to the US. It also contained a Christmas reference: "When it's Christmas out in Ho Chi Minh City". Composed by Strummer, Jones, Simonon, and Headon. It appeared on the 1981 album Combat Rock (CBS # FMLN 2).

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Y'wanna join in a chorus of the Amerasian blues? / When it's Christmas out in Ho Chi Minh City / Kiddie say papa san....take me home / See me got photo of you and mamma-san / Lemme tell ya 'bout your blood bamboo kid / It ain't Coca-Cola it's rice / Straight to hell / Oh papa-san, please take me home

Notes

CBS A 2646 (CBS A 2646A A), "AA" side, 45 RPM, stereo, ℗ 1982 CBS Records, made in England, label printed with a black star on a camouflage background; "Straight to Hell (Edited Version)" (The Clash), published by Nineden Ltd., original sound recording made by CBS Records. The picture sleeve front, marked "Double 'A' Side Single", shows a skull in a camouflage helmet with sergeant's chevrons over crossed machine guns and four aces; the back shows a dragon and lists "Should I Stay or Should I Go" and "Straight to Hell (Edit)", "Taken from the L.P./Tape 'Combat Rock' FMLN 2/FMLN 40-2"; cover by Left Hand Luke, © 1982 CBS Records. [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

English punk rock band formed in London in 1976 (Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Topper Headon); disbanded 1986. [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

Christmas · Ho Chi Minh City · Vietnamese Girls

In collections

Amerasians, Orphans & Vietnamese Children · Christmas Songs · European Songs · Punk Songs