Going Underground
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Going Underground" | ||
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| Single by The Jam | ||
| B-side(s) | The Dreams of Children | |
| Released | 1980 | |
| Format | 7" vinyl | |
| Genre | Punk rock | |
| Label | Polydor (UK) | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| The Jam singles chronology | ||
| The Eton Rifles (1979) |
Going Underground (1980) |
Start! (1980) |
"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.
The song 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 "The 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.
In 1980 the song reportedly provided the inspiration for the Nemesis the Warlock character in the weekly comic book 2000 AD. The song was parodied in 2004 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. In March 2005, Q magazine placed "Going Underground" at number 73 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.
The song has been used as the theme song for Air America Radio's The Majority Report.
There is a record store and website based out of Bakersfield, CA called Going Underground Records[1]
There is a blog about the London Underground called Going Underground.[2]
The song was written as an indictment of Margaret Thatcher's Government's policy on arms.
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 policy on nuclear weapons, whereas
You'll see kidney machines replaced by rockets and guns
claims that the consequence of the (unnecessary, in Weller's view) increase in defense spending will be a reduction in public services, such as health care (hence kidney machines).
| 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 |
