I'm So Bored with the USA
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| “I'm So Bored with the USA” | ||
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| Song by The Clash | ||
| Album | The Clash | |
| Released | April 8, 1977 | |
| Recorded | March, 1977 | |
| Genre | Punk rock | |
| Length | 2:25 | |
| Label | CBS | |
| Writer | Joe Strummer, Mick Jones | |
| Producer | Mikey Foote | |
I'm So Bored with the USA is a song by The Clash from their eponymous debut album.
The song began life as another track, I'm So Bored With You,[1][2] a love song written by Mick Jones. According to Keith Topping's The Complete Clash book, the song was about Jones's girlfriend, the same woman who was the topic of Deny.[3] According to the story often told by the song's authors Joe Strummer and Mick Jones, including on their documentary Westway to the World, the change came about by Strummer mishearing the song's title when Jones played him it during their first meeting at Davies Road Squad.[1] Early recordings including on the popular live bootleg 5 Go Mad At The Roundhouse include the song in its original form. However, by the time of the concert on 20 September 1976 at the Roundhouse, Camden the song was using its new title.
| “ | Actually, "I'm So Bored With The U.S.A." was "I'm So Bored With You" until Joe added the "S" and the "A." | ” |
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—Mick Jones to Guitar World – 1995-12 , [2] |
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Originally demoed with slightly different lyrics during The Clash's second demo session with their soundman Mickey Foote as producer, I'm So Bored with the USA's lyrics do what the title suggests, condemn America.[4] Referring to the drugs problems in the US Army (particularly heroin), America supporting dictatorships (something that was later elaborated on with their track Washington Bullets), the surf culture and American television as well as mentioning the Watergate scandal, Starsky and Hutch and Kojak with the chorus expressing the inescapability of the USA's influence and indeed the futility of the song.
| “ | We had "I'm So Bored With You" and Joe misheard apparently, he misheard, he heard it as "I'm So Bored With The USA" and said, "oh OK, that's good. I can work with that." But that song was always misconstrued because it was not about being bored with America. It was about being bored with the Americanization of the UK in Europe. That's what we were saying. It was always misconstrued when ever we came and played in the States. They would say, "what do you mean, 'I'm so bored with the USA.'" But it wasn't meant to be that. | ” |
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—Mick Jones to MTV Rockumentary , [5] |
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I'm So Bored with the USA was a mainstay in the band's set until 1978, when its appearances became less frequent, except in America where it was often used as the band's opening song[citation needed].
Prominent Canadian indie rock band The Arcade Fire often use the song's chorus as an introduction to their own 'Windowsill' at live performances.
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b Letts Don; Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Topper Headon, Terry Chimes, Rick Elgood, The Clash. (2001). The Clash, Westway to the World [Documentary]. New York, NY: Sony Music Entertainment; Dorismo; Uptown Films. Retrieved on 2007-11-26. Event occurs at 13:40–14:46. ISBN 0738900826. OCLC 49798077.
- ^ a b Caws, Matthew (12 1995). "Mick Jones". Guitar World 12. New York: Harris Publications. ISSN 1045-6295. OCLC 7982091. “Actually, "I'm So Bored With The U.S.A." was "I'm So Bored With You" until Joe added the "S" and the "A."”
Related news articles:- Guitar World December 1995. londonsburning.org. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
- ^ Topping, Keith [2003] (2004). The Complete Clash, 2nd ed., Richmond: Reynolds & Hearn. ISBN 1903111706. OCLC 63129186.
- ^ Colson, Nicole (2003-01-03). Obituary: Joe Strummer (SHTML) 9. SOCIALISTWORKER.org. Retrieved on 2007-12-06. “Strummer’s lyrics blended well with guitarist Mick Jones’ arrangements, and he steered the band toward a more overtly political message--as when he convinced Jones to change the song "I’m So Bored With You" (about Jones’ girlfriend) to "I’m So Bored With the USA," a scorching rant against U.S. imperialism and arrogance.”
- ^ MTV Rockumentary. Interviewer: Unknown; Presenter: Kurt Loder. MTV, London, England. Transcript.
Related news articles:- MTV Rockumentary Part 1. londonsburning.org. Retrieved on 2007-12-06. “We had "I'm So Bored With You" and Joe misheard apparently, he misheard, he heard it as "I'm So Bored With The USA" and said, "oh OK, that's good. I can work with that." But that song was always misconstrued because it was not about being bored with America. It was about being bored with the Americanization of the UK in Europe. That's what we were saying. It was always misconstrued when ever we came and played in the States. They would say, "what do you mean, 'I'm so bored with the USA.'" But it wasn't meant to be that.”
[edit] References
- Gilbert, Pat [2004] (2005). Passion Is a Fashion: The Real Story of The Clash, 4th edition, London: Aurum Press. ISBN 1845131134. OCLC 61177239.
- Gray, Marcus [1995] (2005). The Clash: Return of the Last Gang in Town, 5th revised edition, London: Helter Skelter. ISBN 1905139101. OCLC 60668626.
- Green, Johnny; Garry Barker [1997] (2003). A Riot of Our Own: Night and Day with The Clash, 3rd edition, London: Orion. ISBN 0752858432. OCLC 52990890.
- Gruen, Bob; Chris Salewicz [2001] (2004). The Clash, 3rd edition, London: Omnibus. ISBN 1903399343. OCLC 69241279.
- Needs, Kris (2005-01-25). Joe Strummer and the Legend of the Clash. London: Plexus. ISBN 085965348X. OCLC 53155325.
- Topping, Keith [2003] (2004). The Complete Clash, 2nd edition, Richmond: Reynolds & Hearn. ISBN 1903111706. OCLC 63129186.
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