Today, my mantra is the song "I'm Not Down" by The Clash from their seminal album London Calling. I've been singing the chorus and humming the melody in my head all day. The song is a fast-paced, peppy ode to perseverance in the face of adversity from the original punk troublemakers.
The succinct and catchy chorus goes like this:
"I've been beat up, I've been thrown Out
But I'm not down, No I'm not down
I've been shown up, but I've grown up
And I'm not down, No I'm not down!"
I'm sure The Clash were probably writing this about class warfare, battling police brutality and the Thatcher regime. Nevertheless, I think he lyrics are vague enough that one can apply them to many situations.
These are the most moving, and to me, the most identifiable set of lyrics:
So I have lived, that kind of day
When none of your sorrows will go away
Go down and down and hit the floor
Down and down and down some more
Depression
But I know, there'll be some way
When I can swing everything back my way
Like skyscrapers, rising up
Floor by floor, I'm not giving up
It's probably also the most personal stanza for the group, because if I'm not mistaken, Joe Strummer (the lead singer and lyricist) struggled tremendously with depression throughput his life.
Sometimes disco cheers me up after a tough day. Sometimes The Smiths do. Today, it's the fierce (yet hopeful) indignation and perseverance of The Clash!
Hopefully this link will work. Currently typing this post on my phone, so who knows.
Take a listen and enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyUsJWO-7jM
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