"Groovy Times" is a song by the Clash, featured on their ''The Cost of Living'' EP, and released as a promotional

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

in 1979 in Australia by

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(AE7 1178), and also included with initial pressings of the US release of the band's debut album. It was originally recorded as "Groovy Times Are Here Again" during the recording sessions for '' Give 'Em Enough Rope'', however this demo has never been officially released, but can be found on many Clash bootlegs. It was never performed live. The song's lyrics are filled with images of urban decay and civil unrest and focus on recurring Clash themes of alienation, monotony and oppression. According to their author, Joe Strummer, the lyrics were sparked by his disgust at the erection of fences in Britain's football terraces, built to keep fans apart in response to football hooliganism. Ten years later the

Hillsborough Disaster The Hillsborough disaster was a fatal human crush during a football match at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, on 15 April 1989. It occurred during an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest in the ...

would prove these fences fatal and his concerns irrefutably correct. The 'King of Early Evening

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' mentioned in the song is confirmed as

Bill Grundy William Grundy (18 May 1923 – 9 February 1993) was an English journalist and broadcaster, best known for his work as anchor of ''Today'', a regional magazine programme on Thames Television in London. In the latter role, Grundy gained ...

, whose career was ruined after his infamous interview with the

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and was indeed presenting early evening television on British terrestrial channel ITV. "I can remember his first appearance now look what's happened to him, so they put him in a dog suit like from 1964" is about singer-songwriter

Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus Order of the British Empire, OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in ...

. The music, acoustic and guitar based, was predominantly written by Mick Jones and feature

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parts by him but credited to 'Bob Jones', a pseudonym that was apparently a reference to singer/songwriter Bob Dylan. "Groovy Times" has subsequently been re-released on the '' Clash on Broadway'' and ''

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'' box sets, its single-disc equivalent ''

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'' and the '' Super Black Market Clash'' and '' The Essential Clash'' compilations.

Personnel

"Groovy Times"

* Joe Strummer – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar * Mick Jones – backing vocals, harmonica, acoustic lead guitars *

Paul Simonon Paul Gustave Simonon (; born 15 December 1955) is an English musician and artist best known as the bassist for the Clash. More recent work includes his involvement in the supergroup the Good, the Bad & the Queen and playing on the Gorillaz alb ...

– bass guitar * Topper Headon – drums

"Gates of the West"

* Mick Jones – lead vocals, backing vocal, lead and rhythm guitars * Joe Strummer – rhythm guitar *

– bass guitar * Topper Headon – drums

Charts

Sources

* * 1979 singles The Clash songs Songs written by Joe Strummer Songs written by Mick Jones (The Clash) 1979 songs {{1970s-single-stub