They were a classic "punk quartet", with:
Joe Strummer : lead vocal and rhythm guitar
Mick Jones : backing vocal and lead guitar
Paul Simenon : bass and occasional vocal
Topper Headon : drums
In my opinion (widely shared), Topper was the best player in the band by far. His drumming is awesome: fast, tight, strong, creative; it drives every groove hard.
But Joe was the creative force behind the songwriting and this is one of his best (again in my opinion). The energy in this track comes across in any language (thanks, Topper!) and some of the lyric is quite plain ("I'd stay and be a tourist but I can't take the gunplay") but other bits will be obscure to most of us.
It's about Jamaica, but there's no explicit mention of it until the "coda" (if we can call it that) which introduces Rudie (a.k.a. "Rude Boy"), after which all Joe's cards are on the table, more or less.
Joe sings "Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie ..." and their next album ("London Calling") has a song called "Rudie Can't Fail". Maybe next time.
RIP Joe Strummer. What a loss! What a song!
Well, I just got back and I wish I'd never leave now (where'd ya go?)
Who dat Martian arrival at the airport, yeah? (where'd ya go?)
How many local dollars for a local anesthetic? (where'd ya go?)
The Johnny on the corner wasn't very sympathetic (where'd ya go?)
I went to the place where every white face
Is an invitation to robbery
And sitting here in my safe European home
Don't want to go back there again
Wasn't I lucky, wouldn't it be loverly? (where'd ya go?)
Send us all cards, have a laying-in on Sunday (where'd ya go?)
I was there for two weeks, so how come I never tell, now? (where'd ya go?)
That natty dread drink at the Sheraton hotel, yeah (where'd ya go?)
I went to the place where every white face
Is an invitation to robbery
And sitting here in my safe European home
Don't want to go back there again
They got the sun, and they got the palm trees (where'd ya go?)
They got the weed, and they got the taxis (where'd ya go?)
Whoa, the harder they come, the home of ol' bluebeat (where'd ya go?)
I'd stay and be a tourist but I can't take the gunplay (where'd ya go?)
I went to the place where every white face
Is an invitation to robbery
And sitting here in my safe European home
Don't want to go back there again
What?
Rudie come from Jamaica, Rudie can't fail
Rudie come from Jamaica, Rudie can't fail
Rudie come from Jamaica, 'cause Rudie can't fail
Rudie come From Jamaica, Rudie can't fail (European home)
Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie can't fail (European home)
Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie can't fail (European home)
Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie can't fail (European home)
Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie can't fail (European home)
Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie can't fail (European home)
Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie can't fail (European home)
Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie can't fail (European home)
Rudie come From Jamaica, Rudie can't fail (explosive European home)
Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie, Rudie can't fail (twenty-four track European home)
Elder come and a-Rudie go, no one knows where the policeman's go
