Bankrobber – English Lyrics

• By: The Clash

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the rebellious spirit of The Clash's 'Bankrobber,' a unique blend of punk and reggae that critiques societal norms. Learn about anti-establishment themes and improve your English vocabulary related to social commentary and working-class life through this iconic song.

[English]

♪ Oh Oh Oh Oh ♪

♪ Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh ♪

♪ Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh ♪

♪ My Daddy was a bank robber ♪

♪ But he never hurt nobody ♪

♪ He just loved to live that way ♪

♪ And he loved to steal your money ♪

♪ Some is rich and some is poor ♪

♪ And that's the way the world is ♪

♪ But I don't believe in lying back ♪

♪ And saying how bad your luck is ♪

♪ So we came to jazz it up ♪

♪ Never loved a shovel ♪

♪ Break your back to earn your pay ♪

♪ Don't forget to grovel ♪

♪ Daddy was a bank robber ♪

♪ But he never hurt nobody ♪

♪ He just loved to live that way ♪

♪ And he loved to take your money ♪

♪ What law? ♪

♪ Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh ♪

♪ Oh Oh Oh Oh ♪

♪ Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh ♪

♪ Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh ♪

♪ Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh ♪

♪ Oh Oh Oh Oh ♪

♪ Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh ♪

♪ The old man spoke up in a bar ♪

♪ Said I've never been in prison ♪

♪ A life spent serving one machine ♪

♪ Is ten times worse than prison ♪

♪ Imagine if all the boys in jail ♪

♪ Could get out now together ♪

♪ What do you think they'd want to say to us ♪

♪ While we were being clever ♪

♪ Someday you'll meet your rocking chair ♪

♪ Cause that's where we're spinning ♪

♪ There's no point to want to comb your hair ♪

♪ When its gray and thinning ♪

♪ Hey ♪

♪ Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh ♪

♪ Oh Oh Oh Oh ♪

♪ Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh ♪

♪ Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh ♪

♪ Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh ♪

♪ Oh Oh Oh Oh ♪

♪ Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh ♪

♪ Oh Oh Oh ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Daddy was a bank robber ♪

♪ But he never hurt nobody ♪

♪ He just loved to live that way ♪

♪ And he loved to steal your money ♪

♪ So we came to jazz it up ♪

♪ We've never loved a shovel ♪

♪ Break your back to earn your pay ♪

♪ And don't forget to grovel ♪

♪ Hey ♪

♪ Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh ♪

♪ Oh Oh Oh Oh ♪

♪ Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh ♪

♪ Oh Oh Oh ♪

♪ Get away, get away ♪

♪ Get away, get away ♪

♪ Get away, get away ♪

♪ Get away ♪

♪ Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh ♪

♪ Oh Oh Oh Oh ♪

♪ Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh ♪

♪ Daddy was a bank robber ♪

♪ But he never hurt nobody ♪

♪ He just loved to live that way ♪

♪ And he loved to steal your money ♪

♪ Hey ♪

♪ Run laddy, run ♪

♪ Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh ♪

♪ Oh Oh Oh Oh ♪

♪ Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh ♪

♪ (trilling) ♪

♪ Strike out boy ♪

♪ For the hills ♪

♪ I can't find that hole in the wall ♪

♪ I know that they never will ♪

♪ Daddy was a bank robber ♪

♪ But he never hurt nobody ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
robber /ˈrɒbər/ B1	noun - a person who steals or takes something by force
hurt /hɜːrt/ A2	verb - to cause physical pain or injury to verb - to cause emotional pain or distress to
steal /stiːl/ A2	verb - to take (something) without permission or legal right and without intending to return it
money /ˈmʌni/ A1	noun - a current medium of exchange in the form of coins and banknotes
rich /rɪtʃ/ A2	adjective - having a great deal of money or assets; wealthy
poor /pʊər/ A1	adjective - having little money or few possessions; not wealthy
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - the earth, together with all of its countries, peoples, and natural features
lying /ˈlaɪɪŋ/ B1	verb - present participle of lie: be lying, recline, rest verb - present participle of lie: to speak falsely or deceptively.
luck /lʌk/ A2	noun - success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one's own actions
jazz /dʒæz/ B2	verb - to make more attractive or interesting; add flair or excitement to
shovel /ˈʃʌvl/ B2	noun - a tool with a broad flat blade and typically upturned sides, used for moving coal, earth, snow, or other loose material
break /breɪk/ A1	verb - separate into pieces as a result of a blow, shock, or strain
earn /ɜːrn/ A2	verb - obtain (money) in return for labor or services.
grovel /ˈɡrɒvl/ C1	verb - act in an obsequious manner in order to obtain someone's forgiveness or favor
prison /ˈprɪzn/ B1	noun - a building in which people are legally held as a punishment for a crime they have committed

Key Grammar Structures

• My Daddy was a bank robber.

  ➔ Simple past tense.

  ➔ The sentence uses the simple past tense to describe a completed action in the past.

• He just loved to live that way.

  ➔ Simple past tense.

  ➔ This line also uses the simple past tense to indicate a habitual action in the past.

• What law?

  ➔ Interrogative form.

  ➔ This is a question that seeks clarification or information.

• There's no point to want to comb your hair.

  ➔ There is + no point to + verb.

  ➔ This structure expresses futility or lack of purpose in an action.

• Break your back to earn your pay.

  ➔ Imperative form.

  ➔ The imperative form is used to give commands or instructions.

• Someday you'll meet your rocking chair.

  ➔ Future simple tense.

  ➔ This line uses the future simple tense to indicate an event that will happen.

• Get away, get away.

  ➔ Imperative form.

  ➔ This is another example of the imperative form used to give a command.