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Exactly, even if The Clash were bigtime lefties, their lyrics were such that anyone with a streak of rebelliousness could relate to them, be it on the Left or Right.

The song “Working for the Clampdown” is a perfect example....

What are we gonna do now?
Taking off his turban, they said, is this man a Jew?
’Cos working for the clampdown
They put up a poster saying we earn more than you!
When we’re working for the clampdown
We will teach our twisted speech
To the young believers
We will train our blue-eyed men
To be young believers

The judge said five to ten but I say double that again
I’m not working for the clampdown
No man born with a living soul
Can be working for the clampdown
Kick over the wall ‘cause government’s to fall
How can you refuse it?
Let fury have the hour, anger can be power
D’you know that you can use it?

The voices in your head are calling
Stop wasting your time, there’s nothing coming
Only a fool would think someone could save you
The men at the factory are old and cunning
You don’t owe nothing, so boy get runnin’
It’s the best years of your life they want to steal

But, you grow up and you calm down and
You’re working for the clampdown
You start wearing the blue and brown and
You’re working for the clampdown
So you got someone to boss around
It makes you feel big now
You drift until you brutalize
You made your first kill now

In these days of evil presidentes
Working for the clampdown
But lately one or two has fully paid their due
For working for the clampdown
Ha! Gitalong! Gitalong!
Working for the clampdown
Ha! Gitalong! Gitalong!
Working for the clampdown

Yeah I’m working hard in Harrisburg
Working hard in Petersburg
Working for the clampdown
Working for the clampdown
Ha! Gitalong! Gitalong
Begging to be melted down
Gitalong, gitalong
Work
Work
And I give away no secrets – ha!
Work
More work
Work
Work

Clampdown is not one of their best songs.

Clash were great and their music holds up (not all songs).

Unlike the boring music mentioned in the article.

The worst music was from these hippies of the 60 s it was also pure statism fall in line with the groupthink.

Media still uses it to this day to pacify the populace.

The Clash were sold as lefties in rebellion against Dame Thatcher's reforms. But I wonder:

Career Opportunities

"The offered me the office, offered me the shop
They said I'd better take anything they'd got
Do you wanna make tea at the BBC?
Do you wanna be, do you really wanna be a cop?
Career opportunities are the ones that never knocked
Every job they offer you is to keep you out the dock...

What "dock" are they referring to? Was it the union controlled ports, or the welfare roles? It might be the first of these and the song may be refer to a stratified union economy and welfare state.

I counter that with New Model Army's "Vengeance". That one always got my blood going.

Escaped the net in '45
Hiding in out South America
Protected by money and powerful friends
Hoping the world has forgotten by now
All the things that you did, in the Nazi death camps
The people that you tortured and killed
You can live you life in expectant fear
Sure some day you'll be made to pay

I believe in justice
I believe in vengeance
I believe in getting the bastard
Getting the bastard, getting the bastard
Getting the bastard

Man walks over dressed in flashy clothes
With an empty heart and a head full of money
Puts his arm around the lad of fifteen years
Talks sort of close like a long-lost brother
"It's really cool, all the pop stars do
If you don't try a little you'd really be a fool
Tell you what I'll do, I'll make the first one free
And when you want some more just come back to me"

I believe in justice
I believe in vengeance
I believe in getting the bastard
Getting the bastard, getting the bastard

Top dog fascist gets the boys in the corner
Plants poison where there was just confusion
Walks away Scot free and laughing
Rides on the tide as the cancer grows
And the business man on corruption charges
With millions of dollars in dirty money
Gets a thousand pound fine after months in court
While the lawyers get fat and the law gets bought

Say I believe in justice
I believe in vengeance
I believe in getting the bastard
Getting the bastard, getting the bastard

IIRC the Clash are a bit more conservative than the average band. When it comes to taxes they’re all conservatives.

Strange enough, most punks end up being pretty conservative, or at least libertarian. Lots of strong views on fairness and justice.

I think he was more libertarian and questioned the authority of large government institutions. I also think he was rather naive back in the 1960s.

Shoot yeah. I think what people forget is that all these band people were in their teens and 20s back when they were pumping this stuff out. When you're young, you're going to be naive and idealistic. It peters out as life grows on you.