Friday Tunes: Career Opportunities

This week’s installment of labour themes in pop culture is The Clash’s Career Opportunities. This song was written in the late 1970s, a period of profound economic downturn in the UK, and it bemoans the lack and poor quality of jobs. 

The profound shift in labour market power towards employers during recessions as well as the hopelessness this engenders among workers is captured in “They said I’d better take anything they’d got”.

The song also speaks to issues of class conflict and control:

They're gonna have to introduce conscription
They're gonna have to take away my prescription
If they wanna get me making toys
If they wanna get me, well, I got no choice

According to one source I found, the line “And I won't open letter bombs for you” refers to an actual job held by guitarist Mick Jones (who knew the IRA were an important source of jobs?).



They 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 the ones that never knocked
Every job they offer you is to keep you out the dock
Career opportunity, the one that never knocked

I hate the army and I hate the R.A.F.
I don't wanna go a-fighting in the tropical heat
I hate the civil service rules
I won't open letter bombs for you

Career opportunities the ones that never knocked
Every job they offer you is to keep you out the dock
Career opportunity the one that never knocked

Oi!

Bus driver.... ambulance man.... a ticket inspector
(I've done all of them...)

They're gonna have to introduce conscription
They're gonna have to take away my prescription
If they wanna get me making toys
If they wanna get me, well hell, I got no choice

Career opportunities the ones that never knocked
Every job they offer you is to keep you out the dock
Career opportunity, the one that never knocked

Careers...
Careers...
Careers...

That ain't never gonna knock!

-- Bob Barnetson