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Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros — Get Down Moses
Album: Streetcore
Avg rating:
7.3

Your rating:
Total ratings: 3924









Released: 2003
Length: 4:48
Plays (last 30 days): 3
Once I got to the mountain top, tell you what I could see
Prairie full of lost souls running from the priests of iniquity
Where the hell was Elijah
What do you do when the prophecy game was through

We gotta take the walls of Jericho
Put your lips together and blow
To the very top
Say the truth crystallizes like jewels in the rock, in the rock

Get down Moses, part another sea
Carve another tablet out of L.S.D.
Get down Moses, out in Tennessee
Get down Moses, down in the street
The blood washing down all the gravel to our feet
Get down Moses, down in the pit

Lying in a dream, cross a battlefield
Crashing on a downtown strip
Looking in the eyes of the diamonds and the spies and the hip
Who's sponsoring the crack ghetto
Who's lecturing who's in the know and in the don't know

You better take the walls of Jericho
Put your lips together and blow
Goin' to the very top
Where the truth crystallizes like jewels, in the rock, in the rock

Get down Moses, from the eagle aerie
You gotta to make new friends out of old enemies
Get down Moses, back in Tennessee
Get down Moses, down with the dreads
They got a lotta reasoning in a dreadhead
Get down Moses, down in the street
Get down Moses

Get down Moses, part another sea
Carve another tablet out of L.S.D.
Get down Moses, out in Tennessee
Get down Moses, down in the street
The blood washing down all the gravel to our feet
Get down Moses, down in the pit
Get down Moses

Get down Moses

Get down Moses
We need to eat
We gotta chew it over with our wisdom teeth
Get down Moses
Comments (343)add comment
meh. Dopey song. PSD.  Overplayed imo. I guess hating biblical stories and references plays into this. 

But wait! I love the Cohen’s, “Hallelujah” and Taylor’s “You’ve Got a Friend,” and God’s “Tears in Heaven” and …. 

….Damn it! 
i don’t like THIS song. 
Dear, sweet Joe.  Gone too soon like so many.
This peak Joe S… Never got to see him. Sad. Too soon. Get your tickers checked folks.
 johnfiva wrote:

I'm turning down the volume more often these days. 



Conversely, I started paying attention to the production techniques and delicacies and I had to crank it up. 
 ThePoose wrote:

I assume the song's title is a play on the title of the Faulkner novel Go Down Moses.




The phrase predates Faulkner, who used the phrase from an Abolitionist song.
Crank up the cans and listen to our Joe👍
 johnfiva wrote:

I'm turning down the volume more often these days. 

I'm turning it up more often.
c.

I'm pretty sure Moses was too busy with, you know, walking across deserts without even a small Evian or orange slices, and other annoying tasks like parting the Red Sea, to have any time whatsoever to "get down". 
Although, he was reported to have said, when he finally got those pesky masses to the promised land, "I am gonna get so FACED tonight! Who's with me?".
I'm turning down the volume more often these days. 
 fredriley wrote:
Many years ago, walking on Skye, I got a lump in the throat when I saw the following at the entrance to a wood:



A fine walk out to Idrigill and the Maidens!
Walking the dog and i heard this intro and was immediately drawn to it. He never disappoints
From BVSC to JT y Los Mescaleros - genius.
c.
 joejennings wrote:



How do you know?  Did he tell you?

We know he has an unfortunate association with Cadillac.  Also, "Lost in the Supermarket" and especially "Koka Kola" speak to the Clash's feeling about commercialism.   
 fredriley wrote:
Many years ago, walking on Skye, I got a lump in the throat when I saw the following at the entrance to a wood:



But where is it?
very zesty
 Grammarcop wrote:

This is now being used to sell Cadillacs. Joe would not be happy if he knew his music was being used to sell a material product to the bourgeoisie. 




How do you know?  Did he tell you?
This is now being used to sell Cadillacs. Joe would not be happy if he knew his music was being used to sell a material product to the bourgeoisie. 
 cuatrot wrote:
He must of been terrible at business.  Died with less than a million dollars.  Now, I know, $1,000 is a lot of money, but as someone so impactful and famous, you would think he would've died with more.   
 Or maybe he worked out that $1000000 (with all the zeros!) was more than enough for his needs in life as a musician (not a businessman). I think that would be in keeping with what I hear of him. A sadly rare point of view in these days of conspicuous acquisition and consumption. The first million is the hardest...
 cuatrot wrote:
He must of been terrible at business.  Died with less than a million dollars.  Now, I know, $1,000 is a lot of money, but as someone so impactful and famous, you would think he would've died with more.   
 
A lot of artists, far more influential even than Mr. Strummer, died penniless. Unappreciated until after their deaths.
Not to mention, the music business has not traditionally been kind to artists, business acumen or no.
But yeah, I see your point.
c.
i miss the Mescaleros - but mostly Joe Strummer - HE ROCKED!!!!
A1     BaBBY!        9
Fantastic song!  I don't think I ever would have heard this were it not for RP. 

Thanks, Bill!  
A great body of work post-Clash. Love JS!
I love this regular on the RP rotation. I've always imagined a Wierd Al video with Mel Brooks as Moses.
 bahalana wrote:


This only matters to people listening this decade, but the last 13 years have been killer on RP.
 
I first logged in with my DX66 on a 28.8 modem...
 radioparadise9 wrote:

Thank you for sharing your ignorance
 Dear radioparadise9, Actually, Tony0600's comment wasn't at all out of line. He only indicated his taste. He didn't suggest that it was bad music, or that it shouldn't be played, or that it caused diarrhea in innocent children. He only indicated he didn't like it. That's fair. I don't like the taste of peanut butter, weird but true. If I state that it makes me gag, it doesn't mean that others shouldn't like it. Let's not flame folks for stating their harmless opinions!

 RongoTBurg wrote:
BradAl wrote:
This only matters to people reading the post today. But the last 3 hours have been killer on RP.
This only matters to people listening this year, but the last 3 years have been killer on RP.
 

This only matters to people listening this decade, but the last 13 years have been killer on RP.
Like a flashback out of the blue sky. Nice. 
 fredriley wrote:
Many years ago, walking on Skye, I got a lump in the throat when I saw the following at the entrance to a wood:


Very cool: Update from Rebel's Wood.

I knew Moses
Moses - took tablets up a mountain.  A man with far to go.  Or maybe vertigo.  Thanks Joe.
Great. Love this. His voice is more mature here but still with that classic Strummer attitude lurking like a snake about to strike.
Forget Jesus... right now the world needs Joe Strummer to come back...
Get down Joe !!
 kcar wrote:

Somehow I got drawn into reading this 1990 NYT piece within the last five years:

https://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/22/world/believers-score-in-battle-over-the-battle-of-jericho.html

Believers Score in Battle Over the Battle of Jericho
By JOHN NOBLE WILFORD
Published: February 22, 1990

After years of doubt among archeologists, a new analysis of excavations has yielded a wide range of evidence supporting the biblical account about the fall of Jericho. It may well be true that, in the words of the old spiritual, ''Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, and the walls come tumbling down.''
A study of ceramic remnants, royal scarabs, carbon-14 dating, seismic activity in the region and even some ruins of tumbled walls produced what is being called impressive evidence that the fortified city was destroyed in the Late Bronze Age, about 1400 B.C...



 
 
Cognitive dissonance / confirmation bias

Please post your evidence and conclusions for:

- the age of the earth ) (ROTFL)
- Noah's flood (LMAOF)

Rube!

 Tony0600 wrote:
I find this very irritating - don't like it
 
Thank you for sharing your ignorance
 I just love this song.
I believe Joe Strummer's voice aged to a sweet perfection.  He was a truly bright burning candle.

{#Fire} zesty !
 zenhead wrote:
The whole album is this good.

 
I listened to it on Utub and yep, a very good record 
The whole album is this good.
 1wolfy wrote:
Well Done
 
I'll have to agree

doesn't get much better than this

 


 cc_rider wrote:

Parenting, yer doin' it right...

 
Way to save civilization!'

Boy I wish I could give this a 15!
 cc_rider wrote:

Parenting, yer doin' it right...

 
{#Music}{#Dancingbanana}
 fredriley wrote:
Many years ago, walking on Skye, I got a lump in the throat when I saw the following at the entrance to a wood:

 
Cool. Thanks.
 fredriley wrote:

I'll lay good odds that Pandora (which I've never tried) doesn't have a PSD equivalent, so it's your loss. Perhaps it's best for you just to hit mute whilst this song is on and rejoin after 5 minutes.

 
When I tried Pandora, I gave it perfectly good songs and it fed me back a steady diet of tripe and pablum.  I'll take RP any day of the week.  
 scrubbrush wrote:
My kids rock out to this song

 
Parenting, yer doin' it right...
What a cool ass grove they have going.   Damn!
 
So good!
Tiptop.
Wait, Did Moses Go Down or did he Get Down?
I find this very irritating - don't like it
I wonder what Weird Al could do with this one? He could keep the lyrics and just do a video. It's the unusual songs like this one, that keeps me listening to this most awesome station. I'm in my tenth year of listening and I only use the PSD button when U2 is playing because I can hear them FM if want to.
 ChicoCyclist wrote:
I tried PSD three times in a row and ended up on this song.  Sorry, Bill, but three strikes and you're out. Off to Pandora for the rest of the day.  Hear you tomorrow...

 
I'll lay good odds that Pandora (which I've never tried) doesn't have a PSD equivalent, so it's your loss. Perhaps it's best for you just to hit mute whilst this song is on and rejoin after 5 minutes.
Miss you, Joe. RIP.
 oldsaxon wrote:

Fiction is a powerful  tool. I'm glad it brings you peace and I wish it always will.

Nice backhanded compliment. I wish you peace in your delusions as well.

 

 


Such a solid album.
 kcar wrote:

Somehow I got drawn into reading this 1990 NYT piece within the last five years:

https://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/22/world/believers-score-in-battle-over-the-battle-of-jericho.html

Believers Score in Battle Over the Battle of Jericho
By JOHN NOBLE WILFORD
Published: February 22, 1990

After years of doubt among archeologists, a new analysis of excavations has yielded a wide range of evidence supporting the biblical account about the fall of Jericho. It may well be true that, in the words of the old spiritual, ''Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, and the walls come tumbling down.''

A study of ceramic remnants, royal scarabs, carbon-14 dating, seismic activity in the region and even some ruins of tumbled walls produced what is being called impressive evidence that the fortified city was destroyed in the Late Bronze Age, about 1400 B.C...



 

 
Fiction is a powerful  tool. I'm glad it brings you peace and I wish it always will.
This reminds me of when I first joined RP. This song was played a lot!! It was the Bombino of it's day.
RIP Joe... gone too soon..
 ChicoCyclist wrote:
I tried PSD three times in a row and ended up on this song.  Sorry, Bill, but three strikes and you're out. Off to Pandora for the rest of the day.  Hear you tomorrow...
 
Hope the door didn't hit you ....
I tried PSD three times in a row and ended up on this song.  Sorry, Bill, but three strikes and you're out. Off to Pandora for the rest of the day.  Hear you tomorrow...
yecchhh! Play something different!
 zepher wrote:
"We gotta take the walls of Jericho
Put your lips together and blow"

If we had the faith of a mustard seed
--->
After the seventh trip around the city on the seventh day, Scripture tells us that the wall “fell flat” (Jos 6:20). A more accurate rendering of the Hebrew word here would be “fell beneath itself.” Is there evidence for such an event at Jericho? It turns out that there is ample evidence that the mudbrick city wall collapsed and was deposited at the base of the stone retaining wall at the time the city met its end.

After the city walls fell, how could the Israelites surmount the 12–15 foot high retaining wall at the base of the tell? Excavations have shown that the bricks from the collapsed walls fell in such a way as to form a ramp against the retaining wall. The Israelites could merely climb up over the pile of rubble, up the embankment, and enter the city. The Bible is very precise in its description of how the Israelites entered the city: “The people went up into the city, every man straight before him” (Jos 6:20, KJV). The Israelites had to go up, and that is what archaeology has revealed. They had to go from ground level at the base of the tell to the top of the rampart in order to enter the city.

But one section remained standing --->
According to the Bible, Rahab’s house was incorporated into the fortification system (Jos 2:15). If the walls fell, how was her house spared? As you recall, the spies had instructed Rahab to bring her family into her house and they would be rescued. When the Israelites stormed the city, Rahab and her family were saved as promised (Jos 6:17, 22–23). At the north end of the tell of Jericho, archaeologists made some astounding discoveries that seem to relate to Rahab.

The German excavation of 1907-1909 found that on the north a short stretch of the lower city wall did not fall as everywhere else. A portion of that mudbrick wall was still standing to a height of 8 ft (Sellin and Watzinger 1973: 58). What is more, there were houses built against the wall! It is quite possible that this is where Rahab’s house was located. Since the city wall formed the back wall of the houses, the spies could have readily escaped. From this location on the north side of the city, it was only a short distance to the hills of the Judean wilderness where the spies hid for three days (Jos 2:16, 22).



 
Somehow I got drawn into reading this 1990 NYT piece within the last five years:

https://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/22/world/believers-score-in-battle-over-the-battle-of-jericho.html

Believers Score in Battle Over the Battle of Jericho
By JOHN NOBLE WILFORD
Published: February 22, 1990

After years of doubt among archeologists, a new analysis of excavations has yielded a wide range of evidence supporting the biblical account about the fall of Jericho. It may well be true that, in the words of the old spiritual, ''Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, and the walls come tumbling down.''

A study of ceramic remnants, royal scarabs, carbon-14 dating, seismic activity in the region and even some ruins of tumbled walls produced what is being called impressive evidence that the fortified city was destroyed in the Late Bronze Age, about 1400 B.C...



 
 Cynaera wrote:
I love this music. Fun, wicked, snarky, totally uninterested in what anyone thinks... It's the music I will take down with me when the world is about to explode and I'm tucked into my bomb-shelter for the long haul.
 

Miss you so much, Cynaera...

everybody in my mushrooming multitude of churches be dancing buck ass naked all across the holy moly world like bowlegged gypsy muleskinners and B.F. Skinner...  we love this splendiferous song...  love sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll... 
Put your lips together and blow!
So... much... AWESOME!!!!! {#Music}{#Dance}
"We gotta take the walls of Jericho
Put your lips together and blow"

If we had the faith of a mustard seed
--->
After the seventh trip around the city on the seventh day, Scripture tells us that the wall “fell flat” (Jos 6:20). A more accurate rendering of the Hebrew word here would be “fell beneath itself.” Is there evidence for such an event at Jericho? It turns out that there is ample evidence that the mudbrick city wall collapsed and was deposited at the base of the stone retaining wall at the time the city met its end.

After the city walls fell, how could the Israelites surmount the 12–15 foot high retaining wall at the base of the tell? Excavations have shown that the bricks from the collapsed walls fell in such a way as to form a ramp against the retaining wall. The Israelites could merely climb up over the pile of rubble, up the embankment, and enter the city. The Bible is very precise in its description of how the Israelites entered the city: “The people went up into the city, every man straight before him” (Jos 6:20, KJV). The Israelites had to go up, and that is what archaeology has revealed. They had to go from ground level at the base of the tell to the top of the rampart in order to enter the city.

But one section remained standing --->
According to the Bible, Rahab’s house was incorporated into the fortification system (Jos 2:15). If the walls fell, how was her house spared? As you recall, the spies had instructed Rahab to bring her family into her house and they would be rescued. When the Israelites stormed the city, Rahab and her family were saved as promised (Jos 6:17, 22–23). At the north end of the tell of Jericho, archaeologists made some astounding discoveries that seem to relate to Rahab.

The German excavation of 1907-1909 found that on the north a short stretch of the lower city wall did not fall as everywhere else. A portion of that mudbrick wall was still standing to a height of 8 ft (Sellin and Watzinger 1973: 58). What is more, there were houses built against the wall! It is quite possible that this is where Rahab’s house was located. Since the city wall formed the back wall of the houses, the spies could have readily escaped. From this location on the north side of the city, it was only a short distance to the hills of the Judean wilderness where the spies hid for three days (Jos 2:16, 22).


I want to give it another ten.  Could I rate again please?
I have always loved how this thing cuts right through to get to just what's wrong with things in an awful lot of places...  Street Core, indeed!
nice segue from chamber bros!...well done!
Very nice

Everybody in my church loves this song...
 
Nice photo, fredriley, and a great idea that I hope will catch on in other places.
 fredriley wrote:
Many years ago, walking on Skye, I got a lump in the throat when I saw the following at the entrance to a wood:

 

Awesome!{#Notworthy}


Gotta chew it over with your wisdom teeth.......
Many years ago, walking on Skye, I got a lump in the throat when I saw the following at the entrance to a wood:

Well Done
Kisses fingertips as I sip a stiff drink while the entire world falls apart.
What an awesome set: Oil, Marley, Chambers, and Joe. Tip o' the hat to RP!!! We are finding our center this morning.
one the few songs the whole famdamaly likes
 Matyx wrote:
Bla... to repetitive
  

And Fever RayIf I Had a Heart, Which you rated a 10, Isn't?
 Poacher wrote:

Good grief, speak English man. . . person. . . bot. . . or whatever you are. 
 
Hear Hear..... the Campaign for Real English begins here
Smokin'! Inventive, different, invites you to listen, and then MAKES you listen.  
miss you joe...
Been a long time since I've been on Radio Paradise. How I've missed you! I'm back and happy to hear this.
 
 Matyx wrote:
cant evn listn 2it
 
Good grief, speak English man. . . person. . . bot. . . or whatever you are. 
7 > 8
Damn RIGHT ! F'in Joe and the boys rockin it..
Happy Birthday Joe! {#Drunk}
 Matyx wrote:
Bla... to repetitive
 



cant evn listn 2it
Bla... to repetitive
wow, never before heard this one.
rocking good!
{#Bananasplit}
My kids rock out to this song

Get Down & get up & shake your wild thing.


Love the whole album
Nice!
Great stuff, almost forgotten about Joe Strummer. Heard this and thought, wow, great stuff, who is it? And then ..... of course!
Love this! Great tune from an under appreciated Rock musician.
Groovin'!
 cc_rider wrote:
Reminds me: tonight I'm putting this album on in the shop while I'm working. Solid groove.
 
I just get so much more work done listening to Joe.
Reminds me: tonight I'm putting this album on in the shop while I'm working. Solid groove.
..is cool...{#Cool}..so are Clash. 

get up Moses...
ROCK!
catchy...
 sirdroseph wrote:
It still blows my mind that this guy came from the Clash{#Puke}. Combination of a tremendous talent being hid in a bad band and him having a later in life overall ephiphany which translated to amazing music! Strummer rocks!{#Notworthy}
 
This qualifies as one of the most hilarious comments ever on this board. 

Oh... its sirroseph, now I understand.

I'm a huge Clash fan, but I have to say that I think Mr. Strummer's work with The Mescaleros at least as good as the best of the Clash.

I listen maybe 4 hours a week to RP, What are the odds I'd here the same song inside of week?

Good song always!  Joe left us too soon!
 Cynaera wrote:
I love this music. Fun, wicked, snarky, totally uninterested in what anyone thinks... It's the music I will take down with me when the world is about to explode and I'm tucked into my bomb-shelter for the long haul. 
  Just a few more days...


Absolute best ever!
The Clash a bad band? Um, okay, Well, that's one poster I don't have to bother reading anymore from.

And to the guy below me talking about new sounds, you know the song's like 9 years old, right? 
Great artist: always new sounds, no nostalgic 
Great Passover song!
 sirdroseph wrote:
It still blows my mind that this guy came from the Clash{#Puke}. Combination of a tremendous talent being hid in a bad band and him having a later in life overall ephiphany which translated to amazing music! Strummer rocks!{#Notworthy}
 
Geez - I'd never have known you didn't like The Clash. {#Rolleyes}  And they were a good band, but to me, an acquired taste.  Strummer dragged his Clash roots with him when he enlisted the Mescaleros.  The bottom line is that he's gone now. He left a legacy that includes a lot of Clash music. You can hate the fact that he was in The Clash, or you can love the fact that he was in The Mescaleros.  Or, you can just appreciate his music in general. (Yes, there are other options, but those are for you to decide.)

I love this music. Fun, wicked, snarky, totally uninterested in what anyone thinks... It's the music I will take down with me when the world is about to explode and I'm tucked into my bomb-shelter for the long haul. 


Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - London Calling, Live (1999)
Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros, live at the Roseland Ballroom in New York, in 1999.

Amazingly badass performance. Must see.

Sorry for the poor video quality - this video predates the broadband era so it inherently looks like garbage. Of course, I encoded the audio at 160kbps and used the AVC codec, so the file conversion is as good as it gets. If anybody has an upgrade, I'll encode it.

This concert also includes filmed performances of Safe European Home, Rudie Can't Fail, White Man in Hammersmith Palais, Tommy Gun, and White Riot.           on Dec 4, 2006


It still blows my mind that this guy came from the Clash{#Puke}. Combination of a tremendous talent being hid in a bad band and him having a later in life overall ephiphany which translated to amazing music! Strummer rocks!{#Notworthy}