In the album liner notes to Clash on Broadway, Joe [bad word] explained that he believed terrorists probably enjoy reading about their killings in the news, just like musicians or movie stars like to read reviews of their works. In a discussion with NME's Gavin Martin, he described thus: "I was saying us rock 'n' rollers are all posers and egomaniacs, but we know that terrorists are as bad, or worse than we are. They definitely love to read their own press... I know they dedicate their life to a cause, but they're always posing for pictures."

tommy gun
you ain't happy less you got one
tommy gun
ain't gonna shoot the place up
just for fun
maybe he wants to die for the money
maybe he wants to kill for his country
whatever he wants, he's gonna get it!

tommy gun
you better strip it down for a [bad word] tommy gun
waiting in the airport 'till [bad word] an' we can watch you make it
on the nine o'clock news
standing there in palestine lighting the fuse
whatever you want, you're gonna get it

tommy gun
you'll be dead when your war is won
tommy gun
but did you have to gun down everyone?
i can see it's kill or be killed
a nation of destiny has got to be fulfilled
whatever you want, you're gonna get it!

tommy gun
you can be a hero in an age of none
tommy gun
i'm cutting out your picture from page one
i'm gonna get a jacket just like yours
an' give my false support to your cause
whatever you want, you're gonna get it!

okay, so let's agree about the price
and make it one jet airliner for ten prisoners
boats an' tanks and planes, it's your game
kings an' queens an' generals learn your name
i see all the innocents, the human sacrifice
and if [bad word] so cheap
then the same goes for life!