Is Free Chord Book really free?

Yes. Free Chord Book is 100% free with no sign-up required. Access 670,000+ guitar chords, tabs, and lyrics for every song you want to learn.

How do I transpose chords to a different key?

Open any song and use the transpose buttons to move every chord up or down by half-steps. Perfect for singers who need a different key or capo players.

Can I see chord diagrams while I play?

Yes. Tap any chord in a song to instantly see its interactive guitar chord diagram, including alternate fingerings and variations.

What's the difference between guitar chords and guitar tabs?

Chords show you which strings to strum together (great for rhythm playing and singing). Tabs (tablature) show you exact note-by-note fingerings, which is great for solos, riffs, and fingerpicking.

Does Free Chord Book work on mobile?

Yes. Free Chord Book is fully responsive and works on phones, tablets, and desktops. Use auto-scroll to play hands-free. There is also a free iPhone app (The Chord Book) and Android app (Free Chords).

Is there an iPhone or Android app?

Yes. Download The Chord Book on the Apple App Store and Free Chords on Google Play. Same 670,000+ songs, transpose, tuner, and auto-scroll — 100% free.

Can I print guitar chords?

Yes. Open any song and tap the Print button next to Save. You'll get a branded chord sheet with the Chord Book logo, ready for practice.

Is there a built-in guitar tuner?

Yes. Free Chord Book includes a free online guitar tuner that uses your microphone and YIN pitch detection for accurate tuning in standard and alternate tunings.

How many songs are available?

Over 670,000 songs with chords, tabs, and lyrics — covering every genre, from rock and pop to country, indie, folk, and Hebrew songs.

Is Free Chord Book a good alternative to Ultimate Guitar?

Yes. Free Chord Book is a fast, ad-free, 100% free alternative to Ultimate Guitar with interactive chord diagrams, instant transpose, auto-scroll, and a built-in tuner — no account required.

SavedFavorites

Clampdown

Chords

5.0112 votes

Listen

YouTubeYouTube SpotifySpotify AppleApple Music

Font15

KeyOriginal

Chords

Scroll

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

[intro:]  in open chords
 Amaj7l:   A    Amaj7    A/F#   A/E:l
the added F# and E are played on the low E string with a muted A string
Dwhat are we gonna dEo nAow?
taAking off his Dturban they say Gis this man a AJew   working for the DclampAdown
they put a Dposter saying "GWe earn more than Ayou"  we"re working for the
DclampAdown
we will Dteach our twisted Gspeech  to the young beDlieAvers
we will Dtrain our blue eyed Gmen   to be young beDlieAvers
The judge Asaid five to Dten but I said Gdouble it aAgain I'm not working for
        D      A(A-G-A)
the clampdown
ANo man bDorn with a Gliving Asoul  can be working for the DclampAdown
DKick over the wall 'cause Ggovernments gonna fall  How can we refDuse iAt?
DLet fury have to hour, Ganger can be power if you know it you can Duse Ait
 A   G#   F#        E                E  E/                  G#  A  
           the voices in your head are calling stop wasting your time ,
theres nothing coming
Eonly a fool can E/G#think someone can sAave you
the Emen in the factry are E/G#old and cunning  you Adon't own nothing  boy get
                                   E                E/G#         A<<<  E  
runnin'  its the best years of your life they want to steal
            A        D          G                        A      D       A(A-G-A)
But you grow up and you clam down,  Working for the clampdown
AYou start Dwearing GBlue and ABrown and working for the DclampAdown
DSo you got someone to Gboss around  make you feel Dbig Anow
DYou drift until you Gbrutilize you  made your first Dkill Anow
AIn these Ddays of eGvil presiAdentes  working for the DclampAdown
ABut lately one or Dtwo has fuGlly paid thier Adue  working for the DclampAdown
l:                               G      D      A:l
l: Ha longy long  Working for the Clampdown :l
 F#(bar)                   D        A( slide to  Bthen to G)
Yeah working hard in Hairrisburg
                   F#       D         A(  Aslide to D)
yeah working hard in Petersburg
GWorking for the DClampAdown
various a sundry words that fade out all with the background of
l:        F#     D  A:l
l:         G     D  A:l
Its up to you to finish the song with a little more "Piss" then is on the
album   Tra-la

All chords in this song (11)

The story behind the song

"Clampdown" dives into the feelings of youth confronting societal pressures, urging them not to abandon their ideals. The song, which began as an instrumental track called "Working and Waiting," critiques those who have given up on youthful idealism, pushing young people to challenge the established order. The "clampdown" itself is a term the writers used to describe the oppressive Establishment, particularly those voices calling for government and law enforcement to crack down on perceived threats to society. At its heart, it's a call to resist conformity and fight for what you believe in.

AI-written from these sources:Clampdown — Wikipedia ↗The Clash — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

🎸 Tips from players

Got a tip for playing this song — capo position, easier chords, strumming? Be the first to share one.

Chord Book

670,000+ free guitar chords · free-chords.com

Clampdown

by The Clash

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Amaj7

A/F#

A/E

E/G#

[intro:] in open chords

Amaj7 A Amaj7 A/F# A/E

l: :l

the added F# and E are played on the low E string with a muted A string

D E A

what are we gonna do now?

A D G A D A

taking off his turban they say is this man a Jew working for the clampdown

D G A

they put a poster saying "We earn more than you" we"re working for the

D A

clampdown

D G D A

we will teach our twisted speech to the young believers

D G D A

we will train our blue eyed men to be young believers

A D G A

The judge said five to ten but I said double it again I'm not working for

D A A G A

(--)

the clampdown

A D G A D A

No man born with a living soul can be working for the clampdown

D G D A

Kick over the wall 'cause governments gonna fall How can we refuse it?

D G D A

Let fury have to hour, anger can be power if you know it you can use it

A G# F# E E E G# A

the voices in your head are calling stop wasting your time ,

theres nothing coming

E E/G# A

only a fool can think someone can save you

E E/G# A

the men in the factry are old and cunning you don't own nothing boy get

E E/G# A E

<<<

runnin' its the best years of your life they want to steal

A D G A D A A G A

(--)

But you grow up and you clam down, Working for the clampdown

A D G A D A

You start wearing Blue and Brown and working for the clampdown

D G D A

So you got someone to boss around make you feel big now

D G D A

You drift until you brutilize you made your first kill now

A D G A D A

In these days of evil presidentes working for the clampdown

A D G A D A

But lately one or two has fully paid thier due working for the clampdown

G D A

l: :l

l: Ha longy long Working for the Clampdown :l

F# D A B G

(bar) ( slide to then to )

Yeah working hard in Hairrisburg

F# D A A D

( slide to )

yeah working hard in Petersburg

G D A

Working for the Clampdown

various a sundry words that fade out all with the background of

F# D A

l: :l

G D A

l: :l

Its up to you to finish the song with a little more "Piss" then is on the

album Tra-la

About Clampdown Chords by The Clash

Learn how to play Clampdown by The Clash with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Clampdown chords”, “Clampdown guitar chords”, or “The Clash Clampdown chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Clampdown chords and for experienced players who want accurate Clampdown lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Amaj7, A, A/F#, A/E, F, E.

FAQ — Clampdown by The Clash

How do I play "Clampdown" by The Clash on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Clampdown" by The Clash on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "Clampdown" by The Clash free?

Yes. The chords for "Clampdown" by The Clash are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Clampdown" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Clampdown" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Clampdown"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Clampdown" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Clampdown" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Clampdown" by The Clash with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by The Clash below.

What key is "Clampdown" in?

The chords for "Clampdown" show the original chord names (including Amaj7, A, A/F#, A/E, F, E). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.