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"Going Underground"
Single by The Jam
B-side(s)	The Dreams of Children
Released	1980-03-10
Format	7" vinyl
Genre	Mod Revival
Length	2:50
Label	Polydor (UK)
Writer(s)	Paul Weller
Producer(s)	Vic Coppersmith-Heaven
Chart positions
#1 (UK Singles Chart)
The Jam singles chronology
"The Eton Rifles" (1979)	"Going Underground" (1980)	"Start!" (1980)

"Going Underground" was the first British number one chart single by The Jam, released in March 1980. It went straight in at number one, a rare feat at the time, and spent three weeks at the top. It was the first of three instant chart-toppers for the group.

The song was not released on any of the band's six studio albums initially, although it has appeared on many compilation/re-releases since then. The single's B-side was The Dreams of Children, which had originally been intended to be the A-side; following a mix-up at the pressing plant, the single became a double-A-side, and DJs tended to choose the more melodic "Going Underground" to play on the radio.

The song provided the inspiration for the Nemesis the Warlock character in the weekly comic book 2000 AD.^[1] The song was parodied in 2004 as "London Underground", a humorous song full of abuse at the London Underground Strike. It was also turned into "Go England" by Virgin Radio for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.^[2] In March 2005, Q magazine placed "Going Underground" at number 73 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.

The song was written as an indictment of the British government's policy on arms.

You want more money of course I don't mind / To buy nuclear textbooks for Atomic crimes

This line is a reference to the UK's policy on nuclear weapons, whereas

You'll see kidney machines replaced by rockets and guns

claims that the consequence of the (unnecessary, in Weller's view) increase in defense spending will be a reduction in public services, such as health care (hence kidney machines).

The song has been used as the theme song for Air America Radio's The Majority Report.

There is a record store and website based out of Bakersfield, CA called Going Underground Records.^[3]

There is a website and blog about the London Underground called "Going Underground".^[4]

1. ^ [1] Reference from 2000AD website
2. ^ Going Underground. The Truck Driver's Gear Change Hall of Shame. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
3. ^ [2]
4. ^ [3] [4]

Preceded by "Together We Are Beautiful" by Fern Kinney

UK number one single March 16, 1980

Succeeded by "Working My Way Back To You" by The Detroit Spinners