Clash City Rockers
"Clash City Rockers" | ||||
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Mick Jones | ||||
Producer(s) | Mickey Foote | |||
The Clash singles chronology | ||||
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"Clash City Rockers" is a song by English rock band the Clash. It was first released in February 1978 as a single with the B-side "Jail Guitar Doors", the latter a re-worked version of a song from Joe Strummer's pub rock days. "Clash City Rockers" was the second of three non-album singles released between the group's eponymous first album in 1977 and their second album, Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978).[2] It was later included as the opening track of the belated US version of the band's debut album.
Background
The song was first played live at Mont De Marsan (Landes, France), in August 1977, and recorded the same year in the band's October and November sessions at CBS Studios. Following an argument at the end of the band's Get Out of Control Tour,
Composition
The Clash's first overt attempt at self-mythology, "Clash City Rockers" is, by and large, a song about positivity and moving forward, and revisits themes common in Clash songs of the era, specifically dead-end employment and having a purpose in life.[4] Jones has said that the song "was one of the first numbers we did where we really began to stretch and experiment."[5]
The middle part of the song is based on an old nursery rhyme, "
The line in the song about reggae artist Prince Far-I, "No one but you and I say the bells of Prince Far-I", once again shows the group's reggae influences.
Despite the reggae references, "Clash City Rockers" is a punk rock song with similarities to early songs by the Who.[6] It reinforced the profile and image of the Clash and their fans as being a gang.[4]
Recording
In December, producer Mickey Foote—Strummer's old sound-man from the
Paul Simonon told Uncut magazine in 2015 that the recording sessions on the song were strained due to an argument he had been having with Mick Jones: "I seem to remember that, when we did 'Clash City Rockers', him and me had had a row. I was in one corner of the studio and Mick was in the other. He had to tell Joe what the chords were so he could come over and tell me. The guy who was recording it didn’t know what was going on cos of this weird communication breakdown."[5]
Track listing
All tracks written by
- 7" vinyl
- "Clash City Rockers" – 3:50
- "Jail Guitar Doors" – 3:03
Personnel
- The Clash
- Joe Strummer – lead vocal, pianos
- Mick Jones– guitars, backing vocals
- Paul Simonon – bass guitar
- Topper Headon – drums
Charts
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References
- Vulture. New York. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
- ^ ISBN 0-85965-348-X.
- ISBN 9781843547884.
- ^ ISBN 9780007172122.
- ^ a b "The Clash's 30 best songs". Uncut. London. 13 March 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ^ ISBN 9781780383033.
- ^ "Artist: The Clash". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- ^ "Clash Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- Sources