Clash City Rockers
Encyclopedia
"Clash City Rockers" is a song and single by The Clash
. First released in February 1978 with the b-side "Jail Guitar Doors
," a re-worked version of a song from Joe Strummer
's pub rock
days, it was later included as the opening track of the belated US version of the band's eponymous debut album
.
The song was first played live in at Mont De Marsan (Landes - France), in August 1977 and recorded the same year in the band's October and November sessions in CBS studios. Following an argument at the end of the band's Get Out of Control Tour, Paul Simonon
and Mick Jones
were not on speaking terms, leaving Joe Strummer
as a middle-man, relaying instructions and insults from one to the other. The song was edited in December by producer Mickey Foote (Joe Strummer's old sound-man from the 101'ers
and producer of The Clash
and "White Riot
") after manager Bernie Rhodes
decided it sounded 'a bit flat' rendering the song one semitone higher in pitch. Strummer and Jones were in Jamaica at the time. With the exception of the 2000 re-issue of the US version of The Clash, the original mix of the song has been used on every re-release since.
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. The middle part of the song is based on an old nursery rhyme, "Oranges and Lemons
", and namechecks The Move
, The Groove
, David Bowie
, Gary Glitter
and Prince Far-I; the irony of the line "when I am fitter say the bells of Gary Glitter" following his scandal was not lost on Mick Jones, who joked about it in December 2003 of Uncut magazine
:
The main riff is very reminiscent to The Who
's debut single, "I Can't Explain
"'s main riff, and sounds like it has been expanded by The Clash. This riff was reworked by the band again for "Guns on the Roof" on their second album Give 'Em Enough Rope.
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
. First released in February 1978 with the b-side "Jail Guitar Doors
Jail Guitar Doors
"Jail Guitar Doors" is a song by The Clash, recorded during October and November 1977 and released on February 17, 1978 as the b-side of their fourth single "Clash City Rockers". The song is featured on the U.S...
," a re-worked version of a song from Joe Strummer
Joe Strummer
John Graham Mellor , best remembered by his stage name Joe Strummer, was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of the British punk rock band The Clash. His musical experience included his membership in The 101ers, Latino Rockabilly War, The Mescaleros and The Pogues, in...
's pub rock
Pub rock (UK)
Pub rock was a rock music genre that developed in the mid 1970s in the United Kingdom. A back-to-basics movement, pub rock was a reaction against progressive and glam rock. Although short-lived, pub rock was notable for rejecting stadium venues and for returning live rock to the small pubs and...
days, it was later included as the opening track of the belated US version of the band's eponymous debut album
The Clash (album)
The album received positive reviews from critics and peaked at number 12 in the UK charts. In December 1979, critic Robert Christgau named it his favorite album of the 1970s....
.
The song was first played live in at Mont De Marsan (Landes - France), in August 1977 and recorded the same year in the band's October and November sessions in CBS studios. Following an argument at the end of the band's Get Out of Control Tour, Paul Simonon
Paul Simonon
Paul Gustave Simonon is an English musician and artist best known as the bass guitarist for punk rock band The Clash. Recent work includes his involvement in the album The Good, the Bad & the Queen with Damon Albarn, Simon Tong and Tony Allen, released in January 2007...
and Mick Jones
Mick Jones (The Clash)
Michael Geoffrey "Mick" Jones is the former lead guitarist, secondary vocalist and co-founder for the British punk rock band The Clash until his dismissal in 1983. He went on to form the band Big Audio Dynamite with Don Letts before line-up changes led to the formation of Big Audio Dynamite II and...
were not on speaking terms, leaving Joe Strummer
Joe Strummer
John Graham Mellor , best remembered by his stage name Joe Strummer, was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of the British punk rock band The Clash. His musical experience included his membership in The 101ers, Latino Rockabilly War, The Mescaleros and The Pogues, in...
as a middle-man, relaying instructions and insults from one to the other. The song was edited in December by producer Mickey Foote (Joe Strummer's old sound-man from the 101'ers
The 101ers
The 101ers were a pub rock band from the 1970s, notable as being the band that Joe Strummer left to join The Clash. Formed in London in May 1974, the 101ers made their performing debut on 7 September at the Telegraph pub in Brixton, under the name El Huaso and the 101 All Stars. The name would...
and producer of The Clash
The Clash (album)
The album received positive reviews from critics and peaked at number 12 in the UK charts. In December 1979, critic Robert Christgau named it his favorite album of the 1970s....
and "White Riot
White Riot
"White Riot" is a song by English punk rock band The Clash, released as the band's first single in 1977 and also featured on their debut album. There are two versions: the single version , and a different version on the UK album...
") after manager Bernie Rhodes
Bernie Rhodes
Bernard Rhodes is the former manager of English punk rock band The Clash. He previously worked with Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren and once claimed to have "invented punk".-Management:...
decided it sounded 'a bit flat' rendering the song one semitone higher in pitch. Strummer and Jones were in Jamaica at the time. With the exception of the 2000 re-issue of the US version of The Clash, the original mix of the song has been used on every re-release since.
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. The middle part of the song is based on an old nursery rhyme, "Oranges and Lemons
Oranges and Lemons
"Oranges and Lemons" is an English nursery rhyme and singing game which refers to the bells of several churches, all within or close to the City of London. It is listed in the Roud Folk Song Index as #3190.-Lyrics:Common modern versions include:...
", and namechecks The Move
The Move
The Move, from Birmingham, England, were one of the leading British rock bands of the 1960s. They scored nine Top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any success in the United States....
, The Groove
The Groove (band)
Formed in mid 1967, The Groove are considered to be Australia's first "supergroup" in that all members had considerable experience behind them in a number of successful bands...
, David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, Gary Glitter
Gary Glitter
Gary Glitter is an English former glam rock singer-songwriter and musician.Glitter first came to prominence in the glam rock era of the early 1970s...
and Prince Far-I; the irony of the line "when I am fitter say the bells of Gary Glitter" following his scandal was not lost on Mick Jones, who joked about it in December 2003 of Uncut magazine
UNCUT (magazine)
Uncut magazine, trademarked as UNCUT, is a monthly publication based in London. It is available across the English-speaking world, and focuses on music, but also includes film and books sections...
:
- "The Gary Glitter lyric? Yeah, that was before the internet. [grins]"
The main riff is very reminiscent to The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
's debut single, "I Can't Explain
I Can't Explain
"I Can't Explain" is a song by the English rock band The Who, written by Pete Townshend, and produced by Shel Talmy. The song was issued as a single in December 1964 in the United States and on 15 January 1965 in the United Kingdom.-Background:...
"'s main riff, and sounds like it has been expanded by The Clash. This riff was reworked by the band again for "Guns on the Roof" on their second album Give 'Em Enough Rope.
Charts
|