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Line 10: Line 10:
| B-side = [[Jail Guitar Doors]]
| B-side = [[Jail Guitar Doors]]
| released = 17 February 1978
| released = 17 February 1978
| recorded = October–November 1977, CBS Studios, London
| recorded = October–November 1977
| studio =
| studio = CBS (London)
| venue =
| venue =
| genre = [[Punk rock]]<ref name="wyman">{{cite web |last1=Wyman |first1=Bill |title=All 139 the Clash Songs, Ranked From Worst to Best |url=https://www.vulture.com/2017/10/all-139-the-clash-songs-ranked-from-worst-to-best.html |website=[[Vulture (magazine)|Vulture]] |date=11 October 2017 |publisher=[[New York (magazine)|New York]] |access-date=March 14, 2023}}</ref>
| genre = [[Punk rock]]
| length = 3:55
| length = 3:55
| label = [[Columbia Records|CBS]] <small>CBS 5834</small>
| label = [[Columbia Records|CBS]]
| writer = [[Joe Strummer]] and [[Mick Jones (The Clash)|Mick Jones]]
| writer = [[Joe Strummer]], [[Mick Jones (The Clash)|Mick Jones]]
| producer = Mickey Foote
| producer = Mickey Foote
| prev_title = [[Complete Control]]
| prev_title = [[Complete Control]]
Line 23: Line 23:
| next_year = 1978
| next_year = 1978
}}
}}
"'''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 (United Kingdom)|pub rock]] days. "Clash City Rockers" was the second of three non-album singles released between the group’s first album and the second album, Give Em Enough Rope.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Needs|first=Kris|title=Joe Strummer and the legend of The Clash|publisher=Plexus|year=2005|isbn=0 85965 348 X|location=London|pages=105-106}}</ref> It was later included as the opening track of the belated US version of the band's [[The Clash (album)|eponymous debut album]].
"'''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 (United Kingdom)|pub rock]] days. "Clash City Rockers" was the second of three non-album singles released between the group's [[The Clash (album)|eponymous first album]] in 1977 and their second album, ''[[Give 'Em Enough Rope]]'' (1978).<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Needs|first=Kris|title=Joe Strummer and the legend of The Clash|publisher=Plexus|year=2005|isbn=0-85965-348-X|location=London|pages=105–106}}</ref> It was later included as the opening track of the belated US version of the band's debut album.


==Background==
==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, [[Paul Simonon]] and [[Mick Jones (The Clash)|Mick Jones]] were not on speaking terms, leaving [[Joe Strummer]] as a middle-man, relaying instructions and insults from one to the other.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Needs|first=Kris|title=Joe Strummer and the legend of The Clash|publisher=Plexus|year=2005|isbn=0 85965 348 X|location=London|pages=105-106}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=The Clash|title=The Clash|publisher=Atlantic Books|year=2008|isbn=9781843547884|location=London|pages=158}}</ref>
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, [[Paul Simonon]] and [[Mick Jones (The Clash)|Mick Jones]] were not on speaking terms, leaving [[Joe Strummer]] as a middle-man, relaying instructions and insults from one to the other.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Needs|first=Kris|title=Joe Strummer and the legend of The Clash|publisher=Plexus|year=2005|isbn=0-85965-348-X|location=London|pages=105–106}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=The Clash|title=The Clash|publisher=Atlantic Books|year=2008|isbn=9781843547884|location=London|pages=158}}</ref>


==Composition==
⚫
In December, producer Mickey Foote (Joe Strummer's old sound-man from the [[The 101ers|101'ers]] and producer of ''[[The Clash (album)|The Clash]]'' and "[[White Riot]]") increased the speed of the tape for the finished master of the song after manager [[Bernie Rhodes]] decided the song sounded "a bit flat." This technique, known as "varispeeding," rendered the song one semitone higher in pitch. Strummer and Jones were in Jamaica at the time. When they heard the finished result, Foote was sacked. With the exception of the 2000 re-issue of the US version of ''The Clash'', the original version of the song (at the proper speed) has been used on every re-release since.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Salewicz|first=Chris|title=Redemption Song - The Definitive Biography Of Joe Strummer|publisher=HarperCollins|year=2007|isbn=9780007172122|location=Great Britain|pages=212}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book|last=Fletcher|first=Tony|title=The Clash - The Music That Matters|publisher=Omnibus Press|year=2012|isbn=9781780383033|location=London|pages=33}}</ref>
⚫
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.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Salewicz|first=Chris|title=Redemption Song - The Definitive Biography Of Joe Strummer|publisher=HarperCollins|year=2007|isbn=9780007172122|location=Great Britain|pages=212}}</ref> Jones has said that the song "was one of the first numbers we did where we really began to stretch and experiment."<ref name="Uncut2015"/>


⚫
The middle part of the song is based on an old nursery rhyme, "[[Oranges and Lemons]]" ("You owe me a move say the bells of St. Groove"), and namechecks [[David Bowie]], [[Gary Glitter]] and [[Prince Far-I]]. The irony of the line "when I am fitter say the bells of Gary Glitter" following [[Gary Glitter#Child pornography arrest and conviction|Glitter's later scandal]] was not lost on Jones, who joked about it in the December 2003 issue of [[Uncut (magazine)|''Uncut'' magazine]]: "The Gary Glitter lyric? Yeah, that was before the internet. [grins]"{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}
⚫
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.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Salewicz|first=Chris|title=Redemption Song - The Definitive Biography Of Joe Strummer|publisher=HarperCollins|year=2007|isbn=9780007172122|location=Great Britain|pages=212}}</ref>


⚫
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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Needs|first=Kris|title=Joe Strummer and the legend of The Clash|publisher=Plexus|year=2005|isbn=0-85965-348-X|location=London|pages=105–106}}</ref> According to Strummer, the "rockers" in the song are not [[rock 'n' roll]]ers: "I was talking about [[one drop rhythm|rockers]] which is a certain [[reggae]] [[rhythm]]".<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Salewicz|first=Chris|title=Redemption Song - The Definitive Biography Of Joe Strummer|publisher=HarperCollins|year=2007|isbn=9780007172122|location=Great Britain|pages=212}}</ref>
⚫
The middle part of the song is based on an old nursery rhyme, "[[Oranges and Lemons]]", and after suggesting the groovers of the day owe them a move ("''You owe me a move say the bells of St. Groove''") namechecks [[David Bowie]], [[Gary Glitter]] and [[Prince Far-I]]; the irony of the line "''when I am fitter say the bells of Gary Glitter''" following [[Gary Glitter#Child pornography arrest and conviction|his scandal]] was not lost on Mick Jones, who joked about it in December 2003 of [[Uncut (magazine)|''Uncut'' magazine]]: "''The Gary Glitter lyric? Yeah, that was before the internet. [grins]''"


The line in the song about reggae artist [[Prince Far I|Prince Far-I]], “No one but you and I say the bells of Prince Far-I”, once again shows the group’s reggae influences.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Needs|first=Kris|title=Joe Strummer and the legend of The Clash|publisher=Plexus|year=2005|isbn=0 85965 348 X|location=London|pages=105-106}}</ref> The “Rockers” in the song are also not motorbiking rock’n’rollers, instead “I was talking about rockers which is a certain reggae rhythm” ([[Joe Strummer]]).<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Salewicz|first=Chris|title=Redemption Song - The Definitive Biography Of Joe Strummer|publisher=HarperCollins|year=2007|isbn=9780007172122|location=Great Britain|pages=212}}</ref>
Despite the reggae references, "Clash City Rockers" is a punk rock song with similarities to early songs by [[the Who]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|last=Fletcher|first=Tony|title=The Clash - The Music That Matters|publisher=Omnibus Press|year=2012|isbn=9781780383033|location=London|pages=33}}</ref> It reinforced the profile and image of the Clash and their fans as being a gang.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Salewicz|first=Chris|title=Redemption Song - The Definitive Biography Of Joe Strummer|publisher=HarperCollins|year=2007|isbn=9780007172122|location=Great Britain|pages=212}}</ref>


==Recording==
⚫
Despite the reggae references, "Clash City Rockers" is a rock song with similarities to early songs by The Who.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|last=Fletcher|first=Tony|title=The Clash - The Music That Matters|publisher=Omnibus Press|year=2012|isbn=9781780383033|location=London|pages=33}}</ref> It reinforced the profile and image of [[The Clash]] and their fans as being a gang.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Salewicz|first=Chris|title=Redemption Song - The Definitive Biography Of Joe Strummer|publisher=HarperCollins|year=2007|isbn=9780007172122|location=Great Britain|pages=212}}</ref>
⚫
In December, producer Mickey Foote—Strummer's old sound-man from the [[The 101ers|101'ers]] and producer of ''[[The Clash (album)|The Clash]]'' and "[[White Riot]]"—increased the speed of the tape for the finished master of the song, after manager [[Bernie Rhodes]] decided the song sounded "a bit flat". This technique, known as "[[pitch control|varispeeding]]", rendered the song one [[semitone]] higher in pitch. Strummer and Jones were in [[Jamaica]] at the time, and when they heard the finished result, they fired Foote. With the exception of the 2000 re-issue of the US version of ''[[The Clash]]'', the original version of the song (at the proper speed) has been used on every re-release since.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Salewicz|first=Chris|title=Redemption Song - The Definitive Biography Of Joe Strummer|publisher=HarperCollins|year=2007|isbn=9780007172122|location=Great Britain|pages=212}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book|last=Fletcher|first=Tony|title=The Clash - The Music That Matters|publisher=Omnibus Press|year=2012|isbn=9781780383033|location=London|pages=33}}</ref>


[[Paul Simonon]] told ''[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]'' magazine in 2015 that the recording sessions on the song were strained due to an argument he had been having with [[Mick Jones (The Clash guitarist)|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 Strummer|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."<ref name="Uncut2015">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2015-03-13 |title=The Clash's 30 best songs |url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/features/the-clashs-30-best-songs-67075/ |work=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]] |location= London |access-date=2023-06-01 }}</ref>
⚫
==Personnel==


==Track listing==
⚫
==="Clash City Rockers"===
* [[Joe Strummer]] - [[lead vocal]], [[pianos]]
All tracks written by [[Joe Strummer]]/[[Mick Jones (The Clash)|Mick Jones]].
; 7" vinyl
⚫
* [[Mick Jones (The Clash)|Mick Jones]] - [[guitars]], [[backing vocals]]
⚫
# "Clash City Rockers" – 3:50
⚫
* [[Paul Simonon]] - [[bass guitar]]
⚫
# "[[Jail Guitar Doors]]" – 3:03
⚫
* [[Topper Headon]] - [[drums]]


⚫
==Personnel==
⚫
==="Jail Guitar Doors"===
;The Clash
* Mick Jones - lead vocals, backing vocal, lead guitar
* Joe Strummer - rhythm guitar, backing vocal
*[[Joe Strummer]] – lead vocal, pianos
⚫
*[[Mick Jones (The Clash)|Mick Jones]] – guitars, backing vocals
* Paul Simonon - bass guitar
⚫
*[[Paul Simonon]] – bass guitar
* Topper Headon - drums
⚫
*[[Topper Headon]] – drums


==Charts==
==Charts==
Line 71: Line 74:
;Sources
;Sources
{{Refbegin}}
{{Refbegin}}
*{{cite book |last=Needs |first=Kris |author-link=Kris Needs |title=Joe Strummer and the legend of The Clash |year=2005 |publisher=Plexus |location=London |isbn=9 780859 653480|oclc=238821052 }}
*{{cite book |last=Needs |first=Kris |author-link=Kris Needs |title=Joe Strummer and the legend of The Clash |year=2005 |publisher=Plexus |location=London |isbn=9-780859-653480|oclc=238821052 }}
* {{Cite book |last=Salewicz |first=Chris |title=Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer |year=2006 |publisher=Faber and Faber|location=New York|isbn=0-571-21178-X |oclc=238839364 |title-link=Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer }}
*{{cite book |last=Topping |first=Keith |author-link=Keith Topping |title=The Complete Clash |orig-year=2003 |edition=2nd |year=2004 |publisher=Reynolds & Hearn |location=Richmond |isbn=1-903111-70-6 |oclc=63129186 }}
*{{cite book |last=Topping |first=Keith |author-link=Keith Topping |title=The Complete Clash |orig-year=2003 |edition=2nd |year=2004 |publisher=Reynolds & Hearn |location=Richmond |isbn=1-903111-70-6 |oclc=63129186 }}
{{Refend}}
{{Refend}}

Latest revision as of 19:21, 4 September 2024

"Clash City Rockers"
Single by The Clash
from the album The Clash (US ver.)
B-side"Jail Guitar Doors"
Released17 February 1978
RecordedOctober–November 1977
StudioCBS (London)
GenrePunk rock[1]
Length3:55
LabelCBS
Songwriter(s)Joe Strummer, Mick Jones
Producer(s)Mickey Foote
The Clash singles chronology
"Complete Control"
(1977) 		"Clash City Rockers"
(1978) 		"(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais"
(1978)

"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

[edit]

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, 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.[2][3]

Composition

[edit]

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, "Oranges and Lemons" ("You owe me a move say the bells of St. Groove"), and namechecks David Bowie, Gary Glitter and Prince Far-I. The irony of the line "when I am fitter say the bells of Gary Glitter" following Glitter's later scandal was not lost on Jones, who joked about it in the December 2003 issue of Uncut magazine: "The Gary Glitter lyric? Yeah, that was before the internet. [grins]"[citation needed]

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.[2] According to Strummer, the "rockers" in the song are not rock 'n' rollers: "I was talking about rockers which is a certain reggae rhythm".[4]

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

[edit]

In December, producer Mickey Foote—Strummer's old sound-man from the 101'ers and producer of The Clash and "White Riot"—increased the speed of the tape for the finished master of the song, after manager Bernie Rhodes decided the song sounded "a bit flat". This technique, known as "varispeeding", rendered the song one semitone higher in pitch. Strummer and Jones were in Jamaica at the time, and when they heard the finished result, they fired Foote. With the exception of the 2000 re-issue of the US version of The Clash, the original version of the song (at the proper speed) has been used on every re-release since.[4][6]

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

[edit]

All tracks written by Joe Strummer/Mick Jones.

7" vinyl
  1. "Clash City Rockers" – 3:50
  2. "Jail Guitar Doors" – 3:03

Personnel

[edit]
The Clash

Charts

[edit]
Chart Peak
position 		Date
UK Singles Chart[7][8] 35 March 1978

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Wyman, Bill (11 October 2017). "All 139 the Clash Songs, Ranked From Worst to Best". Vulture. New York. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Needs, Kris (2005). Joe Strummer and the legend of The Clash. London: Plexus. pp. 105–106. ISBN 0-85965-348-X.
  3. ^ The Clash (2008). The Clash. London: Atlantic Books. p. 158. ISBN 9781843547884.
  4. ^ a b c d Salewicz, Chris (2007). Redemption Song - The Definitive Biography Of Joe Strummer. Great Britain: HarperCollins. p. 212. ISBN 9780007172122.
  5. ^ a b "The Clash's 30 best songs". Uncut. London. 13 March 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  6. ^ a b Fletcher, Tony (2012). The Clash - The Music That Matters. London: Omnibus Press. p. 33. ISBN 9781780383033.
  7. ^ "Artist: The Clash". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  8. ^ "Clash Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
Sources
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