From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Police on My Back " is a 1967 song originally released by
The Equals from their second studio album
Explosion . In 1980, the song was covered by
The Clash .
"Police on My Back" was written by
Eddy Grant and recorded by his band The Equals for their second studio album Explosion in December 1967.
[1]
In 1980,
the Clash recorded a cover version of the song for their album
Sandinista! ,
[2]
[3] and turned "the mid-paced soul-pop song into a charged-up, full-powered rocker".
[4] Their version featured guitarist
Mick Jones on lead vocals. Their version of the song was only released in Australia, and was described as a "punk anthem at a time of political and social repression", and as their "most full-throated rock song since
I Fought The Law ."
[5]
[6]
The song was also covered by
Billie Joe Armstrong of
Green Day in 2020, during the coronavirus lockdown.
[7]
The song was described as being: "an expression of Jamaican rude boy culture".
[8]
[9] The song has been covered a number of times over the years, including
Zebda in 2003,
Asian Dub Foundation ,
[9]
Lethal Bizzle in 2007,
[9] and more recently,
Culture Abuse in 2018.
[10]
Personnel
The Equals
Derv Gordon – lead vocals
Eddy Grant – lead guitar
Pat Lloyd – rhythm guitar
Lincoln Gordon – rhythm guitar, bass
John Hall – drums
The Clash
Joe Strummer – lead and backing vocals, guitar, keyboards
Mick Jones – guitar, keyboards, lead and backing vocals
Paul Simonon – bass guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "The Crooked Beat"
Topper Headon – drums, lead vocals on "Ivan Meets G.I. Joe" and backing vocals in "The Sound of Sinners"
References
^
"The Equals - Equals Explosion (1967, Vinyl)" .
^
"Police on My Back by The Clash - Track Info | AllMusic" . AllMusic. Retrieved 2024-02-12 .
^
"Daily Dose of Protest: Police On My Back – The Equals" . The Ongoing History of Protest Music . 2018-02-04. Retrieved 2024-02-14 .
^ Swanson, Dave (2014-08-06).
"Under Cover: The Clash Have the Police on Their Backs, Thanks to the Equals" . Diffuser.fm . Retrieved 2024-02-14 .
^ Interviews, Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews &; Murray, Robin (2018-10-09).
"Culture Abuse Tackle 'Police On My Back' " . Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews . Retrieved 2024-02-14 . {{
cite web }}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link )
^ Connelly, Jim (2015-06-25).
"Certain Songs #232: The Clash - "Police on My Back" " . Medialoper . Retrieved 2024-02-14 .
^ Neale, Matthew (2020-07-19).
"Listen to Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong cover The Equals' 'Police On My Back' " . NME . Retrieved 2024-02-14 .
^ Stratton, Jon (September 2013).
" 'Police On My Back' and the postcolonial experience" . Social Identities . 19 (5): 536–551.
doi :
10.1080/13504630.2013.796882 .
hdl :
20.500.11937/30636 .
ISSN
1350-4630 .
^
a
b
c Becker, Jordan.
" "Police on My Back" and the postcolonial experience" (PDF) . Retrieved 14 February 2024 .
^
"Culture Abuse Release Cover Of Police On My Back" . Kerrang! . 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2024-02-14 .
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