| Artist | the Equals |
|---|---|
| Album | Explosion |
| Released | December 1967 |
| Recorded | 1967 |
| Genre | Funk, soul |
| Writer | Eddy Grant |
"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.
| Artist | the Clash |
|---|---|
| Album | Sandinista! |
| B-side | The Crooked Beat |
| Recorded | 12 December 1980 |
| Genre | Punk rock |
| Prev year | 1980 |
| Title 2 | The Crooked Beat |
| Year | 1980 |
| Next year | 1981 |
In 1980, the Clash recorded a cover version of the song for their album Sandinista!,[1][2] and turned "the mid-paced soul-pop song into a charged-up, full-powered rocker".[3] Their version featured guitarist Mick Jones on lead vocals, and was released as a single, but only in Australia. It 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'."[4][5]
The song was also covered by Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day in 2020, during the coronavirus lockdown.[6]
The song was described as being: "an expression of Jamaican rude boy culture".[7][8] The song has been covered a number of times over the years, including Zebda in 2003, Asian Dub Foundation,[8] Lethal Bizzle in 2007,[8] and more recently, Culture Abuse in 2018.[9]
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
References
- ^ "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.
- ^ 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
- ^ Becker, Jordan. ""Police on My Back" and the postcolonial experience". Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ "Culture Abuse Release Cover Of Police On My Back". Kerrang!. 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2024-02-14.