Police on My Back explained
| Police on My Back |
| Type: | song |
| Artist: | The Equals |
| Album: | Explosion |
| Released: | December 1967 |
| Recorded: | 1967 |
| Genre: | Funk, soul |
"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]
| Police on My Back |
| Type: | song |
| Artist: | The Clash |
| Album: | Sandinista! |
| B-Side: | The Crooked Beat |
| Recorded: | 12 December 1980 |
| Genre: | Punk rock |
| Prev Title: | The Call Up |
| Prev Title2: | Stop the World |
| Prev Year: | 1980 |
| Title2: | The Crooked Beat |
| Year: | 1980 |
| Next Title: | Hitsville UK |
| Next Title2: | Radio One |
| Next Year: | 1981 |
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, Lethal Bizzle in 2007, 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"
Notes and References
- Web site: The Equals - Equals Explosion (1967, Vinyl) .
- Web site: Police on My Back by The Clash - Track Info AllMusic . AllMusic . 2024-02-12 . en.
- Web site: 2018-02-04 . Daily Dose of Protest: Police On My Back – The Equals . 2024-02-14 . The Ongoing History of Protest Music . en-US.
- Web site: Swanson . Dave. 2014-08-06 . Under Cover: The Clash Have the Police on Their Backs, Thanks to the Equals . 2024-02-14 . Diffuser.fm . en.
- Web site: Interviews . Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & . Murray . Robin . 2018-10-09 . Culture Abuse Tackle 'Police On My Back' . 2024-02-14 . Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews . en-GB.
- Web site: Connelly . Jim . 2015-06-25 . Certain Songs #232: The Clash - "Police on My Back" . 2024-02-14 . Medialoper . en-US.
- Web site: Neale . Matthew . 2020-07-19 . Listen to Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong cover The Equals’ ‘Police On My Back’ . 2024-02-14 . NME . en-GB.
- Stratton . Jon . September 2013 . ‘Police On My Back’ and the postcolonial experience . Social Identities . en . 19 . 5 . 536–551 . 10.1080/13504630.2013.796882 . 1350-4630. 20.500.11937/30636 . free .
- Web site: Becker . Jordan . "Police on My Back" and the postcolonial experience . 14 February 2024.
- Web site: 2018-10-10 . Culture Abuse Release Cover Of Police On My Back . 2024-02-14 . Kerrang! . en.
