The Magnificent Seven (song)

Last updated

"The Magnificent Seven"
Mag seven cheeseboiger.png
UK vinyl single showing a clock set to 7:00 a.m., as in the song's lyrics
Single by the Clash
from the album Sandinista!
B-side "The Magnificent Dance"
Released10 April 1981 (U.K.)
RecordedApril 1980
Studio Electric Lady, New York
Genre
Length5:33
Label CBS
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) The Clash
The Clash singles chronology
"Hitsville UK"
(1981)		"The Magnificent Seven"
(1981)		"This Is Radio Clash"
(1981)

"The Magnificent Seven" is a song by the English punk rock band the Clash. Released in 1981, it was the third single from the Clash's fourth album, Sandinista! . It reached number 34 on the UK Singles Chart. [3]

Contents

Composition

The song was inspired by old school hip hop acts from New York City, like the Sugarhill Gang and Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five. [4] Rap was still a new and emerging music genre at the time, and the band, especially Mick Jones, was very impressed with it, so much so that Jones took to carrying a boombox around and got the nickname "Whack Attack".

"The Magnificent Seven" was recorded in April 1980 at Electric Lady Studios in New York City, built around a funky bass loop played by Norman Watt-Roy [5] of the Blockheads. Joe Strummer wrote the words on the spot, a technique that was also used to create Sandinista!'s other rap track, "Lightning Strikes (Not Once But Twice)". This white rap single is earlier than Blondie's "Rapture" by six months. Strummer said of the group's encounter with hip hop:

When we came to the U.S., Mick stumbled upon a music shop in Brooklyn that carried the music of Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five, the Sugar Hill Gang...these groups were radically changing music and they changed everything for us. [4]

Though it failed to chart in America, the song was a hit on underground and college radio. Music critic Jeff Chang wrote that in New York City, the song "had become an unlikely hit on the Black radio station, WBLS." [6] Also popular were various dance remixes, including the official B-side ("The Magnificent Dance") and original DJ remixes. WBLS' "Dirty Harry" remix appears on various Clash bootlegs, including Clash on Broadway Disc 4: The Outtakes.

The single was reissued in 1981 with "Stop the World" as its B-side and with different sleeve art.

The Magnificent Dance

"The Magnificent Dance", released on 12 April 1981 by CBS in 12-inch single format, [3] is the dance remix of "The Magnificent Seven". The maxi single was released in the UK featuring an edited version of "The Magnificent Seven" on side A, and in the U.S., where it was backed with the extended version of "The Cool Out". [3] It is credited to "Pepe Unidos", a pseudonym for Strummer, Paul Simonon and manager Bernie Rhodes. "Pepe Unidos" also produced "The Cool Out", a remix of "The Call Up". This dance version "definitely capitalized on the funky groove of the original, adding in some very cool drumming." [7]

In 2015, Pitchfork Media included the song on its "Early 80's Disco" playlist, saying "if they were bored with the USA in 1977, four years on, they were also bored with both punk and rock. Instead, they became infatuated with NYC street culture, from early hip-hop to post-disco. This dubbed-out disco remix of the lead track off of Sandinista! was a club hit and the record Larry Levan would use to fine tune the sound system at the Paradise Garage." [8]

Track listing

All tracks written by Mick Jones/Joe Strummer/Topper Headon/Norman Watt-Roy/Mickey Gallagher; except where indicated. "The Magnificent Seven" originally solely credited to The Clash.

7" vinyl (Europe)
  1. "The Magnificent Seven" – 3:33
  2. "The Magnificent Dance" – 3:26
7" vinyl (North America) / 12" vinyl (UK)
  1. "The Magnificent Seven" – 4:22
  2. "The Magnificent Dance" – 5:29
12" vinyl (Europe)
  1. "The Magnificent Seven (Special Remix)" – 2:16
  2. "The Magnificent Dance" – 5:29
  3. "The Call Up" (The Clash) – 4:50
  4. "The Cool Out" (The Clash) – 2:57
12" vinyl (US)
  1. "The Call Up" (The Clash) – 4:50
  2. "The Cool Out" (The Clash) – 2:57
  3. "The Magnificent Dance" – 5:36
  4. "The Magnificent Seven" – 2:16
12" vinyl promo (US)
  1. "The Magnificent Seven" – 5:31
  2. "Lightning Strikes (Not Once But Twice) (The Clash) – 4:49
  3. "One More Time" (The Clash/Mikey Dread) – 3:32
  4. "One More Dub" (The Clash/Mikey Dread) – 3:34

Personnel

Charts

YearChartPeak
position
UK Singles Chart [9] 34
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [10] 18
Dutch Single Chart [11] 21
US Billboard Club Play Singles [12] 21

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Clash</span> English punk rock band

The Clash were an English rock band that formed in London in 1976 and were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. The band were billed as "The Only Band That Matters"; they contributed to the post-punk and new wave movements that followed punk. The Clash used elements of a variety of genres, including reggae, dub, funk, ska, and rockabilly. For most of their recording career, The Clash consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Joe Strummer, lead guitarist and vocalist Mick Jones, bassist Paul Simonon, and drummer Nicky "Topper" Headon.

<i>Sandinista!</i> 1980 studio album by the Clash

Sandinista! is the fourth studio album by the English punk rock band the Clash. It was released on 12 December 1980 as a triple album containing 36 tracks, with 6 songs on each side. It crosses various genres including funk, reggae, jazz, gospel, rockabilly, folk, dub, rhythm and blues, calypso, disco, and rap. For the first time, the band's songs were credited to the Clash as a group, rather than to Joe Strummer and Mick Jones. The band agreed to a decrease in album royalties in order to release the 3-LP at a low price.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Simonon</span> English musician and artist (born 1955)

Paul Gustave Simonon is an English musician and artist best known as the bassist for the Clash. More recent work includes his involvement in the supergroup the Good, the Bad & the Queen and playing on the Gorillaz album Plastic Beach in 2010, which saw Simonon reunite with The Clash guitarist Mick Jones and Blur frontman Damon Albarn – and which also led to Simonon becoming the live band's touring bassist for Gorillaz's Escape to Plastic Beach Tour. Simonon is also an established visual artist.

<i>Combat Rock</i> 1982 studio album by the Clash

Combat Rock is the fifth studio album by the English rock band the Clash, released on 14 May 1982 through CBS Records. In the United Kingdom, the album charted at number 2, spending 23 weeks in the UK charts and peaked at number 7 in the United States, spending 61 weeks on the chart. The album was propelled by drummer Topper Headon's "Rock the Casbah" which became a staple on the newly launched MTV. Combat Rock continued the influence of funk and reggae like previous Clash albums, but also featured a more radio-friendly sound which alienated Clash fans. While the recording process went smoothly, the producing process of the album was tiring and full of infighting between Mick Jones and Joe Strummer. Headon's heroin addiction grew worse and he slowly became distant from the band while Strummer and bassist Paul Simonon reinstated Bernie Rhodes as manager, a move unwelcomed by Jones. The band had disagreed on the creative process of the album and called in Glyn Johns to produce the more radio-friendly sound of Combat Rock. Lyrically, Combat Rock focuses on the Vietnam War, postcolonialism, the decline of American society, and authoritarianism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Topper Headon</span> British drummer

Nicholas Bowen "Topper" Headon is an English drummer and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the drummer of punk rock band the Clash. Known for his contributions to the drumming world, Headon was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the rest of The Clash in 2003.

<i>Cut the Crap</i> 1985 studio album by the Clash

Cut the Crap is the sixth and final studio album by the English punk band the Clash, released on 4 November 1985 by CBS Records. It was recorded in early 1985 at Weryton Studios, Munich, following a turbulent period: co-founder, lead guitarist and co-principal songwriter Mick Jones and drummer Topper Headon had been dismissed by lead vocalist Joe Strummer and bassist Paul Simonon. Jones and Headon were replaced by three unknowns: guitarists Vince White and Nick Sheppard and drummer Pete Howard. During the tense recording sessions, Clash manager Bernie Rhodes and Strummer fought each other for control over the band's songwriting and musical direction.

Super Black Market Clash is a 1993 compilation album released by the English punk rock band The Clash. It contains B-sides and rare tracks not available on the group's regular studio albums. The album is an expanded repackaging of the 1980 release Black Market Clash, a 10-inch EP containing nine songs. The man in the foreground of the front cover art on both releases is Don Letts, who worked with The Clash on several projects and later was a founding member of Big Audio Dynamite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock the Casbah</span> 1982 single by The Clash

"Rock the Casbah" is a song by the English punk rock band The Clash, released in 1982 as the second single from their fifth album, Combat Rock. It reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US and, along with the track "Mustapha Dance", it also reached number eight on the dance chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais</span> 1978 single by The Clash

"(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" is a song by the English punk rock band the Clash. It was originally released as a 7-inch single, with the b-side "The Prisoner", on 16 June 1978 through CBS Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Clash discography</span>

The discography of the British punk rock band the Clash consists of six studio albums, two extended plays, two live albums and 31 singles.

Bernard Rhodes is a designer, band manager, studio owner, record producer and songwriter who was integral to the development of the punk rock scene in the United Kingdom from the middle 1970s. He is most associated with two of the UK's best known and influential punk bands, the Sex Pistols and The Clash. According to John Lydon, Rhodes was responsible for discovering him in the Kings Road and arranging the audition which led to his joining the Sex Pistols. Rhodes introduced Joe Strummer to Mick Jones and Paul Simonon, who with Keith Levene then formed The Clash.

"I'm So Bored with the U.S.A." is a song by British punk rock band the Clash, featured on their critically acclaimed 1977 debut album, which was released in the United States in July 1979 as their second album after Give 'Em Enough Rope. It was the album's third track in the original version and second in the US version.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hitsville UK</span> 1981 single by The Clash

"Hitsville U.K." is a song by the English punk rock band the Clash from their 1980 album Sandinista!. A duet between lead guitarist Mick Jones and his then-girlfriend Ellen Foley, it is the second single released from the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommy Gun (song)</span> 1978 single by The Clash

"Tommy Gun" is a song by the British punk rock band The Clash, released as the first single from their second album Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Call Up</span> 1980 single by the Clash

"The Call Up" is a song by English punk rock group the Clash. It was released as the first single from the band's fourth album, Sandinista!. The single was released in November 1980, in advance of the release of Sandinista!, with "Stop the World" as its B-side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Is Radio Clash</span> 1981 single by The Clash

"This Is Radio Clash" is a song by the English punk rock band the Clash. It was released as a single in November 1981 on various formats. The song was performed live before its release, beginning with the Impossible Mission Tour of April and May 1981. A live performance was also televised on Tom Snyder's Tomorrow show on 5 June 1981.

"Overpowered by Funk" is a song by the Clash from their fifth album Combat Rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norman Watt-Roy</span> English musician

Norman Joseph Watt-Roy is an English musician, arranger and composer.

The Clash were an English rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk rock. Along with punk rock, they experimented with reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap and rockabilly. For most of their recording career, The Clash consisted of Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, and Paul Simonon, with Terry Chimes or Nicky "Topper" Headon on drums and percussion. The band features in several documentaries and other films.

<i>Spirit of St. Louis</i> (album) 1981 studio album by Ellen Foley

Spirit of St. Louis is the second studio album by American singer and actress Ellen Foley, released in March 1981. Foley is backed by the Clash on all songs. The album was recorded right after the Clash's Sandinista! with the same musicians and engineers. Foley was dating Clash guitarist Mick Jones at the time. The album charted at No. 57 UK.

References

  1. 1 2 Popoff 2018, p. 200.
  2. ↑ Aaron, Charles (11 February 2014). "Rap-Rock: From 'Punk Rock Rap' to Mook Nation". Spin . Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 The Clash discography.
  4. 1 2 D’Ambrosio 2003.
  5. ↑ Eder, Bruce. "Norman Watt-Roy". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  6. ↑ Chang 2005 , p. 154
  7. ↑ "The Clash - Super Black Market Clash". Punknews.org. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
  8. ↑ Andy Beta (7 August 2015). "Early '80s Disco". Pitchfork. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  9. ↑ "The Official Charts Company - The Clash - The Magnificent Seven". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 16 November 2010.
  10. ↑ "The Clash – The Magnificent Seven" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  11. ↑ "THE CLASH - THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (NUMMER)". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
  12. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 59.

Sources

Books
Journals and magazines
Web
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.