"This Is England" | ||||
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Single by the Clash | ||||
from the album Cut the Crap | ||||
B-side | "Do It Now"/"Sex Mad Roar" | |||
Released | 30 September 1985 | |||
Recorded | 1985 | |||
Genre | Punk rock [1] | |||
Length | 3:51 3:37 (single edit) | |||
Label | CBS | |||
Songwriter(s) | Joe Strummer, Bernard Rhodes | |||
Producer(s) | 'Jose Unidos' (Bernard Rhodes) | |||
The Clash singles chronology | ||||
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"This Is England" is a song by the English punk rock band the Clash, released as a single in September 1985, from their sixth and final studio album, Cut the Crap . Produced by Bernard Rhodes and co-written by Strummer and Rhodes, it was the band's last single, in their later incarnation of Joe Strummer, Paul Simonon, Nick Sheppard, Pete Howard and Vince White.
Written in late 1983, the song is about the state of England at the time.[ citation needed ] "This Is England" comprises a list of the problems in England during the early years of the Margaret Thatcher administration, addressing inner-city violence, urban alienation, life on council estates, high unemployment rate, England's dying motorcycle industry, racism, nationalism, and police corruption. Additionally, the song explores two very common subject matters for the mid-1980s left-wing songwriters: the wave of patriotism from the Falklands War and the consumerist, subservient mindset of many English people at the time.
The lyrics are considered some of the strongest from Joe Strummer, which were overshadowed by the negative reception to Cut the Crap. [2] The song contains a drum machine and synthesizers, instruments which were mostly not utilized by The Clash during the Topper and Mick Jones era. The song begins with the squeaky voice of a market hawker shouting, "Four for a pound, your face flannels; three for a pound, your tea towels!"
The single was released on 7-inch vinyl, backed with "Do It Now", and on 12-inch vinyl format with a different cover and an additional track on side two, titled "Sex Mad Roar". Strummer described "This Is England" as his "last great Clash song". [3]
John Leland of Spin wrote, "anthemic Brit power the likes of which we haven't heard in years (Billy Bragg notwithstanding). It's definitely a rocker, with a ballsy rhythm-guitar line and a football-chant chorus. Strummer is in peak psychotic/idealist form: " [4]
"This Is England" was included on The Essential Clash compilation in 2003. In 2006, the single was fully re-released on CD as disc 19 in Singles Box , accompanied by a faithful re-creation of the single's original artwork and the extra track "Sex Mad Roar" from the original 12-inch pressing. The single also appears on the 2007 collection The Singles . "This is England" is also the only song from Cut the Crap to ever appear on compilations.
All tracks written by Joe Strummer/Bernard Rhodes.
Chart (1985) | Peak position |
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Australia (ARIA) [5] | 62 |
Ireland (IRMA) [6] | 13 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [7] | 26 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [8] | 16 |
UK Singles (OCC) [9] | 24 |
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. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they used elements of reggae, dub, funk, ska, and rockabilly, and they contributed to the post-punk and new wave movements that followed punk. 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.
The Clash is the debut studio album by the English punk rock band the Clash, released on 8 April 1977 through CBS Records. Recorded and mixed over three weeks in February 1977 for £4,000, it would go on to reach No. 12 on the UK charts, and has been included on many retrospective rankings as one of the greatest punk albums of all time.
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.
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.
"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.
The Essential Clash is a career-spanning greatest hits album by The Clash first released in 2003. It is part of the ongoing 'The Essential' Sony BMG compilation series. The album is dedicated to Joe Strummer, who died during its compilation.
The Singles is a compilation album by the English punk rock band the Clash. It includes all of the band's singles, in their original single versions, except for 1977's Capital Radio and 1985's "This Is England", due to its parent album, Cut the Crap (1985), being disowned by the band at that time.
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The discography of the British punk rock band the Clash consists of six studio albums, two extended plays, two live albums and 31 singles.
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Bernard Rhodes is a band manager, designer, 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.
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