Police on My Back

"Police on My Back"
Song by The Equals
from the album Explosion
Released	December 1967
Recorded	1967
Genre	Funk, soul
Songwriter(s)	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.[1]

"Police on My Back"
Song by The Clash
from the album Sandinista!
B-side	"The Crooked Beat"
Recorded	12 December 1980
Genre	Punk rock
The Clash singles chronology
"The Call Up" / "Stop the World" (1980) "Police on My Back" / "The Crooked Beat" (1980) "Hitsville UK" / "Radio One" (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,[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

1. "The Equals - Equals Explosion (1967, Vinyl)".
2. "Police on My Back by The Clash - Track Info | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
3. "Daily Dose of Protest: Police On My Back – The Equals". The Ongoing History of Protest Music. 2018-02-04. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Connelly, Jim (2015-06-25). "Certain Songs #232: The Clash - "Police on My Back"". Medialoper. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Becker, Jordan. ""Police on My Back" and the postcolonial experience" (PDF). Retrieved 14 February 2024.
10. "Culture Abuse Release Cover Of Police On My Back". Kerrang!. 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2024-02-14.