Revolution Rock
| "Revolution Rock" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Clash | |
| from the album London Calling | |
| Released | 14 December 1979 |
| Recorded | June–July 1979 |
| Genre | Reggae[1] |
| Length | 5:37 |
| Label | CBS |
| Songwriters | |
| Producer | Guy Stevens |
| London Calling track listing | |
19 tracks
| |
"Revolution Rock" is a song written and first recorded by reggae singer Danny Ray and released as a single in 1976; Ray’s recording incorporates elements of Jackie Edwards’s earlier song "Get Up", leading to the Ray/Edwards co-credit.[2][3] The Clash covered "Revolution Rock" for their 1979 album London Calling.
Critics have described the Clash’s arrangement as reggae-driven with prominent staccato horn refrains and a "call-and-response" effect fashioned by Joe Strummer’s vocal phrasing alongside the track’s instrumentation.[4][5] It was originally going to close London Calling, but "Train in Vain" was added at the last minute.[6] There was another reggae song of the same title released in 1973 by roots reggae mic chanter and toaster, Big Youth and ska singer, Prince Buster. According to Ray, "The lyrics come from going to the clubs and seeing what was going on, you know?"[7]
The song features a staccato horn refrain and "sinuous" guitar stylings. According to Sean Egan, "Strummer uses his voice almost as an instrument in the way he cleverly manufactures the illusion of call and response with already recorded instruments."[8] An instrumental version of the song was featured on the Rude Boy film. "Revolution Rock" was a staple in live shows from the end of 1979 to 1981.[9] According to Billboard, "With the help of sidemen the Irish Horns, the Clash get downright giddy."[10]
The horn section on London Calling—credited as the Irish Horns—comprised trombonist Chris Gower, trumpeter Dick Hanson, and saxophonists John Earle and Ray Beavis.[11]
The last verse (El Clash combo / Paid fifteen dollars a day / Weddings, parties, anything / And Bongo Jazz a speciality) inspired the naming of the Australian group Weddings Parties Anything.
References
- ^ Segretto, Mike (2022). "1979". 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute - A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999. Backbeat. pp. 362–364. ISBN 9781493064601.
- ^ Gray, Marcus (2010). Route 19 Revisited: The Clash and London Calling. Soft Skull Press. ISBN 978-1593763916.
- ^ ""Revolution Rock" (work)". SecondHandSongs. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
- ^ Egan, Sean (2014). The Clash: The Only Band That Mattered. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 132. ISBN 9780810888760.
- ^ "The Clash – London Calling (album review)". Louder (Classic Rock). 2019-12-14. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
- ^ Salewicz 2008, p. 251
- ^ Gray 2010, p. 310
- ^ Egan 2014, p. 132
- ^ "Revolution Rock by the Clash". Songfacts. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ Partridge, Kenneth (December 13, 2014). "The Clash's 'London Calling' at 35: Classic Track-by-Track Album Review". Billboard. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ "10 Facts About The Clash's London Calling". Mental Floss. 2020-12-14. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
Bibliography
- Egan, Sean (2014). The Clash: The Only Band That Mattered. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-0810888760.
- Gray, Marcus (2010). Route 19 Revisited: The Clash and London Calling. Soft Skull Press. ISBN 978-1593763916.
- Salewicz, Chris (2008). Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 978-0865479821.