The song is written by Murvin and the man who originally produced the song, Lee "Scratch" Perry. The studio band was jamming and Murvin was playing with words at Perry's Black Ark Studio when suddenly sound, rhythm, melody and lyrics appeared in a structured form and Perry decided to record the song the same afternoon. The next day dub-versions and versions with different lyrics were recorded. The song, about gang war and police brutality, was out on the street in a couple of days and became a big hit in Jamaica. Later on, the song proved to be a bigger sales and club hit in England than in Murvin's and Perry's native Jamaica.
Junior Murvin's original version can be found on several Lee Perry compilations released or licensed by Island Records, including albums This Is Reggae Music, vol 3 (together with War Ina Babylon by Max Romeo), Reggae Greats and Lee Scratch Perry Arkology.
The English punk rock band Clash's punk/reggae version appeared on their eponymous debut album. The Clash's version, which is six minutes in length, is an example of a rock band incorporating reggae into their repertoire.
The song had been a rehearsal room favourite of the band. It had not originally been planned for inclusion on The Clash, but an impromptu version the band started playing during a break in a recording session, spurred the decision to finalize their own arrangement, record it, and include the finished article on their album.
In the beginning of the song, Joe Strummer reinterprets the line "They're going through a tight wind" as a tribute to the Ramones, already an established American punk band and an influence on The Clash. The lyric line appears in the Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop"
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Murvin's version appeared in the 1998 movie Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels by Guy Ritchie. It was also covered by the group Dubversive in 1997 as a drum and bass song and as a reggae version the following year.
The Clash version of the song also appears on the soundtrack for the Wes Anderson film, The Royal Tenenbaums, and in the Reno 911!: Miami movie where it is performed by Dave Grohl, who is listed in the credits under the pseudonym "Sprechen Sie Deutsch".
The song is also the basis for the name of the socio-political band, Police and Thieves.
Police & Thieves
Junior Murvin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fighting the nation with their guns and ammunition
Police and thieves in the street (oh yeah)
Scaring the nation with their guns and ammunition
From genesis to revelation, yeah
The next generation will be hear me
All the crimes committed day by day
All the peacemakers turn war officers
Hear what I say, hey
Police and thieves in the street (oh yeah)
Fighting the nation with their guns and ammunition
Police and thieves in the street (oh yeah)
Scaring the nation with their guns and ammunition
All the crimes committed day by day
No one try to stop it in any way
All the peacemakers turn war officers
Hear what I say, hey
Police and thieves in the street (oh yeah)
Fighting the nation with their guns and ammunition
Police and thieves in the street (oh yeah)
Scaring the nation with their guns and ammunition
Police and thieves
Police, police and thieves
Police and thieves
Police, police and thieves
"Police and Thieves" by Junior Murvin is a protest song that reflects on the ongoing social and political issues in Jamaica during the 1970s. The song centers around the theme of police and criminal violence in the streets and the resulting fear and chaos it creates. The opening lines of the chorus, "Police and thieves in the streets, fighting the nation with their guns and ammunition" sets the tone for the song and establishes the conflict between the police and criminals as a battle that affects the whole country. The repeated refrain of "scaring the nation with their guns and ammunition" emphasizes the serious impact of this conflict on the public, and reflects the sense of urgency in the message that Murvin is trying to convey.
The lyrics of "Police and Thieves" suggest that the level of violence and crime in Jamaica is out of control, and that the authorities who are supposed to protect the people are instead adding to the problem. The line "All the crimes committed day by day, no one tries to stop it in any way" suggests a sense of resignation and hopelessness among the people, as they feel that no one is willing or able to address the root causes of the violence. The imagery of the "peacemakers turn war officers" shows the disappointment and disillusionment with those in power who have turned a blind eye to the hardships of the people.
The lyrics of "Police and Thieves" make it clear that this is a song about Jamaica and the specific issues that the country was facing at the time. However, the song's powerful message and catchy chorus made it an international hit, and it has since become an iconic protest song all over the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Police and thieves in the streets (oh yeah)
Police and robbers can be seen in the streets, causing trouble
Fighting the nation with their guns and ammunition
The police and thieves are in battle with each other and causing harm to the citizens with their weapons
Scaring the nation with their guns and ammunition
The police and thieves are causing fear among the people with their weapons
From genesis to revelation, yeah
From the beginning to the end, the message is the same
The next generation will be hear me
The future generation will pay attention to my message
All the crimes committed day by day
Everyday, crimes are being committed by someone
No one try to stop it in any way
No one is trying to stop these crimes from happening
All the peacemakers turn war officers
The people who were supposed to maintain peace now become soldiers
Hear what I say, hey
Listen carefully to my message
Police and thieves
The police and robbers
Police, police and thieves
The police and robbers together
Police and thieves
The police and robbers
Police, police and thieves
The police and robbers together
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Junior Murvin, Lee Perry
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@vernervonbraun7505
The thing that really surprises me about the comments is nobody seems to give Lee Scratch Perry the recognition he deserves in writing such excellent reggae tunes. RIP Lee.
@paulwise7206
he done it alone, primative break dancing, its awkward but relevent
@brm7897
What do you mean 😭 lee scratch perry’s name still transcends generations this day
@paulwise7206
@S1E2SportQuattro precisely my friend, tis the beauty of scratch
@jacobalexandersmith619
Aye, Lee made the records, in every sense. Every single thing, from recording, producing, and carrying boxes. R.I.P. LSP.
Utter legend human being.
@clairedaly5958
100%
@Original274
Over 40 yrs old & still sounds magical. Awesome!!
@royscherer3862
Over 75, and ditto!
@oliverhall
strong disagree buster
@ingridgibbs5387
Junior Murvin will never be forgotten. That song is timeless, it will be around for ever. Rip