The Clash "Police and Thieves" (1977)
0:26
30-second sample—with applied 1-second fadeout—of "Police and Thieves" taken from The Clash
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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".
Perry considered that the Clash had "ruined" the song with their version, but later agreed to work with them nonetheless.[1]
Bob Marley was inspired to write his song "Punky Reggae Party" after hearing the Clash's version – his reaction after hearing it for the first time was "It is different, but me like how him feel it".[10]
Police and Thieves
The Clash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Scaring the nation with their guns and ammunition
Police and thieves in the street, oh yeah
Fighting the nation with their guns and ammunition
From genesis to revelation
The next generation will be, hear me
From genesis to revelation
And all the crowd comes in, day by day
No one stop it in anyway
All the peacemaker, turn war officer
Hear what I say
Police and thieves in the streets, oh yeah
Scaring the nation with their guns and ammunition
Police and thieves in the street, oh yeah
Fighting the nation with their guns and ammunition
From genesis to revelation
The next generation will be, hear me
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Now, all the crowd come in, day by day
No one stop it in anyway
All the peacemaker, turn war officer
Hear what I say
Police, police, police and thieves, oh yeah
Police, police, police and thieves, oh yeah
From genesis, oh yeah
Police, police, police, police and thieves, oh yeah
And I'm scaring, I'm fighting the nation, oh yeah
Shooting, shooting their guns and, guns and ammunition, oh yeah
Oh yeah
Police, police, police and thieves, oh yeah
I'm scaring, oh yeah
I'm scaring the nation, police oh yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Here come, here come, here come
The station is bombed, oh yeah
Get out, get out, get out you people
If you don't wanna get blown up, oh yeah
The police, the police and the thieves, oh yeah
Police
Police
Police
The Clash's song Police and Thieves is a protest song that addresses the police brutality that was prevalent in London, as well as the growing tension between the police and the youth. The lyrics speak of the fear and terror that the police bring to the streets with their guns and ammunition, while the people are left to live in fear. The lines "All the peacemaker, turn war officer, hear what I say" suggest that in a violent and oppressive system, even those tasked with keeping the peace can become part of the problem. The repetition of the phrase "Police and thieves in the streets, oh yeah" throughout the song emphasizes the ongoing conflict and tension between the two groups.
The chorus "From genesis to revelation, the next generation will be, hear me" suggests that this conflict between the police and the people has been going on for generations and will continue to affect future generations. The song also speaks of the failure of the government and the police to address and solve the issue, with lines such as "No one stop it in any way" and "The station is bombed, oh yeah."
Through this song, The Clash highlights the systemic issues of police brutality and social inequality that affected not only London but also many other cities around the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Police and thieves in the streets, oh yeah
Commenting on the widespread police brutality and criminality happening in the streets
Scaring the nation with their guns and ammunition
Causing fear among the people with their weapons and tactics
Fighting the nation with their guns and ammunition
Engaging in conflicts and wars against the people with their weapons and tactics
From genesis to revelation
Through history, from the beginning to the end of times
The next generation will be, hear me
The upcoming youth will face the challenges and consequences of the current situation
All the peacemaker, turn war officer
Those who advocate for peaceful resolutions become soldiers and aggressors in the face of oppression
And I'm scaring, I'm fighting the nation, oh yeah
The singer is expressing their involvement and struggle against the oppressive system
Shooting, shooting their guns and, guns and ammunition, oh yeah
Referring to the violent tactics used by the police and authorities against the citizens
Here come, here come, here come
Signaling the arrival of imminent danger and chaos
The station is bombed, oh yeah
The police station is attacked and destroyed in retaliation or protest
Get out, get out, get out you people
Urging the citizens to evacuate and avoid danger
If you don't wanna get blown up, oh yeah
If you don't want to be a victim of violence or terrorism
Police, police, police and thieves, oh yeah
Repeating the title and emphasizing the contrast between the roles and actions of the police and criminals
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: JUNIOR MURVIN, LEE PERRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
leokimvideo
None of todays music comes close to the raw emotion The Clash have in their music
Genghis
This is definitely untrue but music like that is rare.
Axel Lopez
Idles
Rohit Bhanot
It has become culturally unfashionable to criticize and dislike trash that goes for 'music' these days, because it was made by protected classes of the population whom the privileged classes dare not criticize lest they be labelled 'racist'. I'm an immigrant, so I have seen the arc of American society from an outsider's eyes for 30+ years. Black music used to be gorgeous, melodious decades ago - 50s 60s 70s 80s. Nowadays, its 'shock to sell' tactics by ex-criminals turning producer and 'singing' about explicit topics. But one day, the cycle will turn again - and melody and the MUSIC anthology accumulated by the greats will be added to by new musicians. Louis Armstrong, Aretha Franklin, The Clash, Pink Floyd, Elvis, Depeche Mode, The Cure, U2, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Bob Marley, The Doors, Beatles, AC/DC, Jimmy Hendrix, my goodness so many delightful artists!
KTG
The greatest. I love so many bands of their time, but as a Brit. They just make me proud to be British. We are such an embarrassment of a country but these guys make me proud.
The Unwanted Critic
I was the only Black/African American kid in my class listening to punk back 1978. The Clash was my favorite band. All these years later the first album still rocks!
Vitaly Maliarov
I feel you dude, I'm 17 and sadly no kid these days really listens to punk like this, which is a shame because this is such great music
Mani Motard
If I'm not mistaken, this was their remix to an earlier reggae song
Patrick Smiley
Same for me on both points in okc in1980
Patrick Smiley
@Mani Motard it is jr. Murvin did original.