Revolution Rock

"Revolution Rock" is a song by the Clash, featured on their 1979 album London Calling. The song was written by Danny Ray and released as a single to modest success. According to Paul Simonon, "Danny Ray put out his version of "Revolution Rock" just before we were recording London Calling."[1] Ray sampled the Jackie Edwards song "Get Up" on the track, so Edwards is listed as the co-writer. Joe Strummer changed several of the lyrics, including a reference to Mack the Knife and the trend of smashing up seats at punk shows ("Everybody smash up your seats, and rock to this brand new beat").[2]

"Revolution Rock"
Song by The Clash
from the album London Calling
Released14 December 1979 (1979-12-14)
RecordedJune–July 1979
Genre
Length5:37
LabelCBS
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Guy Stevens
London Calling track listing
19 tracks
Side one
  1. "London Calling"
  2. "Brand New Cadillac"
  3. "Jimmy Jazz"
  4. "Hateful"
  5. "Rudie Can't Fail"
Side two
  1. "Spanish Bombs"
  2. "The Right Profile"
  3. "Lost in the Supermarket"
  4. "Clampdown"
  5. "The Guns of Brixton"
Side three
  1. "Wrong 'Em Boyo"
  2. "Death or Glory"
  3. "Koka Kola"
  4. "The Card Cheat"
Side four
  1. "Lover's Rock"
  2. "Four Horseman"
  3. "I'm Not Down"
  4. "Revolution Rock"
  5. "Train in Vain"

The song is an ode to self-motivation. It was originally going to close London Calling, but "Train in Vain" was added at the last minute.[1] There was another reggae song of the same title released in 1973 by Big Youth and Prince Buster. According to Ray, "The lyrics come from going to the clubs and seeing what was going on, you know?"[3]

The song features staccato horn chants 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."[4] 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.[2] According to Billboard, "With the help of sidemen the Irish Horns, the Clash get downright giddy."[5]

References
  1. Salewicz 2008, p. 251
  2. "Revolution Rock by the Clash". Songfacts. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
  3. Gray 2010, p. 310
  4. Egan 2014, p. 132
  5. Partridge, Kenneth (December 13, 2014). "The Clash's 'London Calling' at 35: Classic Track-by-Track Album Review". Billboard. Retrieved June 24, 2018.

Bibliography
  • Egan, Sean (2014). The Clash: The Only Band That Mattered. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 0810888769.
  • Gray, Marcus (2010). Route 19 Revisited: The Clash and London Calling. Soft Skull Press. ISBN 1593763913.
  • Salewicz, Chris (2008). Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0865479828.
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