Bankrobber
| "Bankrobber" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by The Clash | ||||
| from the album Black Market Clash | ||||
| B-side | "Rockers Galore... UK Tour" | |||
| Released | 8 August 1980 | |||
| Format | 7" single | |||
| Recorded | 1980 | |||
| Genre | Reggae | |||
| Length | 4:33 | |||
| Label | CBS 8323 | |||
| Writer(s) | Joe Strummer and Mick Jones | |||
| Producer | Mikey Dread | |||
| The Clash singles chronology | ||||
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"Bankrobber" is a song, and single by The Clash. The song was not released on any of their studio albums, instead appearing on their compilation Black Market Clash. Upon its 1980 release as a single (initially available in the UK on import only) it peaked at #12 on the UK Singles Chart,[1] and at #14 on both the Irish Singles Chart and the New Zealand Singles Chart.[2][3]
The song haphazardly chronicles the life of the narrator's father, the bankrobber of the song's title (who "never hurt nobody"), concentrating on the theme of the drudgery of many working class jobs.
Young Ian Brown and Pete Garner - later of The Stone Roses - were in attendance at the studio recording session of this single. The full account of this incident is in John Robb's 'Stone Roses And The Resurrection of british Pop' (Ebury books ISBN 978-0091878870) [4]
The Clash filmed a low-budget video for the song, depicting members of the band recording the song in the studio, interspersed with Clash roadies Baker and Johnny Green wearing bandanas over their faces, performing a bank heist in Lewisham. During the filming, Baker and Green were stopped and questioned by the police, who thought they were the real thing.[5]
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
[edit] Side one
- "Bankrobber"
[edit] Side two
- "Rockers Galore... UK Tour" (Mikey Dread)
[edit] Robber Dub
"Robber Dub" is the dub version of "Bankrobber". It was to be included in the 12" single for "Bankrobber", but the label ended up refusing to release the 12" single.[6] The song can be found on their 1980 compilation album Black Market Clash, combined with "Bankrobber" as a 6:16 track, and on the 1994 compilation album Super Black Market Clash, as a 4:42 stand alone track.
[edit] Rockers Galore... UK Tour
"Rockers Galore... UK Tour" is a reworking of "Bankrobber" with Mikey Dread singing new lyrics about touring with the Clash. It is not "Robber Dub" which lacks the Dread vocal and lyrics.[4] "Rockers Galore" is also featured on their 2006 compilation album Singles Box.
[edit] Appearances
"Bankrobber" features in the episode "Freddie" of E4's Skins, in the programme's third season.
Also, "Bankrobber" is featured in Guy Ritchie's 2008 film, Rocknrolla. It is sung alternatively by the older 'Johnny Quid', portrayed by British actor Toby Kebbell, in his dingy flat, and by the younger 'John Cole' in the company of his cruel stepfather, the London mob boss Lenny Cole.
[edit] Cover versions
The Norwegian hardcore band So Much Hate appears with a live version of the song on the It's Your Choice, a 2x10" live compilation released in 1991 through Your Choice Records. "Bankrobber" was covered by Hot Tuna, Jorma Kaukonen on lead guitar, vocals, dobro and table steel guitar, Jack Casady on bass, and Michael Falzarano on rhythm guitar, vocals, mandolin and harmonica, on their live album, Live at Sweetwater, recorded in January 1992 at Sweetwater Station in Mill Valley, CA and released through Relix Records that same year. Audioweb recorded a rock/reggae cover in 1996 which reached number 19 in the UK chart.[7]
Hawksley Workman recorded a version, which was available on a free CD in the UK magazine UNCUT in 2003. The CD was entitled White Riot Vol. 1: A Tribute to The Clash. Greg MacPherson covered it on his 2004 album Maintenance. Chumbawamba recorded a folk-style cover version of the song for their 2005 album, A Singsong and a Scrap. OPM recorded a cover for the In the OPMDEN EP released in 2006. The song was covered by Polish group, Kult, in 2008.
[edit] Charts
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[edit] Notes
- ^ a b "Chart Stats - The Clash". chartstats.com. http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=2777. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
- ^ a b "The Irish Charts". IRMA. http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement. Retrieved 2011-07-06. "Search by Artist: "The Clash" and go to page 2, or Search by Song Title: "BANK ROBBER""
- ^ a b "Discography The Clash". charts.org.nz. http://charts.org.nz/showinterpret.asp?interpret=The+Clash. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
- ^ a b "The Singles (CD version)". SONY BMG Music Entertainment Store. http://www.sonybmgstore.com/The-Singles-CD-version/A/B000HCPU0Q.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-22. ""Rockers Galore...UK Tour" is a reworking of "Bankrobber" with Mikey Dread singing new lyrics about touring with the Clash. This is not the same track as "Robber Dub" on SUPER BLACK MARKET CLASH, which lacks the Dread vocal and lyrics."
- ^ "The Uncut Crap - Over 56 Things You Never Knew About The Clash". NME (London: IPC Magazines) 3. 16 March 1991. ISSN 0028-6362. OCLC 4213418. "During the filming for the "Bankrobber" video, Clash roadies Baker and Johnny Green faked a bank job in South London. They were stopped and questioned by the police, who thought they were the real thing."
Related news articles:- Peterson, Tami. "The Uncut Crap - Over 56 Things You Never Knew About The Clash - NME 16 March 1991". londonsburning.org. http://londonsburning.org/art_nme_03_16_91.html. Retrieved 2007-12-11.
- ^ "The Clash - Super Black Market Clash". Punknews.org. http://www.punknews.org/review/973. Retrieved 2007-11-22. ""Robber Dub" is a 'Dread at The Controls' version of The Clash's excellent reggae song "Bankrobber". It was to be included on a 12" single titled "Bankrobber", but the label ended up refusing to release the single. It is a great song, but doesn't quite match "Justice Tonight/Kick It Over"."
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 33. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
[edit] References
- Gilbert, Pat (2005) [2004]. Passion Is a Fashion: The Real Story of The Clash (4th ed.). London: Aurum Press. ISBN 1845131134. OCLC 61177239.
- Gray, Marcus (2005) [1995]. The Clash: Return of the Last Gang in Town (5th revised ed.). London: Helter Skelter. ISBN 1905139101. OCLC 60668626.
- Green, Johnny; Garry Barker (2003) [1997]. A Riot of Our Own: Night and Day with The Clash (3rd ed.). London: Orion. ISBN 0752858432. OCLC 52990890.
- Gruen, Bob; Chris Salewicz (2004) [2001]. The Clash (3rd ed.). London: Omnibus. ISBN 1903399343. OCLC 69241279.
- Needs, Kris (2005-01-25). Joe Strummer and the Legend of the Clash. London: Plexus. ISBN 085965348X. OCLC 53155325.
- Topping, Keith (2004) [2003]. The Complete Clash (2nd ed.). Richmond: Reynolds & Hearn. ISBN 1903111706. OCLC 63129186.
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