Album: The Clash (1977)

License This Song 

• 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
  From genesis to revelation
  The next generation will be hear me
  And all the crowd comes in day by day
  No one stop it in anyway
  And 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 and thieves oh yeah
  Scaring, fighting the nation
  Shooting, shooting their guns and ammunition
  Police, police, police and thieves oh yeah
  Police, police, police and thieves oh yeah
  Here come, here come, here come
  The station is bombed
  Get out get out get out you people
  If you don't want to get blown up Writer/s: Junior Murvin, Lee Perry
  Publisher: BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 9

• Roman Adams from Bend OregonI love this song is one of the first song I heard by The Clash
• D from BaltimoreThe message is that they're all gangs involved in the same war and nefarious dealings, and it's everyone else who suffers.
  
  Some of it is specific to Jamaica in the 70's, where cops were notoriously corrupt, and warring street gangs were on the payroll of of rival political parties.
  
  Some of it still applies to Jamaica today.
  
  Most of it describes the underlying reality around the world.
• Brandon from Colorado"From genesis to revelation" "all the peace makers, turned war officers"...what about this? Interesting.
• Drew from B\'ham, AlAs for the police & thieves being both threats in the streets, my take is that the thieves make the streets dangerous & that without them, the police, just as dangerous, wouldn't be needed as much. After all, what if police fire at thieves, miss & instead nail innocents on accident? Of course, police are trained to have good aim, but thieves are mighty fast & tricky these days, too. It's the thieves' fault that the whole vicious cycle starts in the first place! The Clash may have been frustrated, much like the message of "War" by Edwin Starr.
• Jay Wo from Dallas, TxWhen I first listend to the Clash first album. This was the song that immediately stood and separated itself from the yelling and screaming songs. This is the song that made me give the others another chance. Boy, am I glad.
• Evan from Paramus, United Statesin the movie "knocked up" the original version can be heard in the background of one scene and also the clash song "Police On My Back" is played in the super market scene
• Mudassir from Bolton, EnglandThe original lee perry/junior murvin song was all over the local underground reggae stations in the mid 70s when at the time, running battles between police and black youths were common around london. joe and paul famously joined in these riots even though they were white, joe once comically recalling how he wasted a box of matches unable to set fire to a car.
• James from Gainford, EnglandWhat does this song represent, as in what political message is it trying to convey? That police are a lot like the thieves?
• Nick from San Francisco, CaThough the song is written by Murvin, Joe Strummer added the line "they're going through a tight wind" as a tribute to the Ramones, already an established punk band and an influence on the Clash; the line appears in the Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop."

More Songfacts:

Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)Billy Ocean

Billy Ocean's "Caribbean Queen" was originally released as "European Queen," and it underperformed. When it was issued in America as "Caribbean Queen" it went to #1 and revived his career.

I Love ItIcona Pop

Icona Pop consider "I Love It" a kiss-off to their boyfriends. "We just wanted to get the song out and get the pigs to hear it," group member Jawo said.

Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)Doris Day

"Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)" was written for Doris Day to sing in the Alfred Hitchcock movie The Man Who Knew Too Much.

Against The WindBob Seger

Bob Seger's "Against The Wind" has the famous mind-bending line, "Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then." Seger was going to cut it, but his Eagles buddies Glenn Frey and Don Henley told him it was the best line in the song.

Different DrumLinda Ronstadt

Mike Nesmith wrote Linda Ronstadt's first hit, "Different Drum," before he joined The Monkees. He played an intentionally bad version of it on the show.

Hold OnWilson Phillips

The lyric to "Hold On" by Wilson Phillips was inspired by Chynna Phillips' struggles with addiction. "Hold on for one more day" is something she heard in AA meetings.

Editor's Picks

MetallicaFact or Fiction

Beef with Bon Jovi? An unfortunate Spandex period? See if you can spot the true stories in this Metallica version of Fact or Fiction.

Marvin GayeFact or Fiction

Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?

Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica)Songwriter Interviews

The former Metallica bassist talks about his first time writing a song with James Hetfield, and how a hand-me-down iPad has changed his songwriting.

Dan ReedSongwriter Interviews

Dan cracked the Top 40 with "Ritual," then went to India and spent 2 hours with the Dalai Lama.

Little Big TownSongwriter Interviews

"When seeds that you sow grow by the wicked moon/Be sure your sins will find you out/Your past will hunt you down and turn to tell on you."

Brandi CarlileSongwriter Interviews

As a 5-year-old, Brandi was writing lyrics to instrumental versions lullabies. She still puts her heart into her songs, including the one Elton John sings on.