5. Police and Thieves by Junior Murvin
Originally titled Police and Thief, this is yet another reggae song that was a minor hit until The Clash covered it and completely made it their own. Like Aretha did to Respect, after hearing The Clash the original just becomes irrelevant. The song’s composer, Lee “Scratch” Perry, hated the Clash’s version.
4. Justice Tonight/Kick it Over by Willie Williams/Jackie Mittoo
The Clash sure loved their Willie Williams! I’m putting this medley, from Black Market Clash, on my list because I get to cover two songs in one. Plus, I’m a huge fan of the BMC album, which included several overdubs and mixes as well as many covers. The songs both appeared on the B-side to the London Calling single.
3. Pressure Drop by Toots and The Maytals
A fairly well-known song from the soundtrack to Jimmy Cliff’s “The Harder They Come,” and one of many reggae covers by the band.
2. I Fought the Law by Sonny Curtis
This song was a huge hit, a HUGE hit, for the Bobby Fuller Four in 1966, and yet many people think of it as a Clash tune. In fact, I know the song was a cover, and I knew about the Bobby Fuller version before I ever heard The Clash do it, and I still don’t think of it as a cover. That’s how definitive it is. Like so many covers, it appeared on an EP (“The Cost of Living”) rather than a proper album, and it helped them break through in the U.S. market.
1. Armagideon Time by Willie Williams
Most people have no idea this is a cover, and fewer still have actually heard the original reggae song by Willi Williams. The tune was a B-Side to the single release of London Calling, and was selected by Clash bassist Paul Simonon to be part of the band’s regular repertoire.
Stay tuned for the best Clash songs of all time!
