“It Was Punk Reggae, Not White Reggae”: The Story Behind “Police and Thieves” by The Clash

When the punk scene in London was born, bands put on shows and a relatively small group of supporters were drawn to the anti-establishment message. It would be months before any of the groups recorded music of their own. The tribe of punks would listen to American groups like the Ramones, MC5, and New York Dolls. Reggae music had been celebrated by the mods and skinheads, so it was only natural it would be accepted by the growing legion of punks. In a time when Sex Pistols and The Clash had yet to secure a record deal, the music of Toots and The Maytals, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Desmond Dekker, and Bob Marley were regularly on turntables.

As The Clash rehearsed, they started to experiment with reggae, but when it came time to record their debut album, they weren’t sure they should even try a reggae song. Let’s take a look at the story behind “Police and Thieves” by The Clash.

They’re going through a tight wind
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

The Original Version

Junior Murvin grew up in Port Antonio, Jamaica, and was influenced by the music of Curtis Mayfield. He began recording under the name Junior Soul and auditioned for producers Lee “Scratch” Perry and Coxsonne Dodd. The young singer was turned away. In May 1976, a second audition was arranged with only Perry. This time, he sang a song he wrote called “Police and Thieves.” The following day, Perry recorded the song with different lyrics. The song was released on the Wild Flower label as “Police and Thief.” It failed to chart in the UK but made a stir in the clubs.

And all the crowd comes in, day by day
No one stop it in any way
All the peacemakers 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

Sex Pistol Johnny Rotten and The Clash’s Paul Simonon championed reggae the most, but other band members were fans as well. When The Clash started to perform the song in rehearsals, they never planned on recording it. During a recording session for their self-titled debut album, the band went into an impromptu version and decided to build an arrangement and record it.

Frontman Joe Strummer told journalist Chris Salewicz, “That was really the first time any white men had attempted to cover a reggae hit. We used to discuss this with Johnny Rotten, because everyone was really into reggae, but especially Rotten most of all, and Paul Simonon. It was considered a little bit naff if you were trying to copy that style, but I think we did it in a way that lent something of our own to it. I remember being frightened as hell listening to Junior Murvin’s feathery voice, floating high above that track, and then thinking, ‘God, I’ve got to go sing this with my useless voice.’”

Now, all the crowd come in, day by day
No one stops it in any way
All the peacemakers, 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

Punk Reggae

During the intro of The Clash recording, Strummer says, “They’re going through a tight wind.” This was in tribute to the Ramones, who used the lyric in “Blitzkrieg Bop.” In 1988, Strummer told Melody Maker magazine, “My conception of it was, ‘Great, a reggae tune. Let’s do it like [the band] Hawkwind!’ Guitarist Mick Jones said, “It was punk reggae, not white reggae. We’re bringing some of our roots to it, not to mimic someone else’s. I wish really we could’ve stayed that pure.”

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

Bob Marley’s Blessing

After hearing The Clash’s version, Bob Marley wrote a song called “Punky Reggae Party.” When asked about Strummer’s vocal, the reggae legend said, “It is different, but me like how him feel it.” Strummer said, “It was a big hit in the clubs. At least the clubs we went to, which weren’t ‘proper’ ones. We had to crash Jamaican parties. We’d walk around until we found a place where they were selling beer, and they’d tolerate us in there. The song was ringing out all over the town, and eventually, we tried to cut a version which, when I listen to Junior Murvin’s original today, makes me think, ‘What a bold brass neck we had to try and attempt that!’ He sings like a smooth river of silk. I’m glad we did it because we did it in a punk rock way, which worked. I mean, the song was strong enough to stand our kicking it and led to greater things in the future with Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and Bob Marley hearing it and being hip enough not to diss it. By rights, they should have said, ‘Hey there, man, you ruined it!’ But they were sussed enough to know we’d brought our own music to the party.”

Added Marley, “Punks are outcasts from society. So are the Rastas. So they are bound to defend what we defend.”

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

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Photo by Keith Bernstein/Redferns