Know Your Rights
| "Know Your Rights" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by The Clash | ||||
| from the album Combat Rock | ||||
| B-side | "First Night Back in London" | |||
| Released | 23 April 1982 | |||
| Format | 7" vinyl | |||
| Recorded | 1982 | |||
| Genre | Punk rock | |||
| Length | 3:41 | |||
| Label | CBS A2309 | |||
| Writer(s) | Joe Strummer and Mick Jones | |||
| Producer(s) | The Clash | |||
| The Clash singles chronology | ||||
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"Know Your Rights" is a song by The Clash. It was released as a single prior to the release of the album, Combat Rock, on which it appears. The song was the first single from the album.
The song begins with the words "This is a public service announcement...with guitars!" The structure of the song revolves around the rights held by the poor and disenfranchised, in which the speaker of the song, presumably a villainous civil servant (whose identity is assumed in the song by vocalist Joe Strummer), names the three actual rights. At the end, the notion that more rights should be granted is rebuffed by the speaker.
The three are:
- The right not to be killed. Murder is a crime, unless it is done by a policeman, or an aristocrat.
- The right to food money, providing of course, you don't mind a little investigation, humiliation, and, if you cross your fingers, rehabilitation.
- The right to free speech (as long as you're not dumb enough to actually try it).
The song is featured on the compilation album, Songs and Artists That Inspired Fahrenheit 9/11, which followed up the 2004 documentary film Fahrenheit 9/11 by filmmaker Michael Moore, where the track listing was selected by Moore based on the songs and the artists he listened to while creating the documentary.
Personnel
"Know Your Rights"
- Joe Strummer - vocal, lead guitar, piano
- Mick Jones - lead guitars, sound effects
- Paul Simonon - bass guitar
- Topper Headon - drums
"First Night Back in London"
- Joe Strummer - vocals
- Mick Jones - sound effects
- Paul Simonon - bass guitar
- Topper Headon - drums
Cover versions
Primal Scream covered the song as a b-side to their "Kowalski" single in 1997.
"Know Your Rights" has been performed live many times by Pearl Jam, most notably during their Riot Act Tour in 2003, and it also has been recorded on their live albums 7/11/03 - Mansfield, Massachusetts, 7/9/03 - New York, New York, 3/3/03 - Tokyo, Japan, and 9/30/12 - Missoula, Montana.[1]
The Frisk also recorded a version of the song on their EP "Rank Restraint."
Charts
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK (Official Charts Company)[2] | 43 |
References
- ↑ "Know Your Rights". Pearl Jam. Retrieved 2013-01-01.
- ↑ "Clash". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- Sources
- Gilbert, Pat (2005) [2004]. Passion Is a Fashion: The Real Story of The Clash (4th edition ed.). London: Aurum Press. ISBN 1-84513-113-4. OCLC 61177239.
- Gray, Marcus (2005) [1995]. The Clash: Return of the Last Gang in Town (5th revised edition ed.). London: Helter Skelter. ISBN 1-905139-10-1. OCLC 60668626.
- Green, Johnny; Garry Barker (2003) [1997]. A Riot of Our Own: Night and Day with The Clash (3rd edition ed.). London: Orion. ISBN 0-7528-5843-2. OCLC 52990890.
- Gruen, Bob; Chris Salewicz (2004) [2001]. The Clash (3rd edition ed.). London: Omnibus. ISBN 1-903399-34-3. OCLC 69241279.
- Needs, Kris (2005-01-25). Joe Strummer and the Legend of the Clash. London: Plexus. ISBN 0-85965-348-X. OCLC 53155325.
- Topping, Keith (2004) [2003]. The Complete Clash (2nd edition ed.). Richmond: Reynolds & Hearn. ISBN 1-903111-70-6. OCLC 63129186.
External links
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