Bankrobber
Encyclopedia
"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
, and at #14 on both the Irish Singles Chart
and the New Zealand Singles Chart
.
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-13: 978-0091878870)
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 bandana
s 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.
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. 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.
.
, 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.
, 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.
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.
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
. The song was not released on any of their studio albums, instead appearing on their compilation Black Market Clash. Upon its 1980
1980 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1980.-January–March:*January 1**Cliff Richard is appointed an MBE by Elizabeth II.**The Zorros audition drummer Greg Pedley....
release as a single (initially available in the UK on import only) it peaked at #12 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, and at #14 on both the Irish Singles Chart
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
and the New Zealand Singles Chart
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...
.
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
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
jobs.
Young Ian Brown
Ian Brown
Ian George Brown is an English musician, best known as the lead singer of the alternative rock band The Stone Roses, which broke up in 1996 but are confirmed to reunite in 2012. Since the break-up of the Stone Roses he has pursued a solo career...
and Pete Garner - later of The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses are an English alternative rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. They were one of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement that was active during the late 1980s and early 1990s...
- 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-13: 978-0091878870)
The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
filmed a low-budget video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song, depicting members of the band recording the song in the studio, interspersed with Clash roadies Baker and Johnny Green wearing bandana
Bandana
Bandana can refer to:*Another name for a kerchief*Bandana *Bandana *Bandana, Kentucky, a small town in the United States*Y Bandana, a Welsh alternative rock band.**Y Bandana , their self-titled debut album....
s over their faces, performing a bank heist in Lewisham
Lewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
. During the filming, Baker and Green were stopped and questioned by the police, who thought they were the real thing.
Robber Dub
"Robber Dub" is the dubDub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
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. 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
Super Black Market Clash
Super Black Market Clash is a compilation album released by The Clash in 1993 that contains B-sides and rare tracks not available on their other albums. It is a repackaging of the original 1980 Black Market Clash, which was a single 10" EP, containing only 9 songs...
, as a 4:42 stand alone track.
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. "Rockers Galore" is also featured on their 2006 compilation album Singles BoxSingles Box
Singles Box is a compilation album by The Clash. Included within is all the singles that they released in the UK , with the single mixes and edits with the B-sides released, and also containing B-sides from different parts of the world.The discs are packaged in a sleeve which reproduces the...
.
Appearances
"Bankrobber" features in the episode "Freddie" of E4's SkinsSkins (TV series)
Skins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness , adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death...
, in the programme's third season.
Also, "Bankrobber" is featured in Guy Ritchie
Guy Ritchie
Guy Stuart Ritchie is an English screenwriter and film maker who directed Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Revolver, RocknRolla and Sherlock Holmes.-Early life:...
's 2008 film, Rocknrolla
RocknRolla
RocknRolla is a 2008 British crime film written and directed by Guy Ritchie, and starring Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Strong, Toby Kebbell, Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, Karel Roden, and Thandie Newton...
. It is sung alternatively by the older 'Johnny Quid', portrayed by British actor Toby Kebbell
Toby Kebbell
Tobias Alistair P. "Toby" Kebbell is a British actor.-Life and career:Kebbell, the fourth of five children, was born in South Elmsall, on the A638 between Doncaster and Wakefield, Yorkshire, but grew up in Nottinghamshire...
, in his dingy flat, and by the younger 'John Cole' in the company of his cruel stepfather, the London mob boss Lenny Cole.
Cover versions
The Norwegian hardcore band So Much Hate appears with a live version of the song on the It's Your ChoiceIt's Your Choice (album)
It's Your Choice is a compilation album of unreleased live performances, mostly in the punk genre. It was released in 1991 through Your Choice Records.-Track listing:#So Much Hate - "Bankrobber"...
, a 2x10" live compilation released in 1991 through Your Choice Records
Your Choice Records
Your Choice Records was a German independent record label founded in 1988 by producer Tobby Holzinger. The label specialized in independent punk music, including live releases of German and other international acts...
. "Bankrobber" was covered by Hot Tuna
Hot Tuna
Hot Tuna is an American blues-rock band formed by bassist Jack Casady and guitarist Jorma Kaukonen as a spin-off of Jefferson Airplane. It plays acoustic and electric versions of original and traditional blues songs.- Jefferson Airplane side project :...
, Jorma Kaukonen
Jorma Kaukonen
Jorma Ludwik Kaukonen Jr. is an American blues, folk, and rock guitarist, best known for his work with Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna.-Biography:...
on lead guitar, vocals, dobro and table steel guitar, Jack Casady
Jack Casady
Jack Casady , is an American musician considered one of the foremost bass guitarists of the rock music era and best known as a member of Jefferson Airplane. First playing as a lead guitarist with the Washington D.C...
on bass, and Michael Falzarano
Michael Falzarano
Michael Falzarano is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He has been working as a professional musician since the 1970s, most notably in Hot Tuna, the New Riders of the Purple Sage, and the Memphis Pilgrims, a Memphis-style rock and roll/blues band that he founded in 1986.Having signed...
on rhythm guitar, vocals, mandolin and harmonica, on their live album, Live at Sweetwater
Live at Sweetwater
Live at Sweetwater is a live Hot Tuna album recorded in 1992 at Mill Valley, CA. It was their first new recording made for Relix Records, although they had previously released older performances with Relix...
, recorded in January 1992 at Sweetwater Station in Mill Valley, CA and released through Relix Records that same year. Audioweb
Audioweb
Audioweb were a rock/reggae/electronica band based in Manchester, England. They formed in 1991, originally as The Sugar Merchants.-Personnel:*Martin "Sugar" Merchant *Sean McCann *Robin File *Robert "Maxi" Maxfield -Career:...
recorded a rock/reggae cover in 1996 which reached number 19 in the UK chart.
Hawksley Workman
Hawksley Workman
Ryan Corrigan , better known by the stage name Hawksley Workman, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter who has garnered critical acclaim for his blend of cabaret pop and glam rock. Workman has released eleven full length albums throughout his career...
recorded a version, which was available on a free CD in the UK magazine UNCUT
UNCUT (magazine)
Uncut magazine, trademarked as UNCUT, is a monthly publication based in London. It is available across the English-speaking world, and focuses on music, but also includes film and books sections...
in 2003. The CD was entitled White Riot Vol. 1: A Tribute to The Clash. Greg MacPherson
Greg MacPherson
Greg MacPherson is a Canadian singer-songwriter based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. MacPherson performs both as a solo performer and as part of a band...
covered it on his 2004 album Maintenance. Chumbawamba
Chumbawamba
Chumbawamba is a British musical group who have, over a career spanning nearly three decades, played punk rock, pop-influenced music, world music, and folk music...
recorded a folk-style cover version of the song for their 2005 album, A Singsong and a Scrap
A Singsong and a Scrap
A Singsong and a Scrap is a Chumbawamba album released in 2005. It shows more folk influence than their previous album Un and features guest appearances from folk musicians such as Coope Boyes and Simpson, Andy Cutting and John Jones and Ian Telfer of Oysterband...
. OPM
OPM (band)
OPM is a Southern California based ska punk band. OPM has a distinctive sound, combining hip hop, rock music, and pop with laid-back reggae.-Band history:...
recorded a cover for the In the OPMDEN EP released in 2006. The song was covered by Polish group, Kult
Kult (band)
-History:Kult was formed in 1982 from Kazik Staszewski’s previous band, Novelty Poland.In July 1982 the band performed at its first concert at the Remont Club in Warsaw....
, in 2008.
Charts
| class="wikitable"> | Chart | Peak position |
Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
12 | Aug 1980 | |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
14 | Sep 1980 | |
| New Zealand Singles Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
14 |