The Guns of Brixton
Encyclopedia
"The Guns of Brixton" is a song by the English punk rock
band The Clash
. It was written and sung by bassist Paul Simonon
, who grew up in Brixton
, south London
. The song has a strong reggae
influence, reflecting the culture of the area, with a knowing nod to the classic reggae gangster film The Harder They Come
.
and to feature him as lead vocalist. By London Calling, Paul Simonon had learned to play guitar, and started contributing more to the songwriting.
The band, separated from their manager Bernard Rhodes, had to leave their rehearsal studio in Camden Town
and find another location. The band began work on London Calling
during the summer of 1979 at the so-called Vanilla Studios in Pimlico
. The band quickly wrote and recorded demos, and, in August 1979, entered Wessex Studios
to begin recording the album. Produced by Guy Stevens
, who at the time had alcohol and drug problems and whose production methods were unconventional, it was recorded within a matter of weeks, with many songs, including "The Guns of Brixton", recorded in one or two takes. It was also revealed that while recording the lead vocals for the song, Simonon sang the song while staring directly at a CBS executive who dropped by the studio during the sessions, giving Simonon the desired amount of emotion in his voice.
but the lyrics depict the feelings of discontent that were building due to heavy-handedness of the police that led to the riots, the recession and other problems at that time. Paul Simonon was originally doubtful about the song's lyrics, which discuss an individual's paranoid outlook on life, but was encouraged to continue working on it by Strummer.
(a.k.a. Fatboy Slim) sampled it for Beats International
's hit "Dub Be Good to Me
". Paul Simonon, interviewed by Scott Rowley on October 1999 for Bassist Magazine, said that he "was surprised that it became number one that was quite shocking. And the fact that it was my performance that they had lifted. The smart thing would've been to copy it and change it slightly, but they just lifted it straight off. So, really, I have done Top of the Pops, but I met up with Norman [Cook] and we came to an arrangement which was much needed at the time. But I thought it was a really good idea and it was quite reassuring for that to happen to my first song."
(Simonon on rhythm guitar
and Strummer on bass
) because he felt uncomfortable playing the bassline and singing lead vocals at the same time.
, appears as a reprise at the end of the song "Broadway" on the 1980 Clash's album Sandinista!
. "The Guns of Brixton", taken from the remastered version of London Calling
and remixed by Jeremy Healy
, was released by CBS
as a CD single
, 7-inch vinyl
and a 12-inch vinyl
entitled "Return to Brixton" in July 1990 (catalog number 656072-2), and it reached number fifty-seven on the UK Singles Chart
. The CD single track listing is:
A somewhat heavier, faster version than the one found on London Calling appeared on the live compilation From Here to Eternity: Live
, released in 1999.
, Dropkick Murphys
, Rancid
, Jeff Klein
, The Bandits
, Nouvelle Vague
, Calexico, Red Hot Chili Peppers
, Optimus Rhyme
, My Red Hot Nightmare, German
punk band Die Toten Hosen
with and without Gentleman
(see below), Argentine
band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
, The Libertines
, and the Italian singer Enrico Ruggeri
.
In 1981, a German punk band named Soilent Grün used the melody of "The Guns of Brixton" for their song "Spitz wie Lumpi". Sydney
-born band The Beautiful Girls
released a cover version in 2003 entitled "Guns of Brixton / Dub Be Good to Me". Cypress Hill
's 2004 hit "What's Your Number?" also sampled the bass line, as well as the guitar work, and featured Tim Armstrong
of Rancid too.
In 2004, the French musical collective, Nouvelle Vague
, released a bossa nova
version on their eponymous debut album
featuring vocals by Camille.
In 2006, MC Chris
used "The Guns of Brixton" as a beat on the song "Blastic", from the album Dungeon Master of Ceremonies
. San Francisco Bay Area rappers, Zion I
and The Grouch
sampled "The Guns of Brixton" in "Trigger" off their 2006 album Heroes in the City of Dope
.
In January 2007, NME
reported that The Good, the Bad and the Queen
, which features Simonon on bass, ended the first set of their UK tour (Trinity Hall, Bristol) in promotion of their debut album
with this song (and Simonon on vocals).
Polish street punk
band The Analogs
, Pidzama Porno
on "Koncertówka 2. Drugi szczyt
" played this song live since 2007 and with wind instruments on 2008 mini tour. Santogold covered the song in 2008 for her Top Ranking
mixtape with Diplo. The lyrics were changed from Brixton to Brooklyn. Maurits Westerik, singer of the rockband GEM
, also covered the song in 2008 during his session for the Dutch music project OnderInvloed.com.
Julie Ruin
's Kathleen Hanna sampled the song for her cover of "I Want to Know What Love Is
". The Offspring
added a cover of the song to their 2010 tour setlist including dates on The Unity Tour.
In 2011, Jimmy Cliff
released a cover of the song, which is notable both because he played the lead in the film The Harder They Come
and also because of his musical influence on The Clash.
for the single of "Freunde
". Later it was covered on the 2005 unplugged concert and released as the second single from the album Nur zu Besuch: Unplugged im Wiener Burgtheater
.
Music video
The video contains live footage.
Track listing
Charts
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band 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...
. It was written and sung by bassist Paul Simonon
Paul Simonon
Paul Gustave Simonon is an English musician and artist best known as the bass guitarist for punk rock band The Clash. Recent work includes his involvement in the album The Good, the Bad & the Queen with Damon Albarn, Simon Tong and Tony Allen, released in January 2007...
, who grew up in Brixton
Brixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, south London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The song has a strong reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
influence, reflecting the culture of the area, with a knowing nod to the classic reggae gangster film The Harder They Come
The Harder They Come
The Harder They Come is a 1972 Jamaican crime film directed by Perry Henzell.The film stars reggae singer Jimmy Cliff, who plays Ivanhoe Martin, a character based on Rhyging, a real-life Jamaican criminal who achieved fame in the 1940s...
.
Origins and recording
"The Guns of Brixton" was the first song recorded by the band to be composed by Paul SimononPaul Simonon
Paul Gustave Simonon is an English musician and artist best known as the bass guitarist for punk rock band The Clash. Recent work includes his involvement in the album The Good, the Bad & the Queen with Damon Albarn, Simon Tong and Tony Allen, released in January 2007...
and to feature him as lead vocalist. By London Calling, Paul Simonon had learned to play guitar, and started contributing more to the songwriting.
- "You don't get paid for designing posters or doing the clothes", he said in an interview published by Bassist Magazine on October 1990, "you get paid for doing the songs."
The band, separated from their manager Bernard Rhodes, had to leave their rehearsal studio in Camden Town
Camden Town
-Economy:In recent years, entertainment-related businesses and a Holiday Inn have moved into the area. A number of retail and food chain outlets have replaced independent shops driven out by high rents and redevelopment. Restaurants have thrived, with the variety of culinary traditions found in...
and find another location. The band began work on London Calling
London Calling
London Calling is the third studio album by the English punk rock band The Clash. It was released in the United Kingdom on 14 December 1979 through CBS Records, and in the United States in January 1980 through Epic Records...
during the summer of 1979 at the so-called Vanilla Studios in Pimlico
Pimlico
Pimlico is a small area of central London in the City of Westminster. Like Belgravia, to which it was built as a southern extension, Pimlico is known for its grand garden squares and impressive Regency architecture....
. The band quickly wrote and recorded demos, and, in August 1979, entered Wessex Studios
Wessex Sound Studios
Wessex Sound Studios was a recording studio located in Highbury New Park, London, England. Many renowned popular music artists recorded there, including The Sex Pistols, King Crimson, The Clash, Theatre of Hate, XTC, The Sinceros, Queen, Talk Talk and The Rolling Stones...
to begin recording the album. Produced by Guy Stevens
Guy Stevens
Guy Stevens worked in a number of different roles in the British music industry including producer and manager. He gave the rock bands Procol Harum and Mott the Hoople their distinctive names....
, who at the time had alcohol and drug problems and whose production methods were unconventional, it was recorded within a matter of weeks, with many songs, including "The Guns of Brixton", recorded in one or two takes. It was also revealed that while recording the lead vocals for the song, Simonon sang the song while staring directly at a CBS executive who dropped by the studio during the sessions, giving Simonon the desired amount of emotion in his voice.
Lyrics and meaning
"The Guns of Brixton" pre-dates the race riots that took place in the 1980s in BrixtonBrixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
but the lyrics depict the feelings of discontent that were building due to heavy-handedness of the police that led to the riots, the recession and other problems at that time. Paul Simonon was originally doubtful about the song's lyrics, which discuss an individual's paranoid outlook on life, but was encouraged to continue working on it by Strummer.
Music and composition
"The Guns of Brixton" bass line became famous when Norman CookFatboy Slim
Norman Quentin Cook better known by his former stage name Fatboy Slim, is a British DJ, electronic dance music musician, and record producer. He is a pioneer of the big beat genre that achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s...
(a.k.a. Fatboy Slim) sampled it for Beats International
Beats International
Beats International was a British electronic music band, formed in the late 1980s by Norman Cook , after his departure from The Housemartins.-Career:...
's hit "Dub Be Good to Me
Dub Be Good to Me
"Dub Be Good to Me" is a popular single by the club music group Beats International, released in 1990. It is generally considered the band's signature song.-Song information:Written by Norman Cook aka...
". Paul Simonon, interviewed by Scott Rowley on October 1999 for Bassist Magazine, said that he "was surprised that it became number one that was quite shocking. And the fact that it was my performance that they had lifted. The smart thing would've been to copy it and change it slightly, but they just lifted it straight off. So, really, I have done Top of the Pops, but I met up with Norman [Cook] and we came to an arrangement which was much needed at the time. But I thought it was a really good idea and it was quite reassuring for that to happen to my first song."
Live performances
"The Guns of Brixton" was a mainstay in the band's set and when played live Simonon used to switch instruments with Joe StrummerJoe Strummer
John Graham Mellor , best remembered by his stage name Joe Strummer, was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of the British punk rock band The Clash. His musical experience included his membership in The 101ers, Latino Rockabilly War, The Mescaleros and The Pogues, in...
(Simonon on rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
and Strummer on bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) because he felt uncomfortable playing the bassline and singing lead vocals at the same time.
Return to Brixton
"The Guns of Brixton" was initially not released as a single. A section of "The Guns of Brixton", sung by a very young Maria Gallagher accompanied by her father, Mick, on the keyboardKeyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, appears as a reprise at the end of the song "Broadway" on the 1980 Clash's album Sandinista!
Sandinista!
Sandinista! is the fourth studio album by the English punk rock band the Clash. It was released on 12 December 1980 as a triple album containing 36 tracks, with 6 songs on each side...
. "The Guns of Brixton", taken from the remastered version of London Calling
London Calling
London Calling is the third studio album by the English punk rock band The Clash. It was released in the United Kingdom on 14 December 1979 through CBS Records, and in the United States in January 1980 through Epic Records...
and remixed by Jeremy Healy
Jeremy Healy
Jeremy Healy is an English DJ and singer. He is a former member of the 1980s pop group, Haysi Fantayzee.-Career:...
, was released by CBS
CBS Records
CBS Records is a record label founded by CBS Corporation in 2006 to take advantage of music from its entertainment properties owned by CBS Television Studios. The initial label roster consisted of only three artists; rock band Señor Happy and singer/songwriters Will Dailey and P.J...
as a CD single
CD single
A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s...
, 7-inch vinyl
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
and a 12-inch vinyl
12-inch single
The 12-inch single is a type of gramophone record that has wider groove spacing compared to other types of records. This allows for louder levels to be cut on the disc by the cutting engineer, which in turn gives a wider dynamic range, and thus better sound quality...
entitled "Return to Brixton" in July 1990 (catalog number 656072-2), and it reached number fifty-seven 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 ...
. The CD single track listing is:
- "Return to Brixton" — 3:47
- "Return to Brixton" — 6:55
- "Return to Brixton" (SW2 Dub) — 6:00
- "The Guns of Brixton" — 3:09
A somewhat heavier, faster version than the one found on London Calling appeared on the live compilation From Here to Eternity: Live
From Here to Eternity: Live
From Here to Eternity: Live is a live album by English punk rock band The Clash. It was released on 4 October 1999. The songs were recorded at different shows. Some of the recordings featured also appear in the movie Rude Boy...
, released in 1999.
Cover versions
The song has been covered by numerous bands over the years, including Blaggers ITA, Arcade Fire, Unwritten LawUnwritten Law
Unwritten Law is an American rock band formed in 1990 in Poway, California and currently recording for Suburban Noize Records. They have released seven full-length studio albums and have toured internationally, including performances on the Warped Tour...
, Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys are an Irish-American punk rock band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. The band was initially signed to independent punk record label Hellcat Records, releasing five albums for the label, and making a name for themselves locally through constant playing and yearly St....
, Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
, Jeff Klein
Jeff Klein
Jeffrey Lawrence "Jeff" Klein is an American singer/songwriter from Newburgh, New York, who plays keyboards and guitar. He has released three critically acclaimed albums.-Biography:...
, The Bandits
The Bandits
The Bandits were an English blues rock band from Liverpool. They are most notable for the singles "Take it and Run" and "2 Step Rock", which both reached the Top 40 on the UK Singles Chart.-History:...
, Nouvelle Vague
Nouvelle Vague (band)
Nouvelle Vague is a French musical collective led by musicians Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux. Their name is a play on words, meaning "new wave" in French, and "bossa nova" in Portuguese...
, Calexico, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
, Optimus Rhyme
Optimus Rhyme
Optimus Rhyme was a hip hop group from Seattle, Washington. Optimus Rhyme is most widely considered a nerdcore hip hop group because of the nerdy nature of their lyrics. The name of the band as well as the stage names of the members and a majority of their lyrics refer to the Transformers...
, My Red Hot Nightmare, German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
punk band Die Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen is a German punk band from Düsseldorf. They have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.The band's name literally means "The Dead Pants" in English, although the phrase "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "nothing going on" or "boring"...
with and without Gentleman
Gentleman (musician)
Tilmann Otto , better known by his stage name Gentleman, is a German Reggae musician.- Personal life :...
(see below), Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs is an Argentine ska band from Buenos Aires. Formed in 1985, they released their first album, Bares y Fondas in 1986...
, The Libertines
The Libertines
The Libertines were an English rock band, formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât and Pete Doherty . The band, centred on the song-writing partnership of Barat and Doherty, also included John Hassall and Gary Powell for most of its recording career...
, and the Italian singer Enrico Ruggeri
Enrico Ruggeri
Enrico Ruggeri is an Italian rock singer-songwriter.-Biography:A native of Milan, Ruggeri made his debut in the 1970s with the punk band Decibel...
.
In 1981, a German punk band named Soilent Grün used the melody of "The Guns of Brixton" for their song "Spitz wie Lumpi". Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
-born band The Beautiful Girls
The Beautiful Girls
The Beautiful Girls are an Australian band, predominantly playing roots music. They have released three EPs, Morning Sun, Goodtimes and Weight Of The World. Plus four full length albums, Learn Yourself, We're Already Gone, Ziggurats and Spooks. They played at Dusty Days on 15 March 2008 in Wagga...
released a cover version in 2003 entitled "Guns of Brixton / Dub Be Good to Me". Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill is an American hip hop group from South Gate, California. Cypress Hill was the first Latino hip-hop group to have platinum and multi-platinum albums, selling over 18 million albums worldwide...
's 2004 hit "What's Your Number?" also sampled the bass line, as well as the guitar work, and featured Tim Armstrong
Tim Armstrong
Timothy Lockwood Armstrong is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known for his work with punk rock bands Rancid, Operation Ivy, Downfall, and the Transplants. He is also the owner and operator of Hellcat Records.-Personal life:Armstrong was born November 25, 1965 and was...
of Rancid too.
In 2004, the French musical collective, Nouvelle Vague
Nouvelle Vague (band)
Nouvelle Vague is a French musical collective led by musicians Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux. Their name is a play on words, meaning "new wave" in French, and "bossa nova" in Portuguese...
, released a bossa nova
Bossa nova
Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...
version on their eponymous debut album
Nouvelle Vague (album)
Nouvelle Vague is the 2004 self-titled debut album by Nouvelle Vague. The album consists entirely of easy listening and bossa nova versions of songs that were written and recorded during the post-punk/New Wave era...
featuring vocals by Camille.
In 2006, MC Chris
Mc chris
mc chris is an American rapper, voice actor, writer and improvisational comedian....
used "The Guns of Brixton" as a beat on the song "Blastic", from the album Dungeon Master of Ceremonies
Dungeon master of ceremonies
Dungeon Master of Ceremonies is the fourth album by nerdcore hip hop artist mc chris. The album had a set of tracks that also did not make the cut, and most of the tracks were later released on MC Chris's MySpace and forums...
. San Francisco Bay Area rappers, Zion I
Zion I
Zion I are a hip hop duo from Oakland, California. The duo consists of producer DJ AmpLive and MC Zumbi. The group is known to its followers for Amp's futuristic production techniques, using a mix of live instrumentation and samples, and Zumbi's positive and socially conscious lyrics. Zion I...
and The Grouch
The Grouch (rapper)
The Grouch , is an MC, producer, and member of the underground hip hop groups the Living Legends, G&E, The CMA and Z&G. He was born in Oakland, California, where he attended Bishop O'Dowd High School.-Solo albums:* 1995 - Don't Talk To Me...
sampled "The Guns of Brixton" in "Trigger" off their 2006 album Heroes in the City of Dope
Heroes in the City of Dope
Heroes in the City of Dope is a collaboration album by West Coast hip hop artists Zion I and The Grouch, released October 10, 2006 on Om Records. The album features production from Zion I's producer Amp Live, The Grouch and his fellow Living Legends member Eligh. Guest appearances are provided by...
.
In January 2007, NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
reported that The Good, the Bad and the Queen
The Good, the Bad and the Queen
The Good, the Bad & the Queen is the album by an ostensibly unnamed British alternative rock supergroup also commonly referred to as The Good, The Bad & The Queen, and made up of Damon Albarn, Paul Simonon, Simon Tong and Tony Allen. The album was released in January 2007...
, which features Simonon on bass, ended the first set of their UK tour (Trinity Hall, Bristol) in promotion of their debut album
The Good, the Bad and the Queen
The Good, the Bad & the Queen is the album by an ostensibly unnamed British alternative rock supergroup also commonly referred to as The Good, The Bad & The Queen, and made up of Damon Albarn, Paul Simonon, Simon Tong and Tony Allen. The album was released in January 2007...
with this song (and Simonon on vocals).
Polish street punk
Street punk
Street punk is a working class-based genre of punk rock which took shape in the early 1980s, partly as a rebellion against the perceived artistic pretensions of the first wave of British punk. Street punk emerged from the Oi! style, performed by bands such as Sham 69, Angelic Upstarts, Cockney...
band The Analogs
The Analogs
The Analogs is a Polish street punk band. They originated in Szczecin, and are quite successful on the local and international punk rock scene....
, Pidzama Porno
Pidzama Porno
Pidżama Porno is a Polish punk rock/reggae/ska band. It was disbanded on December 9, 2007, after 20 years of existence.-History:The band was founded in December 1987 in Poznań, by Krzysztof "Grabaż" Grabowski and Andrzej "Kozak" Kozakiewicz, students of Adam Mickiewicz University, who originally...
on "Koncertówka 2. Drugi szczyt
Koncertówka 2. Drugi szczyt
Koncertówka 2. Drugi szczyt – Pidzama Porno's second bootleg and their ninth album in their whole career. It was released in 10th of June 2003. This album contains tracks from XIV birthday concert in Poznan , track no 2 comes from the concert in Proxima, from December 2000...
" played this song live since 2007 and with wind instruments on 2008 mini tour. Santogold covered the song in 2008 for her Top Ranking
Top Ranking
Top Ranking: A Diplo Dub is a mixtape by American artist Santigold and Philadelphia-based DJ Diplo, released on July 15, 2008.-General information:...
mixtape with Diplo. The lyrics were changed from Brixton to Brooklyn. Maurits Westerik, singer of the rockband GEM
Gem (band)
GEM is a band from Utrecht, The Netherlands. The five-piece, founded in 2003, plays energetic rock, mixing grit with melody. GEM has released two albums of which Escapades is the newest.-Biography:...
, also covered the song in 2008 during his session for the Dutch music project OnderInvloed.com.
Julie Ruin
Julie Ruin
Julie Ruin is the independent record produced by Kathleen Hanna under the name Julie Ruin in 1997, while taking a break from Bikini Kill. It touches upon feminism, crocheting, aerobics and resisting police abuse. It was mostly produced in Kathleen's apartment in Olympia, Washington...
's Kathleen Hanna sampled the song for her cover of "I Want to Know What Love Is
I Want to Know What Love Is
"I Want to Know What Love Is" is a 1984 power ballad recorded by the British-American rock band Foreigner. The song hit #1 in both the UK and the U.S. and is the band's biggest hit...
". The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
added a cover of the song to their 2010 tour setlist including dates on The Unity Tour.
In 2011, Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff, OM is a Jamaican musician, singer and actor. He is the only currently living musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievement in the arts and sciences...
released a cover of the song, which is notable both because he played the lead in the film The Harder They Come
The Harder They Come
The Harder They Come is a 1972 Jamaican crime film directed by Perry Henzell.The film stars reggae singer Jimmy Cliff, who plays Ivanhoe Martin, a character based on Rhyging, a real-life Jamaican criminal who achieved fame in the 1940s...
and also because of his musical influence on The Clash.
Die Toten Hosen cover
"The Guns of Brixton" was recorded by Die Toten HosenDie Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen is a German punk band from Düsseldorf. They have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.The band's name literally means "The Dead Pants" in English, although the phrase "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "nothing going on" or "boring"...
for the single of "Freunde
Freunde
"Freunde" is a song by Die Toten Hosen. It's the fourth single and the twelfth track from the album Zurück zum Glück.The song is a hymn and an ode to friendship overall.-Music video:...
". Later it was covered on the 2005 unplugged concert and released as the second single from the album Nur zu Besuch: Unplugged im Wiener Burgtheater
Nur zu Besuch: Unplugged im Wiener Burgtheater
Nur zu Besuch: Unplugged im Wiener Burgtheater or Nur zu Besuch: Die Toten Hosen unplugged im Wiener Burgtheater is a MTV Unplugged album by the German punk band Die Toten Hosen....
.
Music video
The video contains live footage.
Track listing
- "The Guns of Brixton" (Simonon) − 2:44
- "Steh auf, wenn du am Boden bistSteh auf, wenn du am Boden bist"Steh auf, wenn du am Boden bist" is a song by Die Toten Hosen. It's the third single and the thirteenth track from the album Auswärtsspiel....
" (Stand up when you're on the floor) (von Holst, Frege) − 3:31 - "The Guns of Brixton" − 2:47 [live 2004 with GentlemanGentleman (musician)Tilmann Otto , better known by his stage name Gentleman, is a German Reggae musician.- Personal life :...
]
Charts
| Year | Country | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
62 |
Chart history
| Chart (1990) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| 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 ... |
57 |