Know Your Rights
"Know Your Rights" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by The Clash | ||||
from the album Combat Rock | ||||
B-side | "First Night Back in London" | |||
Released | 1982 | |||
Genre | Rockabilly[1] | |||
Length | 3:41 | |||
Label | CBS | |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | The Clash | |||
The Clash singles chronology | ||||
|
"Know Your Rights" is a song by the Clash. It was released in 1982 as the first single from the album Combat Rock, three weeks prior to the release of the album.
The song begins with the words "This is a public service announcement... with guitar!" 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)".
Cover versions
"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, and 3/3/03 – Tokyo, Japan.[2]
Track listing
- 7" vinyl
- "Know Your Rights" (Joe Strummer/Mick Jones) – 3:35
- "First Night Back in London" (The Clash) – 3:00
Charts
Chart | Peak position |
---|---|
UK Singles (OCC)[3] | 43 |
References
- ^ Sendra, Tim. "The Clash – Combat Rock – Album Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
- ^ Pearl Jam - Know Your Rights, retrieved 28 September 2023
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- v
- t
- e
- From Here to Eternity: Live
- Live at Shea Stadium
- Black Market Clash
- The Story of the Clash, Volume 1
- 1977 Revisited
- Clash on Broadway
- The Singles (1991)
- Super Black Market Clash
- The Essential Clash
- Singles Box
- The Singles (2007)
- Sound System
- The Clash Hits Back
- 5 Album Studio Set
- Capital Radio
- The Cost of Living
- "White Riot"
- "Remote Control"
- "Complete Control"
- "Clash City Rockers"
- "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais"
- "Tommy Gun"
- "English Civil War"
- "I Fought the Law"
- "Groovy Times"
- "London Calling"
- "Clampdown"
- "Train in Vain"
- "Bankrobber"
- "The Call Up"
- "Hitsville U.K."
- "The Magnificent Seven"
- "This Is Radio Clash"
- "Know Your Rights"
- "Should I Stay or Should I Go"
- "Rock the Casbah"
- "Straight to Hell"
- "This Is England"
- "Return to Brixton"
- "Career Opportunities"
- "Capital Radio One"
- "Garageland"
- "I'm So Bored with the USA"
- "Janie Jones"
- "London's Burning"
- "Police and Thieves"
- "Jail Guitar Doors"
- "Brand New Cadillac"
- "Death or Glory"
- "Lost in the Supermarket"
- "Revolution Rock"
- "Rudie Can't Fail"
- "Spanish Bombs"
- "Junco Partner"
- "Washington Bullets"
- "Overpowered by Funk"
- Rude Boy
- Concert for Kampuchea
- Westway to the World
- Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten
- London Town
- Discography
- Songs
- Band members
- The 101ers
- London SS
- Public Image Ltd
- Big Audio Dynamite
- Havana 3am
- The Latino Rockabilly War
- The Pogues
- The Mescaleros
- Carbon/Silicon
- The Good, the Bad & the Queen
- Gorillaz
- Spirit of St. Louis
- Rock Against Racism
- The Joe Strummer Foundation
- Bernard Rhodes
- Don Letts
- Alex Michon
- Caroline Coon
- Sandy Pearlman
- Guy Stevens
- Kosmo Vinyl
- Mick Gallagher
- Norman Watt-Roy
- Tymon Dogg
- Mikey Dread
- Ellen Foley
- Futura 2000
- Category