“Rock The Casbah” (Extended version), by The Clash … (Anthemic Punk...

We ban that boogie sound. Degenerate the faithful, With that crazy Casbah sound.

The Clash – “Rock The Casbah” (Extended version)

“Rock The Casbah” (1982)

“Rock The Casbah” was composed in reaction to Ayatollah Khomeini’s 1979 ban on all music broadcasts. Not just rock or punk or jazz or other degenerate genres. ALL music.

Lead singer Joe Strummer decided to write a song proclaiming the freedom of citizens to listen to whatever music they choose – whether in a pub in London or in a public square in an African city.

The Clash’s drummer Topper Headon had already written the music and some lyrics. Strummer threw out Headon’s lyrics, and wrote a tale of how both the locals and the military defy a ban on music, and proceed to dance with abandon and rock the casbah.

The Clash

By the time of “Rock The Casbah” on their fifth album, The Clash had established their reputation as one of the finest bands of its time. They continued to evolve, producing music that blended rock’n’roll, punk, reggae, ska, and various elements of ethnic music.

Many Good Ideas at the Time

The Clash split up in 1986. According to Strummer, they were “tired,” and they had “run out of idea gasoline.” Nevertheless, looking back on their oeuvre, it’s clear that they had a few good ideas at the time. _{(Image source)}

Now the king told the boogie men
You have to let that raga drop
The oil down the desert way
Has been shakin' to the top
The sheik he drove his Cadillac
He went a' cruisin' down the ville
The muezzin was a' standing
On the radiator grille

The shareef don't like it
Rock the Casbah [2 x]
The shareef don't like it
Rock the Casbah [2 x]

By order of the prophet
We ban that boogie sound
Degenerate the faithful
With that crazy Casbah sound
But the Bedouin they brought out
The electric camel drum
The local guitar picker
Got his guitar picking thumb
As soon as the shareef
Had cleared the square
They began to wail

The shareef don't like it
Rock the Casbah [2 x]

Now over at the temple
Oh! They really pack 'em in
The in crowd say it's cool
To dig this chanting thing
But as the wind changed direction
And the temple band took five
The crowd caught a whiff
Of that crazy Casbah jive

The shareef don't like it
Rock the Casbah [2 x]

The king called up his jet fighters
He said you better earn your pay
Drop your bombs between the minarets
Down the Casbah way

As soon as the shareef was
Chauffeured outta there
The jet pilots tuned to
The cockpit radio blare

As soon as the shareef was
Outta their hair
The jet pilots wailed

The shareef don't like it
Rock the Casbah [2 x]

He thinks it's not kosher
Fundamentally he can't take it.
You know he really hates it. _{(Image source)}
Lyrics by The Clash, courtesy of – AZLyrics.com
Reference – GeeksAndBeats.com
Reference – Wikipedia
Reference – NYTimes.com
Reference – En.Qantara.dd

Into your ears … through 5 channels

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         1 – “Music to Your Ears” (MTYE)
         2 – “Cover Versions”
         3 – “Honor Roll”
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         5 – “Mock’n’Roll”