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The Clash – Complete Control (3:12)

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About This Track

“Complete Control” is a song by The Clash, released as a 7” single and featured on the U.S. release of their debut album.

The song is often cited as one of punk’s greatest singles, and is a fiery polemic on record companies, managers and the state of punk music itself, the motivation for the song being the band’s label (CBS Records) releasing “Remote Control” without bothering to ask them, something that infuriated the group. The song also refers to managers of the time who sought to control their groups–Bernie Rhodes (of The Clash) and Malcolm McLaren (the Sex Pistols)–indeed, the song’s very title is derived from this theme:

“ Bernie had a meeting in The Ship in Soho after the Anarchy Tour. He said he wanted complete control…I came out of the club with Paul collapsing on the pavement in hysterics at those words.”

The track also refers to the band’s run-ins with the police, their practice of letting fans into gigs through the back door or window for free and a punk idealism seemingly crushed by the corporate reality they had become part of and the betrayal and anger they felt. The overriding message of the song can be recognised in this couplet from the song:
“ They said, we’d be artistically free / When we signed that bit of paper.”

This message was scorned by some critics as naïveté on the part of the band - legendary DJ the late John Peel was one of those, suggesting that the group must have realised CBS were not ‘a foundation for the arts’, while others were strong in their support of the single, for example:
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Albums featuring this track

  • The Clash
    The Clash Play
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  • The Singles
    The Clash Play
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  • The Essential Clash
    The Clash Play
    Buy
  • The Ultimate Collection
    The Clash Play
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See all 36 albums

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  • NeallyAnarcho76

    This is my favurite Clash Track fucking amazing THIS IS JOE PUBLIC SPEAKING YOU'RE CONTROLLED IN THE BODY CONTROLLED IN THE MIND

    Friday afternoon

  • estravagaria

    Live version is fuckin great

    last month

  • DavCnuk

    live version is great

    last month

  • PatrickKruspe

    thank you record label for inspiring the guys to make this song :p

    January 2012

  • whiteriot1992

    pure dynamite

    September 2011

  • danc6433

    Fuck Joe Dimaggio, where's Joe Strummer.

    September 2011

  • UpThaFolkPunx

    Low bitrate. The Clash deserve better than this!

    May 2011

  • bobgreen623

    You're my geetar hero!!!!! Am I allowed to say this is beautiful? I feckin love it

    April 2011

  • kingkeir

    C-O-N CONTROL

    March 2011

  • NextsundayAD

    Fuck yes.

    March 2011

  • barryvs

    "Fiery polemic"? This is punk for fuck's sake! ;)

    December 2010

  • ToTheWelshPoint

    ''YOU'RE MY GUITAR HERO !!!!!!!!'' Classic Clash, arguably their best !

    December 2010

  • DarkMagickKarma

    This is just WRONG!! Not available in my country! They're from my country! What a fucking jip! What has got its gruby fat hands on our music? Same as it ever was. Strummer will be spinning! Ooh, it makes me soooo mad... lol

    December 2010

  • DarkMagickKarma

    One of their classics...seen them play times in M/C & London... 77 - 79 Just fucking awesome!

    December 2010

  • Dette04

    Best............. Love it.!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    December 2010

  • JimmyJazz27

    ladies and gentleman.... The Clash

    October 2010

  • hemorrhoidprime

    best punk song ever?

    September 2010

  • punk1968

    cooooll !!!!!

    September 2010

  • OutOfStepMisfit

    This is one of them songs that no matter how many times you hear it, you always enjoy! They'll always be my favourite band.

    September 2010

  • Two77Clash

    The best song in the whole world. 'Nuff said.

    July 2010
See all 125 shouts

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