The Clash » Tracks » Rock The Casbah

The Clash – Rock The Casbah (3:41)

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About This Track

According to the Rock The Casbah Songfacts, Clash Drummer Topper Headon wrote the music and the original lyrics. Vocalist Joe Strummer then decided to take Headon’s lyrics in a different direction, to tell the story of an Arab ruler (the Shereef) who hates music, but is defied by the citizens . According to former Clash co-manager Kosmo Vinyl, Headon’s original words were a filthy ode to his girlfriend. Vinyl recalled to Rolling Stone: “He had really pornographic lyrics for it if I remember correctly. Very, very pornographic lyrics.” Strummer’s inspiration for re-working the song came from the Clash’s other manager, Bernie Rhodes, who asked the band, “Does everything have to be as long as a raga?” after a particularly long take of the track “Sean Flynn.” Strummer told Rolling Stone shortly before he died in 2002: “I got back to the hotel that night and wrote on a typewriter, ‘The King told the boogie men You gotta get that raga drop.’ I looked at it and for some reason I started to think about what someone had told me earlier, that you get lashed for owning a disco album in Iran.”
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Albums featuring this track

  • Combat Rock
    The Clash Play
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  • The Singles
    The Clash Play
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  • The Essential Clash
    The Clash Play
    Buy
  • London Calling / Combat Rock
    The Clash Play
    Buy
See all 62 albums

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  • thekills1985

    This is a great song :)

    Monday morning

  • Voltagx

    classic british punk rock ^.^

    Thursday morning

  • KConn3711

    love this song

    16 days ago

  • JONHDEAD

    RIARIARIARIARIAIRAIRAIRAIRIARIARIAIRAIRIA

    18 days ago

  • gotgore101

    I heard this song today on my fave radio station....sorry I couldnt get up and dance...lol lol I LOVE THIS SONG.

    22 days ago

  • jelene

    helloooooooooooooo again

    26 days ago

  • Panecea

    They began to wail. ♥

    last month

  • Oregon_Myst

    Good song and I luv the interpretations of the lyrics! :D

    last month

  • KevinSG1

    Star Wars bar scene. nuff said

    last month

  • shellbyrne

    rock the cat box..

    last month

  • lisabemine

    WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    last month

  • SuperJulian_

    rock the casbah!!!!!!

    March 2012

  • Kristhamaria

    Ooh!!! :) Rock the kasbah!!!!

    March 2012

  • monster_mash1

    FUCK THE TASKFORCE

    March 2012

  • curbstompen

    The Clash! nuff said. Rock On!

    March 2012

  • clashingnotes

    NOW THIS IS THE SHIZ!!!!!!

    March 2012

  • AngelFuture

    :D

    February 2012

  • Mobilicorpus

    Sheriff don't like it, lock the taskbar, lock the taskbar.

    February 2012

  • sdkyle

    Instant party! Drop the bombs between the Rent a Wrecks...

    February 2012

  • Trysta_Ismene

    Love this song...it's oh so party ready....

    February 2012
See all 652 shouts

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