Tommy Gun (song)
1978 single by the Clash
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Tommy Gun" is a song by the English punk rock band the Clash, released as the first single from their second studio album, Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978).
| "Tommy Gun" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Single by the Clash | ||||
| from the album Give 'Em Enough Rope | ||||
| B-side | "1–2 Crush on You" | |||
| Released | 24 November 1978 | |||
| Recorded | 1978 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:13 | |||
| Label | CBS S CBS 6788 | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Sandy Pearlman | |||
| The Clash singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Tommy Gun" on YouTube | ||||
Background
Joe Strummer said that he got the idea for the song when he was thinking about terrorists, and how they probably enjoy reading about their killings as much as movie stars like seeing their films reviewed.[3]
In the liner notes of the Singles Box, Carl Barat (former frontman of Dirty Pretty Things and the Libertines), says that "Tommy Gun" was important for music at the time because it let people know what was going on in the world – it talked about real issues. He says,
It's ["Tommy Gun"] a product of the volatile climate of the late seventies – all those references to terrorist organizations like Baader-Meinhof and The Red Brigades. It's like a punk rock adaptation of The Beatles' "Revolution".[1]
Track listing
All tracks written by Joe Strummer/Mick Jones.
- 7" vinyl
- "Tommy Gun" – 3:18
- "1-2 Crush On You" – 2:59
Personnel
"Tommy Gun"
"1–2 Crush on You"
- Mick Jones – lead guitar, lead and backing vocals
- Joe Strummer – rhythm guitar, backing and lead (outro) vocals, piano
- Paul Simonon – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Topper Headon – drums
- Gary Barnacle – saxophone
Charts
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Notes
- Gilbert, Pat (2005) [2004]. Passion Is a Fashion: The Real Story of The Clash (4th ed.). London: Aurum Press. ISBN 1-84513-113-4. OCLC 61177239.
- Gray, Marcus (2005) [1995]. The Clash: Return of the Last Gang in Town (5th revised ed.). London: Helter Skelter. ISBN 1-905139-10-1. OCLC 60668626.
- Green, Johnny; Garry Barker (2003) [1997]. A Riot of Our Own: Night and Day with The Clash (3rd ed.). London: Orion. ISBN 0-7528-5843-2. OCLC 52990890.
- Gruen, Bob; Chris Salewicz (2004) [2001]. The Clash (3rd ed.). London: Omnibus. ISBN 1-903399-34-3. OCLC 69241279.
- Needs, Kris (25 January 2005). Joe Strummer and the Legend of the Clash. London: Plexus. ISBN 0-85965-348-X. OCLC 53155325.
- Topping, Keith (2004) [2003]. The Complete Clash (2nd ed.). Richmond: Reynolds & Hearn. ISBN 1-903111-70-6. OCLC 63129186.
