English punk band The Clash released one of their most beloved singles ever in 1977 on their self-titled debut Album, White Riot. At face value the name and certain lyrics of the song could be interpreted as the band members trying to start a race war, which caused a lot of controversy. A large amount of the public turned on the song and band because they found it offensive.
“The poor Blacks and the poor whites are in the same boat.”
Joe Strummer
Perhaps the most divisive lyrics in the song came when Joe Strummer said “Black men have a lot of problems, but they don’t mind throwing a brick. White people go to school, where they teach you how to be thick.” At first you might interpret this as The Clash calling Black people dangerous and criminals, however the true meaning behind it is completely different.
Lead vocalist Joe Strummer and bassist Paul Simmons grew up and lived in a very divided area of London, one in which racism was incredibly prominent. Low income citizens and immigrants of Jamaican descent made up half the population of the area. They saw the Black members of the community struggling and dealing with many problems including prejudice. At the same time they watched the white kids live oblivious to anything going on around them or to them which upset Strummer and Simmons.
In an interview with NME magazine Joe strummer discussed the song and his intentions with it. He stated “The only thing we’re saying about the Blacks is that they’ve got their problems and they’re prepared to deal with them. But white men, they just ain’t prepared to deal with them—everything’s too cosy.”
White Riot is just as culturally relevant now than it was in 1977, and the message delivered by The Clash is an incredibly important and powerful one to listen to and ponder.