Countdown to The Clash, T-minus 2: Rock The Casbah To some people, it would seem almost heretical for a punk rock band to release a dance song. However, in 1982 that’s exactly what The Clash did with “Rock The Casbah”, a song which sounds like that with a little overdubbing, it could be played today in clubs enclosed with velvet ropes across the country. It’s a song released by a band which could not be pigeonholed by critics or even fans. The song’s lyrics were partially inspired by the Iranian government’s ban of rock music following the 1979 revolution. But the song is more than just a political statement: its account of musicians spontaneously defying the ban and the Casbah winning over patrons from rival club the Temple amounts to a statement of belief in everyday peoples ability to overcome unfit authority, both political and cultural. The videos depiction of an Arab and a Jew grooving together in a limo was a declaration of faith in peaceful coexistence during a time when every event pointed to the exact opposite. Boiled down to its essentials, “Rock the Casbah” takes the punk ethos from the mosh pit to the dance floor. Plus, it’s just so damn fun. https://youtube/watch?v=bJ9r8LMU9bQ
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 21:13:51 +0000
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