Rank SinatraStart voting
▶ Listen and vote
Song tier list
Rock the Casbah
The Clash
?No votes yet. Be the first to rank it.
Vote on this song
- Album
- Combat Rock (Remastered)
- Released
- 1982
- Genres
- punk
- Length
- 3:42
- Tempo
- 130 BPM
- Label
- Sony Music UK
▶ Listen and vote
About this song
"Rock the Casbah" was the second single from Combat Rock and the Clash's most successful single in the US, reaching number 8 in January 1983. It also reached number 30 in the UK. The music and original lyrics were written by drummer Topper Headon, but frontman Joe Strummer discarded those lyrics and wrote his own after the band's manager complained that the songs on the album were too long. Headon had been removed from the band by the time the song was released, and former drummer Terry Chimes appeared in its video in his place.
What it's about
The song's lyrics describe people being punished for owning a disco album in Iran. The lyrics were inspired by something Strummer had once been told about that situation.
Summary written with AI, based on the song's page on Genius.
Fun facts
- Sampled in 3 other songs, like “OH NO!! ALL THE BOYS!! by MNEK”.
- Covered 9 times, including “Rock the Casbah (Cover) by Aunty Disco Project (ADP)”.
- Written by Topper Headon, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon and Joe Strummer.
- Produced by The Clash.
- Recorded at Ear Studios - London.