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"Bankrobber"
Single by the Clash
from the album Black Market Clash
B-side	"Rockers Galore... UK Tour"
Released	8 August 1980
Recorded	February 1st and 2nd, 1980
Studio	Pluto Studios
Venue	Manchester, England
Genre	Reggae dub
Length	4:33
Label	CBS 8323
Songwriter(s)	Joe Strummer and Mick Jones
Producer(s)	Mikey Dread
The Clash singles chronology
"Train in Vain" (1980) "Bankrobber" (1980) "The Call Up" (1980)

"Bankrobber" is a song by English punk rock band the Clash. The song was not released on any of their studio albums, instead appearing on their compilation Black Market Clash. Upon its 1980 release as a single (initially available in the UK on import only) it peaked at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart, and at number 14 on both the Irish Singles Chart and the New Zealand Singles Chart.

Video

Don Letts filmed a low-budget video for the song, depicting members of the band recording the song in the studio, interspersed with Clash roadies Baker and Johnny Green wearing bandanas over their faces, performing a bank heist in Lewisham. During the filming, Baker and Green were stopped and questioned by the police, who thought they were genuine.

Track listing

7" vinyl

1. "Bankrobber" (The Clash) – 4:36
2. "Rockers Galore... UK Tour" (Mikey Dread) – 4:42

Personnel

• Joe Strummer - lead vocal
• Mick Jones - sound effects, guitars
• Paul Simonon - bass
• Topper Headon - drums
• Mick Gallagher - ARP synthesizer, piano
• Mikey Dread - backing vocal, production

Robber Dub

"Robber Dub" is the dub version of "Bankrobber". It was to be included in the 12" single for "Bankrobber", but the label decided not to release the 12" single. The song can be found on their 1980 compilation album Black Market Clash, combined with "Bankrobber" as a 6:16 track, and also on the 1994 compilation album Super Black Market Clash, as a 4:42 stand alone track.

Rockers Galore... UK Tour

"Rockers Galore... UK Tour" is a reworking of "Bankrobber" with Mikey Dread singing new lyrics about touring with the Clash. It is not "Robber Dub" which lacks the Dread vocal and lyrics. "Rockers Galore" is also featured on their 2006 compilation album Singles Box.

Appearances

"Bankrobber" is featured in Guy Ritchie's 2008 film, Rocknrolla. It is sung alternately by the older 'Johnny Quid', portrayed by British actor Toby Kebbell, in his dingy flat, and by the younger 'John Cole' in the company of his cruel stepfather, the London mob boss Lenny Cole.

Ian Brown and Pete Garner, later of the Stone Roses, were in attendance at the studio recording session of this single. According to Brown, having heard a rumour that the Clash were recording in Manchester, he and Garner were walking through the city centre when they overheard Topper Headon playing the drums at the city's Pluto Studios: Headon subsequently emerged from the studio and invited the pair in. The full account of this incident is in John Robb's Stone Roses and the Resurrection of British Pop.

Cover versions

Audioweb recorded a rock/reggae cover in 1996 that reached number 19 in the UK Singles Chart.

Chumbawamba's 2005 album A Singsong and a Scrap features an a cappella cover version of the song.

Country rocker Jesse Dayton covered the song on his 2019 release Mixtape Vol. 1.

Tom Morello covered the song acoustically for a Joe Strummer tribute in 2020.

Charts

Notes

1. During the filming for the "Bankrobber" video, Clash roadies Baker and Johnny Green faked a bank job in South London. They were stopped and questioned by the police, who thought they were the real thing.
2. "Robber Dub" is a 'Dread at The Controls' version of The Clash's excellent reggae song "Bankrobber". It was to be included on a 12" single titled "Bankrobber", but the label ended up refusing to release a 12" single version. It is a great song, but doesn't quite match "Justice Tonight/Kick It Over".
3. "Rockers Galore...UK Tour" is a reworking of "Bankrobber" with Mikey Dread singing new lyrics about touring with the Clash. This is not the same track as "Robber Dub" on SUPER BLACK MARKET CLASH, which lacks the Dread vocal and lyrics.

References

1. ^ Punknews.org 2002.
2. Wyman, Bill. "All 139 the Clash Songs, Ranked From Worst to Best". Vulture. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
3. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
4. ^ "The Irish Charts". IRMA. Archived from the original on 2 June 2009. Enter "BANK ROBBER" in Search by Song Title and click search.
5. ^ NME 1991.
6. ^ Sony BMG Store.
7. Spencer, Neil; Brown, James (29 October 2006). "Why the Clash are still rock titans". theguardian.com. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
8. Robb, John (2012). The Stone Roses: With Exclusive Interviews and New Chapters. Random House. pp. 39–40. ISBN 9780091948580. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
9. Robb 2001.
10. Roberts 2006, p. 33.
11. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
12. "The Clash – Bankrobber". Top 40 Singles.

Sources

• Gilbert, Pat (2005) . 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) . The Clash: Return of the Last Gang in Town (5th revised ed.). London: Helter Skelter. ISBN 1-905139-10-1. OCLC 60668626.
• Green, Johnny; Barker, Garry (2003) . A Riot of Our Own: Night and Day with The Clash (3rd ed.). London: Orion. ISBN 0-7528-5843-2. OCLC 52990890.
• Gruen, Bob; Salewicz, Chris (2004) . 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.
• Robb, John (2001) . The Stone Roses and the Resurrection of British Pop (Rev. ed.). London: Ebury. ISBN 978-0-09-187887-0. OCLC 59545827.
• Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records. p. 33. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. OCLC 64098209.
• Topping, Keith (2004) . The Complete Clash (2nd ed.). Richmond: Reynolds & Hearn. ISBN 1-903111-70-6. OCLC 63129186.
• "The Uncut Crap - Over 56 Things You Never Knew About The Clash". NME. 3. London: IPC Magazines. 16 March 1991. ISSN 0028-6362. OCLC 4213418.
  Related news articles:
  • Peterson, Tami. "The Uncut Crap - Over 56 Things You Never Knew About The Clash - NME 16 March 1991". londonsburning.org. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012.
• "The Clash - Super Black Market Clash". Punknews.org. 24 May 2002.
• "The Singles (CD version)". Sony BMG. Archived from the original on 17 March 2008.

• Songs about criminals
• 1980 singles
• The Clash songs
• British reggae songs
• Songs written by Joe Strummer
• 1980 songs
• Songs written by Mick Jones (The Clash)
• CBS Records singles