This Is England (song)

"This Is England" is a song by the English punk rock band the Clash, released in September 1985 from their sixth and final studio album Cut the Crap. Produced by Bernard Rhodes and co-written by Strummer and Rhodes, it was the band's last single, in their later incarnation of Joe Strummer, Paul Simonon, Nick Sheppard, Pete Howard and Vince White.

"This Is England"
Single by the Clash
from the album Cut the Crap
B-side"Do It Now"/"Sex Mad Roar"
Released30 September 1985
Recorded1985
GenrePunk rock[1]
Length3:51
LabelCBS 6122
Songwriter(s)Joe Strummer, Bernard Rhodes
Producer(s)'Jose Unidos'
The Clash singles chronology
"Straight to Hell"
(1982)		 "This Is England"
(1985)		 ""London Calling" (re-release)"
(1988)

Lyrics and meaning

Written in late 1983, the song is about the state of England at the time.[2] "This Is England" comprises a list of the problems in England during the early years of the Thatcher administration, addressing inner-city violence, urban alienation, life on council estates, high unemployment rate, England's dying motorcycle industry, racism, nationalism, and police corruption—as well as two very common subject matters for mid-1980s left-wing songwriters: the Falklands War; and the consumerist, subservient mind-set of many English people at the time.[3] The song begins with the squeaky voice of a market hawker shouting, "four for a pound your face flannels; three for a pound your tea towels!" It is unclear whether it is the voice of a child or of an adult that has been sped up to raise its pitch.

Reception and release

Unlike the album, which continues to receive criticism and in some cases ridicule, "This Is England" is often praised. Strummer described it as his "last great Clash song".[4]

The single was released on 7-inch vinyl, backed with "Do It Now", and in a 12" vinyl format with a different cover and an additional track on side two, titled "Sex Mad Roar".

"This Is England" was included on The Essential Clash compilation in 2003. In 2006, the single was fully re-released on CD as disc 19 in Singles Box, accompanied by a faithful re-creation of the single's original artwork and the extra track "Sex Mad Roar" from the original 12" pressing. The single also appears on the 2007 collection The Singles.

Personnel

Charts
Chart Peak
position		 Date
UK Singles Chart[5] 24 October 1985
Irish Singles Chart[6] 13 October 1985

References
  1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. " Cut the Crap: The Clash". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2019
  2. "songmeanings.net comments". songmeanings.net. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  3. http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=30553
  4. Spencer, Neil; Brown, James. "Why the Clash are still Rock Titans". The Guardian, 29 October 2006. Retrieved 19 April 2019
  5. "Artist: The Clash". Officialcharts.com. Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  6. "Artist: The Clash". Irishcharts.ie. Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
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