(White Man) in Hammersmith Palais

Infobox Single
Name = (White Man) in Hammersmith Palais


Artist = The Clash
from Album = The Clash (US ver.)
B-side = "The Prisoner"
Released = Start date|1978|6|17
Format = 7" single
Recorded = mid-1978
Genre = Reggae, ska, punk rock
Length = 4:00
Label = CBS S CBS 6383
Writer = Joe Strummer and Mick Jones
Producer = The Clash
Reviews =
Last single = "Clash City Rockers" (1978)
This single = "(White Man) in Hammersmith Palais" (1978)
Next single = "Tommy Gun" (1978)
Misc = Extra musicsample
filename = Clash-(White Man) Palais.ogg
title = (White Man) in Hammersmith Palais
format = Ogg
Type = single"(White Man) in Hammersmith Palais" is a song and single by The Clash, self produced and first released as a 7" single, backed with similarly themed track "The Prisoner", in June 1978.

The song was later added to the belated American version of the band's debut album "The Clash" sandwiched between the single version of "White Riot" and "London's Burning".

Inspiration and composition

The song showed considerable musical and lyrical maturity for the band at the time and is stylistically more in line with their version of Junior Murvin's "Police & Thieves" as the powerful guitar intro of "(White Man) in Hammersmith Palais" descends into a slower ska rhythm, and was disorienting to a lot of the fans who had grown used to their earlier work.cite web
url=http://www.popmatters.com/music/top100songs/1977-2003-21-30.shtml
title=100 FROM 1977 - 2003
accessdate=2008-04-03
last=Begrand
first=Adrien
format=PHP
publisher=PopMatters ] “"We were a big fat riff group"” author Joe Strummer noted in The Clash's film "Westway to the World" “"we weren't supposed to do something like that"”. [Letts Don. (2001). "". Event occurs at 37:00.]

"(White Man) in Hammersmith Palais" starts by recounting an all-night reggae "showcase" night at the Hammersmith Palais in Shepherd's Bush, London that was attended by Joe Strummer and roadie Rodent and was headlined by Dillinger, Leroy Smart and Delroy Wilson.cite web
url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:djfwxcuhldae
title=(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais
accessdate=2008-04-03
last=Sullivan
first=Denise
format=DLL
work=Song Review
publisher=allmusic ] Strummer was disappointed and disillusioned that these performances had been more "pop" and "lightweight" similar to Ken Boothe's brand of reggae with Four Tops-like dance routines, and that the acts had been "performances" rather than the roots rock rebellion that he had been hoping for.cite web
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6508295.stm
title = White man's blues
accessdate = 2008-04-03
last = Connor
first = Alan
authorlink = Alan Connor
date = 2007-03-30
format = STM
work = Smashed Hits
publisher = BBC NEWS, Magazine ]

The song then moves away from the disappointing concert to address various other themes, nearly all relating to the state of Britain at the time. First giving an anti-violence message, then addressing the state of 'wealth distribution' in Britain, promoting unity between the Black and White youths of the country before moving on to address the state of the British punk rock scene in 1978 which was becoming more mainstream.

Included is a jibe at an unnamed group who wear Burton's suits, taken by many to be The Jam (though in an NME article of the time, Strummer claimed the actual target was the power pop fad hyped by journalists as the next big thing in 1978) and the lyric concludes that the new groups are in it solely to be famous and for the money (though The Clash themselves have often been criticized for just that, notably by other punk rock bands like Crass).

The final lines fret over the social decline of Britain, noting sardonically that things were getting to the point where even Adolf Hitler could expect to be sent a limousine in the unlikely event of flying into London.

The single was reissued on June, 1978 with a different cover art.

This song was one of Joe Strummer's favorites, he continued to play it live with his new band The Mescaleros until his death and it was played at his funeral.

Critical reception

"(White Man) in Hammersmith Palais" helped The Clash assert themselves as a more versatile band musically and politically than many of their peers, and it broke the exciting but limiting punk mould that had been established by the Sex Pistols; from now on The Clash would be "the thinking man's yobs".

Robert Christgau recommended the single for "(White Man) in Hammersmith Palais" in his Consumer Guide, published by "Village Voice", on September 4, 1978, and described the song as "a must". [cite web
url = http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv9-78.php
title = Consumer Guide Sept. 4, 1978
accessdate = 2008-04-03
last = Christgau
first = Robert
authorlink = Robert Christgau
date = 1978-09-04
format = PHP
work = Consumer Guide
publisher = Village Voice ] Denise Sullivan of All Music Guide wrote that "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" may have actually been the first song to merge punk and reggae." In 2004, "Rolling Stone" rated the song as #430 in its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. [cite web
url = http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/500songs/page/5
title = The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
accessdate = 2007-11-22
date = 2004-12-09
publisher = RollingStone
quote = 430. White Man in Hammersmith Palais, The Clash ] [cite web
url = http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6596206/white_man_in_hammersmith_palais
title = White Man in Hammersmith Palais The Clash
accessdate = 2007-11-22
date = 2004-12-09
work = The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
publisher = RollingStone ]

Cover versions

The song was covered by 311, originally to be released on their album "Transistor", but was taken off at the last minute and later released in 1999 on The Clash tribute album, "Burning London".

The song is covered on Colin Gilmore's album "The Day The World Stopped And Spun The Other Way".

Charts

Notes

References

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External links

* Connor, Alan. (2007-03-30) [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6508295.stm White man's blues] . SMASHED HITS Pop lyrics re-appraised by the Magazine. bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-02-24. “BBC article on the song and venue”.