The Guns of Brixton

"The Guns of Brixton" is a 1979 song by The Clash and was originally taken from their third studio album London Calling. It has reggae sounding song and was written by Paul Simonon who grew up in Brixton. It was released as a single in 1990 as Return to Brixton and when to number 57 in the United Kingdom. It was covered by Jimmy Cliff in 2011.

"The Guns of Brixton"
Song by the Clash
from London Calling"
Released14 December 1979
RecordedAugust–September, November 1979
StudioWessex, London
GenreReggae[1]
Length3:07
LabelCBS
Songwriter(s)Paul Simonon
Producer(s)Guy Stevens

References

  1. Thomson, Ian (14 December 2019). "London Calling 40 years on: How The Clash rewrote the rule book". The Irish Times. Retrieved 29 December 2020. The standout reggae-inflected track on London Calling, Guns of Brixton, written by the band's bassist, Paul Simonon, alludes to the Jamaican outlaw Vincent "Ivan", or "Ivanhoe", Martin, who terrified the island's capital, Kingston, in the 1940s with his armed hold-ups, until a police manhunt left him dead.