For historical context when recording the lead vocals for the Clash’s original Paul Simonon sang while staring directly at a CBS executive who had visited the studio during the sessions, giving Simonon the desired amount of emotion in his voice.
@ATOMOGAMO Brixton is an ethnic neighborhood in the UK. Lots of Caribbeans there. This song is about the police brutality there. This is a cover of the Clash's Guns of Brixton
“When they kick at your front door How you gonna come? With your hands on your head Or on the trigger of your gun When the law break in How you gonna go? Shot down on the pavement Or waiting on death row You can crush us You can bruise us But you'll have to answer to Oh, the guns of Brixton The money feels good And your life you like it well But surely your time will come As in heaven, as in hell You see, he feels like Ivan Born under the Brixton sun His game is called survivin' At the end of the harder they come You know it means no mercy They caught him with a gun No need for the Black Maria Goodbye to the Brixton sun You can crush us You can bruise us But you'll have to answer to But oh-the guns of Brixton”
Y si una bala rozándote Doblas la vida, matas el tiempo Gracias a ella María Negra Que te protege de este mal tiempo Nunca te rindas piensa en tu gente María Negra seca tu frente Santa María, María Negra Cuida tu tiempo, cuida tu suerte.
Love it. My only observation is that they don't know that a 'black maria' (pronounced Ma-rye-ar) is a name for a British police vehicle for transporting prisoners. (But why should they!) Their interpretation works well.
I dont think there's any use in comparing the two versions. music styles are so far away from each other that calexico fans (like me) will always like this one better while clash fans will frown at it and go for the original. as a calexico fan, another great cover from the band and not an easy one (as Alone Again for instance, where the original sounds already along same line). they made it sound softer but still somehow eerie and evocative thanks to joey whispered singing and john's jazzy drums
Both bands are good but the Clash is my fav band, and even if that weren't the case I think it's still pretty clear to anyone that the original is better. Still a pretty good cover.
well .... they butchered this song !! like most bands covering the great Clash, who originated from Brixton in London... so i fail to see the connection here.... it's the equivilent of Prince William covering a Tupac Shakur rap !!!
Paul Simonon of The Clash came from Brixton. Mick Jones was also from a nearby suburb. Joe Strummer was not a Londoner. He was born in Turkey and came to England only when he was about ten years old.
