"Police on My Back" was written by the British singer Eddy Grant and recorded by his band the Equals for their second studio album Explosion in December 1967.
In 1980, the rock band the Clash recorded a cover version of the song for their fourth studio album Sandinista!, and turned "the mid-paced soul-pop song into a charged-up, full-powered rocker". Their version featured guitarist Mick Jones on lead vocals, and was released as a single, but only in Australia. It was described as a "punk anthem at a time of political and social repression", and as their "most full-throated rock song since 'I Fought the Law'."
The song was also covered by the American musician Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day in 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
The song was described as being: "an expression of Jamaican rude boy culture". The song has been covered a number of times over the years, including Zebda in 2003, Asian Dub Foundation, Lethal Bizzle in 2007, and more recently, Culture Abuse in 2018.
Personnel The Equals
Derv Gordon – lead vocals Eddy Grant – lead guitar Pat Lloyd – rhythm guitar Lincoln Gordon – rhythm guitar, bass John Hall – drums
The Clash
Joe Strummer – lead and backing vocals, guitar, keyboards Mick Jones – guitar, keyboards, lead and backing vocals Paul Simonon – bass guitar, backing vocals Topper Headon – drums
References