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"White Riot" was the first single put out by seminal punk band The Clash, in 1977. The song is featured on their debut album. It exists in two versions: the original on the UK version of the album, and the second (re-recorded, with a different intro) on the US version of the album released in the States two years later in 1979. The song is short and intense, copying the Ramones' style of two chords played very fast, and the Ramones influence is also seen when guitarist Mick Jones counts off "1-2-3-4" at the start (In the re-recorded version, it instead begins with the sound of a police siren). Lyrically, the song is about class economics and race and thus proved controversial: many people thought it was advocating a kind of race war. Rather, lyricist Joe Strummer was trying to appeal to white youths to find a worthy cause to riot, as he felt blacks in the UK already had. It contains a positive message in the lines "Are you taking orders/ Or are you taking over?/ Are you going backwards/ Or are you going forwards?" The song was written after Joe Strummer and bassist Paul Simonon were involved in the Notting Hill Riots of 1976. Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... The Clash was one of the most successful British punk rock groups that existed from 1976 to 1986. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... The Clash is the first full-length recording released by the English punk band The Clash. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ... The Ramones (L-R, Johnny, Tommy, Joey, Dee Dee) on the cover of their debut self-titled album (1976), cementing their place at the dawn of the punk movement. ... People named Mick Jones include: Mick Jones, of the punk rock band The Clash Mick Jones, of the rock band Foreigner Mick Jones, of the Leeds United football team Mick Jones, British athlete, hammer throw This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise... John Graham Mellor (August 21, 1952 – December 22, 2002) better known as Joe Strummer, was the co-founder, lyricist and lead singer of punk rock band The Clash, and later The Mescaleros. ... John Graham Mellor (August 21, 1952 – December 22, 2002) better known as Joe Strummer, was the co-founder, lyricist and lead singer of punk rock band The Clash, and later The Mescaleros. ... Paul Simonon Paul Gustave Simonon (born December 15, 1955 in Brixton, England) is best known as the bass guitar player for punk rock band The Clash. ...

"White Riot" is considered a classic in the Clash canon, although as the band matured, Mick Jones would at times refuse to play it, considering it crude and musically inept. Over two decades later, Joe Strummer would perform it with his band the Mescaleros. The Mescaleros were the backing band for Joe Strummer for three albums prior to his death in 2002. ...

The B-side of the single was "1977," a non-album track. This song was along similar lines to "White Riot," suggesting that the music of Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones was no longer relevant. In recorded music, the terms A-side and B-side refer to the two sides of 7 inch vinyl records on which singles have been released since the 1950s. ... Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), also known as The King of Rock n Roll or The King, was an American singer, song producer and actor. ... The Beatles were a British rock/pop group from Liverpool, England. ... The Rolling Stones are a British rock group who rose to prominence during the 1960s. ...