Alright, the book long in the making -- We're Not Here to Entertain -- is about to come out, and I'm surveying the tragedies we're going through right now, and I'm thinking about how many 1980s punk songs focused on suspicions about the police. So I've gone ahead and made:
Top 10 Punk Songs
about Police
Dead Kennedys, “Police Truck”: One of the best. Not just
anti police but anti-macho.
Black Flag, “Police Story”: “A war we can’t win…” Which was proven when the LAPD practically
shut down every show they could.
The Dicks, “Anti-Klan,” with great opening line: “I see that
you’re a policeman, I know you’re in the Ku Klux Klan” (before they moved to
San Francisco, this band was from Texas!).
During 1980s protests, I remember the chant: “The cops and the Klan go
hand in hand!”
The Dicks (yes they get two, because they were the
anti-police band, just as much if not more than MDC): “Dicks Hate the
Police.” This one lasted, especially when
Mudhoney covered it later on.
Red C, “Pressure’s On” (early political punk in D.C., with
Tomas who would later lead the very political band, Beefeater.) This is a great one with its shredded vocals.
Circle Jerks, “Back Against the Wall”: The futility of
rebellion, much like “Police Story.”
Crucifucks, “Cops for Fertilizer” and get a hold of the
album where there’s a recording of the police talking to the band’s leader
about an upcoming show. It ends with the
following skirmish, “You guys… shouldn’t go so far out of your way to make
fools of yourselves.” To which, the authority
figure on the other side retorts: “Well, that’s a matter of opinion.” The band’s retort?: “It’s a matter of
intelligence.”
The Vandals, “The Legend of Pat Brown” about a punk arrested
for trying to run the cops down in his car.
Also featured in the movie Suburbia, the quasi-realistic
depiction of suburban punk.
SS Decontrol, “Police Beat”: Slightly obvious, like much of
the band’s releases.
MDC, “Dead Cops”: Even more blunt than SS Decontrol and
clocks in below thirty seconds.
All of these angry songs can be found on youtube. I'm not sure it's right to say "enjoy," maybe flex your anger muscles.
