They said: Release Remote Control But we didn't want it on the label They said: Fly to Amsterdam The people laughed, but the press went mad Oh, someone's really smart Oh, complete control, yeah that's a laugh On the last tour my mates they couldn't get in I'd open up the back door but they'd get run out again And at every hotel we was a'met by the law Come for the party, come to make sure Oh, have we done something wrong? Oh, complete control, even over this song You’re my guitar hero They said we'd be artistically free When we signed that bit of paper They meant: Let's make a lots of money And worry about it later Oh, I'll never understand Oh, complete control, let me see your other hand I don’t trust you, why should you trust me? Huh? All over the news spread fast They’re dirty, they're filthy, they ain't a'gonna last This is Joe public speaking (Total) I'm controlled in the body (C-O-N control), I'm controlled in the mind This is punk rockers (Total) We're controlled in the price of the hard drugs we can find (C-O-N control) (Total, C-O-N control) (Total, C-O-N control) Parents control We gotta work it up and bring it up and fight it and write it (C-O-N control) And that means you! I kick it, I fight it, I get it out, write it (C-O-N control) I gotta kick it up
They said: Release Remote Control But we didn't want it on the label They said: Fly to Amsterdam The people laughed, but the press went mad Oh, someone's really smart Oh, complete control, yeah that's a laugh On the last tour my mates they couldn't get in I'd open up the back door but they'd get run out again And at every hotel we was a'met by the law Come for the party, come to make sure Oh, have we done something wrong? Oh, complete control, even over this song You’re my guitar hero They said we'd be artistically free When we signed that bit of paper They meant: Let's make a lots of money And worry about it later Oh, I'll never understand Oh, complete control, let me see your other hand I don’t trust you, why should you trust me? Huh? All over the news spread fast They’re dirty, they're filthy, they ain't a'gonna last This is Joe public speaking (Total) I'm controlled in the body (C-O-N control), I'm controlled in the mind This is punk rockers (Total) We're controlled in the price of the hard drugs we can find (C-O-N control) (Total, C-O-N control) (Total, C-O-N control) Parents control We gotta work it up and bring it up and fight it and write it (C-O-N control) And that means you! I kick it, I fight it, I get it out, write it (C-O-N control) I gotta kick it up
“Complete Control” foi gravada nos estúdios Sarm East, em Whitechapel, com engenharia de Mickey Foote e produção de Lee “Scratch” Perry, que havia sido impressionado pela versão da banda de “Police and Thieves” de Junior Murvin.
A faixa marca a primeira gravação de Topper Headon com The Clash, após a saída do baterista anterior, Terry Chimes.
O título da canção surgiu de um encontro real com o empresário Bernie Rhodes, que afirmou que queria “complete control”, inspirando a letra de protesto contra a indústria musical.
Quando lançada, “Complete Control” alcançou a posição 28 nas paradas de singles do Reino Unido, tornando‑se o primeiro Top 30 da banda.
Apesar de ter recebido críticas de alguns, como o DJ John Peel, a música foi celebrada como um “hino à autonomia punk” e, em 2004, foi incluída na lista da Rolling Stone como a 361ª melhor canção de todos os tempos.
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