For a band of punks that 'real' musos said couldn't play their instruments they certainly made that song their own.
While Clapton's racism had certainly spurred me on to help out with organising RAR in Glasgow I knew that Clapton had NOT shot the sherrif but we certainly knew ALL about police and thieves
Then the band brought Mr Perry himself on board for production duties on Complete Control and here we are what 45 years later and I really am still not sure what was added by him apart from a splash of delay when Joe intones that he does't trust you. That you shouldn't trust him and that Mick is his guitar hero... The JA/London connection brought cachet though and from that led to them getting namechecked in a Bob Marley song.
Last track, no involvement from Scratch here. Included in the mix because White Man is the greatest Clash song of them all, and was written about the gig that this poster below was advertising
There is no doubt that perhaps the younger members of the nascent spiky haired brigade were getting their first introduction to reggae rhythms and The Clash would no doubt go on to turn a lot of people onto other styles of music especially through London Calling and of course when they toured they were always bringing out superb support acts.
In Britain alone after the White Riot tour that brought The Jam, The Buzzcocks, The Slits and Subway Sect to Edinburgh as 'punk' was banned in Glasgow by the city councillors. Then when the ban was rescinded we had Hell and The Voidoids at The Apollo. Then further tours brought Suicide, Joe Ely, Mickey Dread, Prince Hammer even Futura painting a backdrop on stage while the band played.
In the US they took Bo Diddley, Grandmaster Flash, Lee Dorsey, The Undertones, The Chamber Brothers and The Cramps to name just some of the support acts
See you knew that they were fans of music of all varieties.
I mean do you actually think that Clapton listens to any music these days...oh and er Eric this is the way that song is done