The Clash

"Combat Rock" is the fifth album of the Clash, a British rock band. It was released on 14 May 1982, through CBS Records, and charted at number 2 in the United Kingdom, spending 23 weeks on the charts. The album peaked at number 7 in the United States and spent 61 weeks on the chart.

"Combat Rock" continued the influence of funk and reggae, like previous Clash albums, but also featured a more radio-friendly sound which alienated some Clash fans. Drummer Topper Headon's "Rock the Casbah" became a staple on MTV. Lyrically, "Combat Rock" focuses on various topics such as the Vietnam War, postcolonialism, the decline of American society, and authoritarianism.

The album contains two of the band's signature songs, "Rock the Casbah" and "Should I Stay or Should I Go". "Combat Rock" is the last album featuring the classic lineup of the Clash, and is the group's best-selling album. The album was certified double platinum in the United States. Mick Jones was fired after the end of the "Combat Rock" tour in 1983.

The album's recording process went smoothly, but the producing process was tiring and full of infighting between Mick Jones and Joe Strummer. Topper Headon's heroin addiction grew worse, and he slowly became distant from the band.

The music found on "Combat Rock" has been identified as a mixture of post-punk and new wave. The album often explores the impact of the Vietnam War, with songs like "Straight to Hell" discussing the plight of abandoned children born to Vietnamese mothers and American soldiers, and "Sean Flynn" recounting the story of photojournalist Sean Flynn's capture and disappearance.

The band was heavily influenced by Francis Ford Coppola's film "Apocalypse Now", with "Charlie Don't Surf" making a reference to the movie. Many of the album's other songs address the decline of American society, such as "Inoculated City" which satirizes the Nuremberg defense plea by soldiers who committed war crimes. "Red Angel Dragnet" was inspired by a New York Guardian Angels member's shooting death, and the song "Ghetto Defendant" features beat poet Allen Ginsberg reciting the Heart Sutra at the end. "Know Your Rights" is a clear and open punk song criticizing the fraudulent rights of the lower class. "Rock the Casbah" was written by drummer Topper Headon, with Strummer writing lyrics to match the melody after hearing the musical track.