10 Greatest Hard Rock Anthems Ever
10. Complete Control - The Clash
Punk was a breath of fresh air when it started putting safetypins through the cheeks of rock stars. At a time when rock was getting far too up-its-own-ass for its own good, the sounds of bands like the Sex Pistols and the Ramones gave you something, quick, loud, and to-the-point that never got old with repeated listens. The Clash may have been known for their vehement political approach, but they never let any message get in the way of a great tune.
On the surface, Complete Control is one of the most overtly political songs these rowdy punks ever wrote, with most of the subject matter being about the manipulative tactics record labels can enforce on young bands. It's definitely not for the average listener, but those "Oh-Oh" choruses will get you hooked in every time you hear it.
Though Mick Jones was known to take the more tuneful songs in the Clash catalog, Joe Strummer dominates this song from the word go, letting his everyman drawl sit over the fast paced groove as he talks about being controlled in the body and the mind.
Most people might offer something like Rock the Casbah or London Calling as the band's best, but when it comes down to the raw essence of what the Clash stood for, this is about as close to the bone as it gets.