Except not even The Mamas and the Papas walked around wearing “The Mamas and the Papas” t-shirts as far as I know.
Kind of amazing that such a self-referential, even self-indulgent song could be so appealing to total strangers, and retain such staying power.
The song is often cited as one of punk’s greatest singles, and is a fiery polemic on record companies, managers and the state of punk music itself, the motivation for the song being the band’s label (CBS Records) releasing “Remote Control” without bothering to ask them, something that infuriated the group. The song also features perhaps the earliest usage of the phrase “guitar hero” in rock music…
PLUS:
Mick Jones wrote most of the song, despite the fact it’s credited as a Strummer/Jones joint composition. Joe Strummer ad libbed the “You’re my guitar hero” [a dig at the little “rock star” guitar solo Mick included for himself — foreshadowing of “creative differences” to come…] and “This is Joe Public Speaking!” bits, and was so proud of Jones’ efforts that except for a reference to a disastrous promotional trip to Amsterdam, he declared them finished.
And, by the way, it makes for one of my favorite “misheard lyrics” efforts.
(I’m eternally grateful to “the Meatriarchy” for sending me that particular video, which makes me laugh like almost nothing else. Too bad the creator got the “guitar hero”‘s identity wrong, though.)
Anyhow, I’m reminded (by someone who may not even have been born in the 20th century) that this single/album version of “Complete Control” was released 37 years ago today please kill me, so.
(And of course, this latter day “live version” [Bond’s?] video is “(C) 1977 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (UK) Limited” — all caps & all — and don’t you forget it.)
Hah:
