“Overpowered By Funk” by The Clash

"Overpowered by Funk" finds the Clash chasing the dancefloor on Combat Rock, their fifth album, out in May 1982, back when white funk had London in its grip through the Jam, Spandau Ballet and Haircut One Hundred. All four members cut it in September 1981 at Ear Studios, the People's Hall of Frestonia in London, on a mobile studio borrowed from the Rolling Stones, then finished it in New York that December at Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village.

That's where the guests came in: Tommy Mandel on keyboards, credited as Poly Mandell, and graffiti artist Futura 2000, who had designed the sleeve for the "This Is Radio Clash" seven-inch and here takes a turn rapping. Joe Strummer, Mick Jones and Topper Headon share the writing credit, and Glyn Johns mixed it. It first surfaced as a promo in the US and Argentina, just ahead of the album.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.