Ignored Obscured Restored
In 1980, the Clash released their highly ambitious triple album, Sandinista!. The second single from the album was “Hitsville UK,” a duet between lead guitarist Mick Jones and his then-girlfriend, Ellen Foley, who was best known for her performance with Meat Loaf on the Bat Out of Hell classic “Paradise by the Dashboard Light.”
“Hitsville UK” is a nod to Motown — whose famous slogan was “Hitsville U.S.A.” — in more ways than just its title. Lyrically, the song compares the late-’70s and early-’80s British independent music scene to Motown’s early days — a DIY culture built on creativity and determination rather than deference to major record labels that too often exploited the artists they signed.
No slimy deals, with smarmy eels – in hitsville U.K.
Lets shake’n say, we’ll operate – in hitsville U.K.
The mutants, creeps and musclemen,
Are shaking like a leaf,
It blows a hole in the radio,
When it hasnt sounded good all week,
A mike’n boom, in your living room – in hitsville U.K.
No consumer trials, or A.O.R., in hitsville U.K.,
Now the boys and girls are not alone,
Now the hitsville’s hit U.K.
The tribute extends beyond the lyrics. Musically, “Hitsville UK” borrows heavily from the Motown sound, particularly the Supremes’ 1966 hit “You Can’t Hurry Love.”
The song opens with a Morse-code-like walking bass line that bears a striking resemblance to the one driving “You Can’t Hurry Love.” Both songs employ the classic four-on-the-floor snare pattern, accented by swinging eighth notes that lock tightly with the bass groove. And then there’s the tambourine. Motown productions were famous for their prominent use of tambourine, and “You Can’t Hurry Love” is a prime example. “Hitsville UK” mirrors that approach, using a bright, crisp tambourine to emphasize the upbeat and add propulsion to the rhythm.
The Clash weren’t the only British band to draw inspiration from Motown. In 1982, the Jam scored a hit with “A Town Called Malice,” another song that successfully adapted Motown’s driving rhythms and melodic sensibilities to a distinctly British setting.
What makes “Hitsville UK” particularly effective, however, is that the Clash didn’t borrow the Motown sound simply as an exercise in nostalgia. They used it to reinforce the song’s message. Just as Motown had once created opportunities for young artists outside the established music industry, the burgeoning UK indie scene was carving out its own path. By wrapping that message in a musical style inspired by Motown’s golden era, the Clash created a song that celebrates both the sound and the spirit of musical independence.
Enjoy… until next week.