What are the best anti-cop songs?

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I want to make a mix tonight in honor of my speeding ticket that I received today.

― Hank, Monday, 25 April 2005 21:05 (twenty years ago)

"Cop Killer," Body Count (obv.)

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 25 April 2005 21:06 (twenty years ago)

"Fuck The Police"
"The Badge"
"Hate The Police"
"Sound of the Police"
"Cop Shot Raptivism"

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Monday, 25 April 2005 21:07 (twenty years ago)

Cop - Swans

― The Sensational Sulk (sexyDancer), Monday, 25 April 2005 21:07 (twenty years ago)

"Dicks Hate Police"

― Failin Huxley (noodle vague), Monday, 25 April 2005 21:07 (twenty years ago)

(x-post)
NWA
Poison Idea
The Dicks
KRS-One
Dead Prez
btw

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Monday, 25 April 2005 21:07 (twenty years ago)

the obvious choice being "fuck the police". nwa.

― breezy, Monday, 25 April 2005 21:08 (twenty years ago)

"Police and Thieves" - Junior Murvin
"Police in Helicopter" - John Holt

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Monday, 25 April 2005 21:11 (twenty years ago)

dead cops (chorus) down on the street giving poor the heat with their clubs and guns doin' it all for fun (chorus) big bad and blue they're in the klan too brutality is their sport we'll put 'em to the torch (chorus) rebel, rebel on the street makeup on my face stockings on my feet all straights askin' me why i'm not a normal american guy what makes america so straight, and me so bent? (chorus) call this the land of the free say it's the home of the brave you know they call me a queen just another human being (chorus) dead cops (chorus) whatcha gonna do? the mafia in blue huntin' for queers, niggers and you (chorus) time for a switch army of the rich macho fuckin' slaves we'll piss on your graves.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 25 April 2005 21:14 (twenty years ago)

"Police Story" - Black Flag!

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Monday, 25 April 2005 21:15 (twenty years ago)

the Officer O'Malley bit on "Prince Among Thieves" is great, but that's more of a portrait ("then I'll burn you like a cross at a fuckin Klan rally") than an actual anti-cop tune.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Monday, 25 April 2005 21:16 (twenty years ago)

Crain, "Hey Cops"

― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 25 April 2005 21:16 (twenty years ago)

Which is the track on The Predator where the cop keeps saying "I'm going to have to gaffle ya" before Cube shoots him in the face at the end?

Also, all Hip Hop tracks with donut jokes.

― Failin Huxley (noodle vague), Monday, 25 April 2005 21:18 (twenty years ago)

"Who Got the Camera?"

― Shakey Mo Collier, Monday, 25 April 2005 21:20 (twenty years ago)

That's the one, Shakey. "Y'all done did it this time/Who the fuck got my Nine?"

― Failin Huxley (noodle vague), Monday, 25 April 2005 21:22 (twenty years ago)

Dead Kennedys "Police Truck"

― daria g (daria g), Monday, 25 April 2005 21:33 (twenty years ago)

"is that a ... GLAZED donut?"
"go on, duck ya head in there..."

― Shakey Mo Collier, Monday, 25 April 2005 21:34 (twenty years ago)

And thinking about Cube, I forgot "You Ain't Gonna Take My Life". You need that one, Hank. "Where Oh Where is the ticket?/You got your hand on the gun cos you're wicked"

― Failin Huxley (noodle vague), Monday, 25 April 2005 21:37 (twenty years ago)

"Triumphal Theme" by COP $HOOT COP
"Fascists Eat Donuts" by the Pop-o-Pies
"Dead Cops" by Millions of Dead Cops

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 25 April 2005 21:42 (twenty years ago)

"American Ruse" - MC5. Not specifically anti-cop, but some great anti-cop lines. Plus its the best song on "Back in the USA".

― Shakey Mo Collier, Monday, 25 April 2005 21:43 (twenty years ago)

The Coup - "I Know You"
WC and the MAAD Circle - "Behind Closed Doors"
also the only song I've ever heard that mentions my hometown(ALTADENA!!!), restoring the dignity of thousands who had to settle for 'Pasadena' mentions lo these many years

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Monday, 25 April 2005 21:44 (twenty years ago)

Strokes' "NYC Cops"

― ken taylrr (ken taylrr), Monday, 25 April 2005 21:45 (twenty years ago)

I second that emotion, Ken. NYC Cops is awesome. So taunting.

But then again, Fuck tha Police just sums up the entire song in the title. That song is one of Cube's masterpieces.

― Big Loud Mountain Ape (Big Loud Mountain Ape), Monday, 25 April 2005 22:19 (twenty years ago)

"911 is a Joke"

― Matty, Monday, 25 April 2005 22:24 (twenty years ago)

Isn't that about the ambulance service?

― Failin Huxley (noodle vague), Monday, 25 April 2005 22:26 (twenty years ago)

Operation Ivy - Officer

― pinder (pinder), Monday, 25 April 2005 23:30 (twenty years ago)

Isn't that about the ambulance service?
Yup.

― Ian Riese-Moraine has a grenade, that pineapple's not just a toy! (Eastern Mantr, Monday, 25 April 2005 23:35 (twenty years ago)

Cypress Hill - Pigs

― mucho, Monday, 25 April 2005 23:37 (twenty years ago)

mobb deep - cop hell, but it's really only good for the primo beat with the squeaky door hinge!!!!!!!!!!!!! they were like 15 or somethin at the time

― jfcklsd, Monday, 25 April 2005 23:41 (twenty years ago)

http://www.trioplus.tv/cop_rock/

― jed_ (jed), Monday, 25 April 2005 23:42 (twenty years ago)

"Police on my back"-The Clash, on Sandinista!

― WillS, Monday, 25 April 2005 23:45 (twenty years ago)

Written by Eddy Grant too. ''What have I duh-hun?' You've shot some valuable pigeons with an air rifle sonny, you're nicked.

― snotty moore, Tuesday, 26 April 2005 00:00 (twenty years ago)

the authorities - i hate cops
dr. know - egomaniac

both from the exclusively anti-cop (excepting white flag's amusingly two-sided "shattered badge") "copulation" comp on mystic.

― el sabor de gene (yournullfame), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 00:48 (twenty years ago)

Sir Mix-a-Lot - One Time's Got No Case

― garibaldianne (Garibaldianne), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 02:31 (twenty years ago)

"Cop Killer," Body Count (obv.)

Hm, I wouldn't exactly put this in the "best" category for this topic.. It was up there in terms of controversy, no doubt, but it's a pretty weak song.

― billstevejim, Tuesday, 26 April 2005 02:59 (twenty years ago)

"so much hate" by old montreal hardcore band s.c.u.m.
it's furious.

― m0stly clean (m0stly clean), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 03:18 (twenty years ago)

The Coup: "Pork and Beef"

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 03:46 (twenty years ago)

David Peel & The Lower East Side, "Oink Oink" (Number of "oinks": 154)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 04:15 (twenty years ago)

something by GG allin definitely

perhaps Up Against the Wall or Bite it you Scum?

― -rainbow bum- (-rainbow bum-), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 04:27 (twenty years ago)

Jefferson Airplane, "Lawman" (see? they have a song for every thread)

also, Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues" mentions "trigger-happy policin'." (Or is that "policemen"?)

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 05:01 (twenty years ago)

Bobby Fuller! Bobby Fuller! Bobby Fuller!

C'mon now.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 05:18 (twenty years ago)

Le Tigre: "Bang Bang"

― Ryan Pitchfork, Tuesday, 26 April 2005 05:32 (twenty years ago)

"walk like an egyptian"! ("if you want to find all the cops, they're hanging out in the donut shop...")

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 05:34 (twenty years ago)

rick james, "mr. policeman"
bruce springsteen, "american skin (41 shots)"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 05:37 (twenty years ago)

not an anti-cop song, but an ideal song for a speeding-ticket mix nonetheless:

bruce springsteen, "state trooper"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 05:40 (twenty years ago)

"gee, officer krupke" (from "west side story")

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 05:44 (twenty years ago)

MDC, "dead cops"... the all-time classic.

also Linton Kwesi Johnson, "Sonny's Lettah" (i think) and "Street 66."

speaking of speeding ticket songs, i got a ticket somewhere in the midwest once while blasting g'n'r's "night train." it felt appropriate.

― philip sherburne (philip sherburne), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 06:01 (twenty years ago)

skits:

if you don't have the jelly & cream-filled, I'm gonna have to gaffle ya
ice cube

chewin' chocolate/where'd you get it/doggy dropped it
butthole surfers

― autovac (autovac), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 06:02 (twenty years ago)

hawnay troof - gut a cop

― di, Tuesday, 26 April 2005 07:15 (twenty years ago)

Hard Skin, 'Copper Cunt'

― DJ Mencap0))), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 08:05 (twenty years ago)

4 Skins (? I think) - A.C.A.B.

also covered by tons of later Oi bands

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 08:39 (twenty years ago)

Canned Heat, Sic 'Em Pigs
Culturcide, Houston Lawman

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 08:45 (twenty years ago)

Suicide, Mr. Ray

... actually this isn't really anti-cop at all, in fact it's kind of the opposite

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 09:56 (twenty years ago)

Not really geared towards being anti-cop, but clearly doesn't paint too nice a picture of them - and a really fucking great, high-energy track:

Ghostface - Run (feat Jadakiss)

― rentboy (rentboy), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 09:59 (twenty years ago)

The Kasenetz-Katz Super Circus, Quick Joey Small

"Sheriff got a shotgun (he do)
He'll fill you full of lead son (it's true)
He's also got a blackjack (he's mad)
He'll bust your head with one whack"

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 10:04 (twenty years ago)

'I Wanna Know What Love Is' - Julie Ruin

"You see a mirage when you call a cop your friend."

― Flyboy (Flyboy), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 10:06 (twenty years ago)

Ole Paus: Lystig purk på piknik

(Satiric Norwegian song dealing with one particular case where a bunch of cops too a bunch of prisoners with them to a not very populated area just outside of Oslo and beat them up)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 10:39 (twenty years ago)

Spastic Rats, "Cops and the Klan"

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 10:49 (twenty years ago)

"Who Protects Us From You?" - Boogie Down Productions

― Rocco, Tuesday, 26 April 2005 12:46 (twenty years ago)

UK Subs - Police State
Chaos UK - Victimized

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 13:15 (twenty years ago)

Boogie Down Productions - Bo! Bo! Bo!
Black Randy & The Metrosquad - Trouble At The Cup

― joygoat (joygoat), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 14:48 (twenty years ago)

"The Murder Of Liddle Towers" - Angelic Upstarts
"Justifiable Homicide" - Dave Goodman & Friends

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 15:02 (twenty years ago)

"Bullenschweine" by the german punkband Slime.

― Tobias Rapp (Tobias Rapp), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 15:06 (twenty years ago)

More UK Subs!

New York State Police
Killer
CID

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 15:09 (twenty years ago)

KRS-1 - Black Cop
Dead Prez - Cop Shot

― High Ranking Militants, Wednesday, 27 April 2005 17:35 (twenty years ago)

"Cops Suck" - Brutally Familiar

― Tony Bleach, Wednesday, 27 April 2005 22:40 (twenty years ago)

grafitti limbo - michelle shocked
lawman - motorhead

― m0stly clean (m0stly clean), Thursday, 28 April 2005 00:36 (twenty years ago)

"The Badge Means You Suck," by AK-47

― Douglas (Douglas), Thursday, 28 April 2005 00:47 (twenty years ago)

Supergrass - "Caught By the Fuzz"

― Nag! Nag! Nag! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Thursday, 28 April 2005 01:04 (twenty years ago)

Family - "Hey Mr. Policeman"

― brianiac (briania), Thursday, 28 April 2005 01:54 (twenty years ago)

Youth Brigade - "Men In Blue"
Rolling Stones - "Cocksucker Blues"

― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 28 April 2005 02:19 (twenty years ago)

The Airplane's "Law Man" is amazing. That shit would cause WWIII if it were released today.

Law man--I'm afraid you just walked in here at the wrong time
my old man's gun has never been fired
but there's a first time & this could be
this could be the first time

Law man
you know you look to be a lot younger than me and
I'd hate to shoot a baby
you've got a long way to go before you're old & slow
and it could be
it could be a good time if you change your mind
well I'm tired and sweet from making love
and it's just too late
you'll have to wait
bring your business around here in the morning

well I've heard your line
& you've heard mine
& I'm just too tired to take a side
bring your business around here in the morning
Don't you want to be easy look there
let some of the things you see go on by or
you can burn them into your brain go on home
Don't you see the children, they're just like you
they want everything to be fine but they let it slide
and the laughing lets you know that smiling breaks the rules

Law breaker you know it could be me
& if you had your way we'd all be down
under the face of a clock that's just too old to be wound
& you can see now the old hands won't move around
one way or the other,
fool card brother this could be,
this could be, the first time.

― Curious George (1/6 Scale Model) (Rock Hardy), Thursday, 28 April 2005 02:29 (twenty years ago)

Huggy Bear - Pansy Twist (for the "does it make you more a kid if you wanna off a pig / does it make you more a pig if you wanna off some kid" bit at the end)

― Graeme (Graeme), Thursday, 28 April 2005 04:12 (twenty years ago)

Also: Mindless Drug Hoover - The Reefer Song

― Graeme (Graeme), Thursday, 28 April 2005 04:16 (twenty years ago)

fifteen years pass...

making a playlist for no particular reason

― k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Sunday, 31 May 2020 20:39 (five years ago)

great revive

― french flaps, sparkly letters, all the bells and whistles (bizarro gazzara), Sunday, 31 May 2020 20:41 (five years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0-ZHzPlFWQ

― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Sunday, 31 May 2020 20:42 (five years ago)

building the playlist here, including most of the stuff in this thread

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3j5YowOpG2fXCEUFUjYHaC?si=JPBCg6gFRdm5P3W4Wq8pnQ

― k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Sunday, 31 May 2020 20:45 (five years ago)

Roky Erickson: "John Lawman" (preferably the live take on Gremlins Have Pictures)

― "...And the Gods Socially Distanced" (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 31 May 2020 20:55 (five years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnFec-0eZIQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo3lmEgYxb0

― devvvine, Sunday, 31 May 2020 21:04 (five years ago)

obvs crooked officer by geto boys also

― devvvine, Sunday, 31 May 2020 21:16 (five years ago)

woo that king chip song is great, thanks!

― k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Sunday, 31 May 2020 21:22 (five years ago)

The Crucifucks - Pig In A Blanket
Doom - Police Bastard
Jezus & The Gospelfuckers - Kill The Police

― Colonel Poo, Sunday, 31 May 2020 21:27 (five years ago)

Talking of punks, from the old hometown:

https://img.discogs.com/nxyQFcml5DA9qX9CFbAEVT-vmEA=/fit-in/600x602/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-1903969-1451258840-4223.jpeg.jpg https://img.discogs.com/cCVrQFDM2BBp7cbrbLw_fzM9mNg=/fit-in/600x602/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-1903969-1451258840-8109.jpeg.jpg

― Is Lou Reed a Good Singer? (Tom D.), Sunday, 31 May 2020 22:04 (five years ago)

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, April 25, 2005 2:14 PM (fifteen years ago) bookmarkflaglink

scott otm

― sleeve, Sunday, 31 May 2020 22:05 (five years ago)

Todd Snider: "Tillamook County Jail"

― "...And the Gods Socially Distanced" (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 31 May 2020 22:12 (five years ago)

MC5: "The American Ruse"

― "...And the Gods Socially Distanced" (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 31 May 2020 22:13 (five years ago)

Nice one.

― Is Lou Reed a Good Singer? (Tom D.), Sunday, 31 May 2020 22:14 (five years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PylCG6aTNno

Geto Boys - Crooked Officer

― calzino, Sunday, 31 May 2020 22:49 (five years ago)

Meanwhile, by way of contrast here's Killdozer with a pro-cop song, "The Pig Was Cool"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCuQqzO9uOA

― some infected evening (Matt #2), Sunday, 31 May 2020 23:01 (five years ago)

The Airplane's "Law Man" is amazing. That shit would cause WWIII if it were released today.

I love this song, but I’ve never been able to fully parse the lyrics (especially the final verse, where the cop is talking). Can anyone help out with that?

― Charging for Brewskis™ (morrisp), Sunday, 31 May 2020 23:01 (five years ago)

John Maus - Cop Killer

― emil.y, Sunday, 31 May 2020 23:07 (five years ago)

I love the Andre Ethier "Cop Killer" but alas it is not on spotify

― k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Monday, 1 June 2020 00:01 (five years ago)

Guns of Brixton.

― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 1 June 2020 00:12 (five years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP1I3_Vi2ds

― devvvine, Monday, 1 June 2020 10:07 (five years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5ni_q8PgaU

― hip posts without flaggadocio (Noodle Vague), Monday, 1 June 2020 10:18 (five years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w4CGBeYkvo

― Is Lou Reed a Good Singer? (Tom D.), Monday, 1 June 2020 10:33 (five years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI6nucnfCbU

― (⊙_⊙?) (original bgm), Tuesday, 2 June 2020 00:46 (five years ago)

Robyn Hitchcock - Do Policemen Sing?

― sleeve, Tuesday, 2 June 2020 00:58 (five years ago)

fatima mansions, 'angel's delight' etc. etc.

― mookieproof, Tuesday, 2 June 2020 01:13 (five years ago)

they don't really have any good songs, but there's a punk band around here called AIDS Cop that all dress in police uniforms and the singer has a microphone built into a fake gun so it looks like he's pointing a gun at you when he sings. they're a treat! catch them when they never come to your town

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0Pit1jnYYI

― the burrito that defined a generation, Tuesday, 2 June 2020 01:29 (five years ago)

Fanny: "Conversation With A Cop"

― "...And the Gods Socially Distanced" (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 2 June 2020 02:35 (five years ago)

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