Chocolate Tuba

Rachid Taha, Rock el Casbah

Rachid Taha's cover of the Clash song "Rock the Casbah" is a thorough mixing of punk and Algerian rai music. The iconic chorus is sung in English, but the rest of the song is rendered in Arabic, and rock beats and guitars mix with Egyptian-style strings. The result is amazing. Taha famously met the Clash in Paris in 1981 and handed them a tape of his band's music, which they seemed interested in. A year later, their next album included "Rock the Casbah". Coincidence? Taha thought his tape may have influenced the band. So this cover is kind of him returning the favor, bringing things full circle.