The Clash — Should I Stay or Should I Go

JUL 01 1982 · 12:00

The Clash — Should I Stay or Should I Go (1982) Director: Don Letts Era: Post-Punk / New Wave Apex (1982) - The Combat Rock cycle of The Clash; a transitional moment where first-wave British punk collided with American arena rock spectacle, captured in a raw live-documentary hybrid format at Shea Stadium, NYC. Exceptionally high. This is the official music video for one of the most enduring songs in post-punk history, directed by Don Letts — the cultural architect of the punk-reggae intersection — and capturing a historically singular performance context: The Clash opening for The Who at Shea Stadium in 1982. The video's raw, documentary visual grammar, warm analog palette (brightness 53.93, saturation 122.57), and moderate handheld motion are primary archival evidence of the DIY aesthetic that defined British punk's visual identity at its commercial apex. Context: Released in 1982 as a double A-side single alongside 'Straight to Hell,' 'Should I Stay or Should I Go' emerged during The Clash's Combat Rock era — a moment of maximum commercial tension for a band ideologically committed to anti-commercialism. The video's live-at-Shea-Stadium format implicitly documents the paradox of British punk's biggest act opening for arena-rock institution The Who before 60,000 spectators. Don Letts, who had been instrumental in fusing punk and reggae cultures at The Roxy in 1977, brought his characteristic observational lens to the footage. The song received renewed global attention in 1991 when it was licensed to a Levi's jeans commercial — over the band's typical objections — and topped the UK Singles Chart, becoming The Clash's only UK number-one single. Director notes: The video was directed by Don Letts and consists of footage from The Clash's 1982 USA tour, including scenes of the band driving through New York City in an open-topped Cadillac. The performance footage was captured at Shea Stadium on 13 October 1982, the band's second night opening for The Who. The video's live-documentary hybrid format is consistent with Letts' established Super-8 and handheld 16mm aesthetic. A version of the performance was later included on the DVD The Clash Live: Revolution Rock, released 6 October 2008.