Top 10 Songs About the Police

Inspired by the New Wave classic “Psycho Killer” by The Talking Heads’ and released just before the Rodney King verdict of 1992, this chaotic song triggered discussion about First Amendment rights. “Cop Killer” details the aggression of a character fed up with police brutality, but the violent lyrics led some to believe that Ice-T wanted to literally kill police officers. As he noted in an interview, “If you believe that I'm a cop killer, you believe David Bowie is an astronaut.” Although Soundgarden later covered the track at Lollapalooza, it remains one of the most controversial tracks of all-time.

As a garage rock anthem for a new generation of young New Yorkers, this rather innocent track chronicled a man’s one-night-stand with a lady of the night. Who knows what the young gal was mixed up in, but while she ponders her escape plan, the narrator reflects on the strange experience. Due to the rebellious nature of the chorus, the American release of the band’s debut album Is This It? was quickly altered to remove the controversial song after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Either way, the track is a fan favorite at live shows, and the band even has Jack White promoting the song.

With an unforgettable chorus and a sample of Grand Funk Railroad’s “Inside-Looking Out,” this hip-hop classic helped people get funky while dropping a history lesson too. By comparing police officers to slave overseers from the 18th century, KRS-One challenged the justice system for racial profiling. As part of KRS-One’s acclaimed debut solo album, “Sound of Da Police” made noise in not only the hop-hop community, but in many others as well.

The police thought he was “ridin’ dirty,” but they simply confused his “pistola” with a PlayStation controller. That’s right, Chamillionaire was getting down with some video games and a lady friend in this blazing hot joint, and the looming threat of the 5-0 was simply a road trip buzz kill. By hitting number one on the Billboard Hot 100, “Ridin” brought attention to racial profiling and reminded listeners that nobody can rhyme like Krayzie Bone of Bone Thugs N Harmony.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few decades, you’re probably heard this reggae track one or two times. As the theme song of the ultimate cop show “COPS”, “Bad Boys” reached the subconscious of millions including some of the most idiotic criminals ever seen on television. This song goes hand-in-hand with white tank tops and aggressive facial hair, but let’s not forget about the band responsible for this iconic track. Inner Circle has been together since the 60s, and there’s no doubt they are truly the bad boys of reggae.

Co-written by Flavor Flav, the ultimate Master of Hip-Hop Ceremonies, this rowdy number highlights the slow response times to crimes in turbulent neighborhoods. By sampling the laughter of Vincent Price from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and having the boisterous Flavor Flav break down the action, Public Enemy established a comedic tone for a dark song about the deadly realities of waiting forpolice assistance. “911 is a Joke” touched a nerve in pop culture and has been featured on TV shows like “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” and “American Dad.”

While some entries on our list are overtly obvious, this folky tune from Bob Dylan’s second album is significantly subtle. Lyrically, “Oxford Town” was based on James Meredith’s enrollment at the University of Mississippi, and Dylan sings of violent racial profiling and students met with tear gas after protesting. Although the artist would later shy away from the “protest singer” label, Dylan opened up the door for public discourse and used his influence to spark a much-needed change in American culture.

Originally written by Buddy Holly’s band mate Sonny Curtis and later covered by the Bobby Fuller Four, this track received a punk rock update for a new audience in 1979. Released on the American edition of The Clash’s debut album, “I Fought the Law” was pivotal for the band’s extraordinary rise to fame, and they performed the rebellious track at the end of the 1980 film “Rude Boy.” Although songs like “Police & Thieves” and “Police on My Back” have become Clash essentials, “I Fought the Law” is as iconic as they come.

Bob Marley wrote this famous cop song with justice on his mind, and the public seemed to understand that he wasn’t admitting to an actual crime. In fact, Eric Clapton followed suit by covering Marley’s release, and “I Shot the Sherriff” became synonymous with human rights. A classic theme in reggae music, Marley truly creates a classic that has transcended generations, still being in heavy rotation today. It’s a fictional story designed to spark public debate, but as Ice-T would find out, sometimes it’s all about the delivery.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Biko” (1980)
Peter Gabriel

“Killing in the Name” (1992)
Rage Against the Machine

“State Trooper” (1982)
Bruce Springsteen

“Police Story” (1981)
Black Flag

“Radar Gun” (1994)
The Bottle Rockets

“Officer” (1987)
Operation Ivy

Dr. Dre was only 23 years old when he served as a symbolic judge for this hip-hop track that changed the hip-hop world. With a lyrical design allowing Ice Cube, MC Ren and Eazy-E to state their case, “Fuck tha Police” showcased what it means to tell one side of the story and how facts can become lost in the shuffle. With shockingly raw lyrics, N.W.A. touched on the corruption of both Caucasian and African-American police officers, and by doing so, they forced American to take a closer look at the realities of inner city life. Love it or hate, this song changed the music industry forever.

So, do you agree with our selections? What is your favorite song about the police? For more mind-blowing Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.