Produced by The Clash and engineered by Simon Humphries, the song was recorded for (but not included on) the group's second studio album Give 'Em Enough Rope; it was later featured on the American version of their debut studio album The Clash between the single version of "White Riot" and "London's Burning".

Compared with their other early singles, it is stylistically more in line with their version of Junior Murvin's "Police and Thieves" as the powerful guitar intro of "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" descends into a slower ska rhythm, and was disorienting to a lot of the fans who had grown used to their earlier work.

[5] "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" starts by recounting an all-night reggae "showcase" night at the Hammersmith Palais in Shepherd's Bush Road, London, that was attended by Joe Strummer, Don Letts and roadie Roadent, and was headlined by Dillinger, Leroy Smart and Delroy Wilson.

In an NME article at the time, Strummer said this was targeted at the power pop fad hyped by journalists as the next big thing in 1978.

The final lines refer to right wing politics, noting sardonically that things were getting to the point where even Adolf Hitler could expect to be sent a limousine if he “flew in today”.

[13] Robert Christgau recommended the single in his Consumer Guide published by The Village Voice on 4 September 1978, and described the song as "a must".

[14] Denise Sullivan of AllMusic wrote that "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" "may have actually been the first song to merge punk and reggae.

The list was chosen by a panel including former band members Terry Chimes, Mick Jones, and Paul Simonon[18] In 2015, the Guardian ranked it No.