O/T Favourite The Clash songs

[ecc]

So many excellent songs in the first years.

Am listening to "Lover's Rock" from "London Calling". Light years from punk but just love the last two minutes of this song.

Joe and Mick wrote so many different types of songs moving from the early days 100mph garage tunes to ska, blues, reggae and pop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsmBnB0rrdI

[TheFamilyCat]

Good question.

I love how they fused punk rock with reggae and dub, but fir me it has to be Complete Control.

[ecc]

Hi TheFamilyCat,

Loved both of the first albums. Even on their debut album, they were showing their eclecticism with the cover of "Police and Thieves".

[sjb]

London Calling, White Man In Hammersmith Palais & Stay Free are my favourites.

Also love the album Joe made with The Mescaleros - some great tracks on there.

[Ptangyangkipperbang]

I absolute love Sandinista different genres fused into a triple album probably would have made a better double album but like Joe Strummer once said about it a great album warts and all.Back in the day me and my mates used to think it was also a great stoner lp

[KLClaret]

White Man in Hammersmith Palais. Had such an influence on my musical direction.

[Croydon Claret]

Strangely, Rock the Casbah was banned from US radio after 09/11 as it was deemed inappropriate.

[Anonymous Claret]

The only band that mattered.
I was lucky enough to see them in 1980 at King George's Hall in Blackburn as a 13 year old. I managed to see them a couple of years later in Bradford also.
It is so difficult to pick a favourite song as it changes over time. White Man in Hammersmith Palais and Complete Control have both been faves of mine at sometime. The list is endless. At the moment I suppose my favourites from each album are

Bored With the USA
Safe European Home
I'm not Down
Something About England
Ghetto Defendant

[Anonymous Claret]

I absolute love Sandinista different genres fused into a triple album probably would have made a better double album but like Joe Strummer once said about it a great album warts and all.Back in the day me and my mates used to think it was also a great stoner lp

Sandinista is my favourite album by far. Rock, hip hop, gospel and reggae to name a few genres off the top of my head.
I remember having a discussion which was the greatest album with my friend and he said London Calling whilst I went for Sandinista.
I reluctantly agreed with him because although loads of my favourite tracks are on Sandinista there is a bit of dross on there also. Every track on London Calling is excellent which is probably helped by crazy Guy Stevens who produced the album.

[Ptangyangkipperbang]

Also a shout for Super Black Market Clash triple 10" b sides album

[ClaretLoup]

Working for the Clampdown from “London Calling”

[dougcollins]

'Safe European Home'. Think it was album 2, 'Give em Enough Rope'?

And an honourable mention for 'Complete Control'.

[TheFamilyCat]

While in London a few years ago I went to a London Calling exhibition at the London Museum and it was excellent. They even had the bass being smashed by Paul Simonon on the cover.

Guess it was 2019 to mark 40 years since its release.

Still got photos of the bass.

Screenshot_20240508_173918_Gallery.jpg (360.53 KiB) Viewed 1756 times

Screenshot_20240508_174018_Gallery.jpg (1.28 MiB) Viewed 1756 times

[Anonymous Claret]

My ex and a few of my mates either work with or are good friends of Ray Lowry's son. He is meant to have an amazing collection of his dad's art work including loads of stuff from London Calling. I have been promised a tour but it still hasn't happened yet. Hopefully it will happen one day soon.

[ceborame]

Straight to Hell is my favourite

[Gaia]

Lost in a supermarket

[bfcmartin]

Guns of Brixton, Career Opportunities, Complete Control so many to choose from

[Kebsclaret]

I’m so bored with the USA. Great lyrics.

The whole of the first album and Complete Control.

[Bosscat]

Should mix this in with the "Should he stay or should he go" thread about Kompany

I have already put verse 3 of "Should I stay or should I go" on there

[bartons baggage]

They were shite.

[Devils_Advocate]

Its gotta be "I Fought the Law" for me. The way the Clash could write songs that sounded like they came from the 50's and 60's whilst simultaneously sounding ahead of their time is one of the things that made them so great. I think this is their song that best bridges that gap between past and future sounds and is an absolute masterpiece.

[dougcollins]

Its gotta be "I Fought the Law" for me. The way the Clash could write songs that sounded like they came from the 50's and 60's whilst simultaneously sounding ahead of their time is one of the things that made them so great. I think this is their song that best bridges that gap between past and future sounds and is an absolute masterpiece.

Despite all historic evidence to the contrary I still feel drawn to responding to this.

Not that I'm particularly bothered, but perhaps you could start posts where you actually mean what you say with an asterisk?

[bobinho]

Complete control is excellent.

I fought the law is probably the greatest cover of all time.

Straight to hell still sounds like it was made yesterday.

Tommy gun was one of the first singles I bought. Love it still.

Interesting fact - White man in Hammersmith Palais (also a great song) has no chorus…

[Claret86]

Always liked London calling and should i stay or should i go but didnt really know much else.
got their greatest hits album about 20 years ago and it blew me away. could hear so much thats influenced other bands (always a good sign.)
The card cheat is probably my favourite song of theirs but white man in hammersmith, I'm so bored with the USA, white riot are up there

[Lu-tze]

Train in vain

[Vintage Claret]

Janie Jones
Police & Thieves

[MalaysiaMo]

I saw the Clash live in Leeds Uni Student Union at the end of January 1980. Brilliant. The sweat from the packed audience was evaporating and rising before condensing on the ceiling and falling back on those below as "rain" ... Joe Strummer was a genius.

[the_magic_rat]

Its gotta be "I Fought the Law" for me. The way the Clash could write songs that sounded like they came from the 50's and 60's whilst simultaneously sounding ahead of their time is one of the things that made them so great. I think this is their song that best bridges that gap between past and future sounds and is an absolute masterpiece.

You little minx, DA!

[Anonymous Claret]

You little minx, DA!

Yeah, I am pretty sure DA knew The Clash didn't write 'I fought the law'. Just trying to be mischievous as usual

[Devils_Advocate]

Couldn't resist and whilst it is one of my favourite Clash songs Janie Jones and Spanish Bombs are my actually favourites

[ecc]

"Train in Vain" : arguably the greatest hidden tracks of all time.


"Train in Vain" was added after the deal for the band to write a song for an NME flexi disc fell through, and as Mick Jones later said "The real story on 'Train in Vain' is that originally we needed a song to give to the NME for a flexi disk that NME was going to do. And then it was decided that it didn't work out or decided the flexi disk didn't work out so we had this spare track we had done as a giveaway. So we put it on London Calling but there wasn't time because the sleeves were already done."

The result of its late addition was that it was the only song without lyrics printed on the insert, and was not listed as a track, but its title and position on the original vinyl record was scratched into the vinyl in the needle run-off area on the fourth side of the album.

[Bop]

Changes regularly - as it has done since 1977.
So many wonderful tunes and lyrics. And nearly every genre.
You could compile an album of their stunning cover versions too.

“Like four sticks of dynamite on stage”

[Bop]

Tony Walsh. The Last Gang in Town?

Who these days, are the rebels worth the name?
Who hates the army, hates the RAF?
Who, these days, take a gutter sniper’s aim?
Who fights the law with every beat and breath?

Who, these days, has the baselines or the balls?
Who’s sussed and struts where white man fears to tread?
Who, these days, answers back when London calls?
Who catches fire and burns like Natty Dread?

Who’ll wave the flag above the **** parade?
Who’ll educate and agitate the youth?
Who’ll use guitars as weapons, unafraid?
Who’ll rock the very Casbah with the truth?

Come, stand and fight; together not alone.
Go start a ******* riot of your own.

[the_magic_rat]

"Train in Vain" : arguably the greatest hidden tracks of all time.


"Train in Vain" was added after the deal for the band to write a song for an NME flexi disc fell through, and as Mick Jones later said "The real story on 'Train in Vain' is that originally we needed a song to give to the NME for a flexi disk that NME was going to do. And then it was decided that it didn't work out or decided the flexi disk didn't work out so we had this spare track we had done as a giveaway. So we put it on London Calling but there wasn't time because the sleeves were already done."

The result of its late addition was that it was the only song without lyrics printed on the insert, and was not listed as a track, but its title and position on the original vinyl record was scratched into the vinyl in the needle run-off area on the fourth side of the album.

Thanks for the background info on "Train In Vain", ecc. A very good shout for the greatest hidden track of all time.

[ecc]

Thanks for the background info on "Train In Vain", ecc. A very good shout for the greatest hidden track of all time.

Cheers. Courtesy of Wikipedia.

[Claretitus]

Couldn't resist and whilst it is one of my favourite Clash songs Janie Jones and Spanish Bombs are my actually favourites

Another vote for Spanish Bombs, from Sandinista. Simply superb.

[dougcollins]

You little minx, DA!

Sometimes he's just a w@nker.