The Clash – London Calling (1979)
[Album 268/1001]
I don’t get it.
At least, that’s what I was probably saying about The Clash up until semi-recently.
For whatever reason, radio stations often insist on playing the same song or two by a group. Ad nauseam. As maintaining listener attention is the name of the game (and many listeners have the knee-jerk reaction to change stations upon hearing an unfamiliar song), I do see why the playlists are fairly repetitive. It just encourages people like me to bypass the radio altogether in favour of full albums.
Not owning any Clash records, I understood they were considered a hugely influential band and from their frequently played single, I knew they seemed to spend a great deal of time mulling over the decision as to whether to stay or go.
After immersing in this particular album, I get it now, I’m a fan. In fact, I have been so enamored with this record that I have been struggling to move on to other albums from the list. My albums per year pace is dropping off dramatically!
The iconic cover may be epitome of punk. It is also entirely misleading: London Calling has more in common with the self-titled Elvis Presley album it knowingly references.
Good luck categorizing this one, as just about every possible style is explored somewhere over the course of the four sides.
What I especially appreciate about this double is that it doesn’t peak early. If I had to rank the four sides of the double LP, I’d say:
4. Side Two – it features my favourite song (Spanish Bombs) and it is largely due to the strength of the rest that it ended up in fourth place.
3. Side Three – The shortest side but no shortage of strength, the nice brass on The Card Cheat being a standout.
2. Side One – London Calling is an excellent song but the title track might not even be in my top 5 songs from the record. Rudie Can’t Fail would crack the top 3.
1. Side Four – Great segue between Four Horsemen & I’m Not Down and the pleasant surprise hearing Train in Vain to round out the set. Surprising, as it was unlisted on both my cassette and LP copies. From what I gather, the song was added to the track-listing after the art had already been sent to the printers. Though I’d imagine casual fans wouldn’t recognize the song by name anyways – I’d wager many people out there believe the song is called Stand By Me.
Great stuff – early contender for top album of the 70s. Or 80s, depending on if we’re talking about the UK or US release dates!
You are speaking my language now brother! This record never gets old (the same can’t be said for those of us that grow to love it, unfortunately) And I don’t care if you discovered it the day it came out or today-this is a masterpiece!
With some groups I’m definitely late to the party – glad I’m still welcome to join! It’s an addictive one – maybe because it’s so diverse, I really have struggled to move on to other albums
I don’t get it but occasionally I hear songs and think I might one day!
Hey not to worry – I’m still waiting for that ‘aha’ moment with a few other groups!
I have their eponymous debut album and it is great. Classic 70’s punk album. I think one song from that album, “I fought the law”, played on the radio a little, or at least people sometimes know of it. Anyway, as we said, you really can’t tell what a band can do from just listening to their commercially successful tunes (BTW don’t forget their major hit song about a sharif banning rock music, which then leads to citizens rocking the casbah and pilots listening to rock music in cockpits…)
haha – now that I think about it, I never actually realized what he was saying in Rock the casbah!
The self-titled one is on the 1001 as well, I think I’ll get to it in January (planning at looking at debuts to kick off the new year)!
I too don’t “get it.” They were a decent enough band, but I just haven’t been able to get into them.
Velvet Underground is a group like that for me – many of my favourite groups seem to be big fans of theirs but I haven’t fully warmed up to them yet. They’ve got 3 albums on the 1001 though, so I’ll at least get a couple more chances!
Time to dig up my copy!
Well worth revisiting!
I think I shall!
Absolutely incredible album.
It certainly exceeded my expectations – would you say it’s the best Clash record?
I definitely would, the only problem is that it’s the only album of theirs I own, though. haha
Great album, one of my favourites of all time, and featuring in my desert island top 11 post. Great idea for a blog you have here by the way!
My thanks Thomas – a good choice for the island top 11, both in that it’s a double LP & the songs are all so different you get a bit of every genre. I’m intrigued as to what else made the cut!
Here you go Stephen, a link to my desert island albums…
http://thomasjford.wordpress.com/2014/01/07/my-twelve-desert-island-albums/
Can’t argue with those choices – especially The Kinks, Afternoon Tea is probably in my top 20 songs of all time!
Fantastic! Another Kinks fan. It’s surprising how many people don’t know more Kinks songs. They know the obvious ones but little else, which is a shame because I rank them up there with The Beatles and Stones I think
As a Kinks fan, you’ll likely appreciate this:
http://kamertunesblog.wordpress.com/
Rich is currently revisiting the entire Kinks catalogue, enjoy!
Thanks Stephen, I’ll certainly check this out ASAP!
Have you seen that there is a movie called Do It Again? I’ve never been able to get hold of a copy, but check out the link, it looks great!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1478480/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
I hadn’t heard of that one, it looks solid though: Sting, Zoe Deschanel, attempt at a Kinks Reunion – I’d watch that!
Yeah, it absolutely covers everything you could want on a record doesn’t it. Such a great band, although London Calling is their best I think.