Good Evening! It’s time for more of the struggle for a Clash summit – first time here? Every 24 hours or so Clash songs are voted on until we get to a final 16,8,4,2 and then the title of the best Clash song ever….easy! Tonight 4 amazing tracks are set against one another but before that some results.

Career Opportunities over I’m So Bored With The USA 37 – 13

White Riot over Silicone on Sapphire 48 – 5

First result really shocked me, not that the winner was Career Opps but the margin of victory was so pronounced. The second result was significant in that White Riot had the biggest winning spread so far. Four more to select from and you have until Monday morning to vote.

Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment. Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.

Some big guns on deck and sadly some have to go….unless best runner up applies. Notes and audio links follow as usual.

Listen - An early track that eventually surfaced on Super Black Market Clash. The track was played at their first ever live appearance in Sheffield in 1976, apparently it was the first song Mick taught Paul although I’m not sure if that is simply folklore. Not a track that I expect will survive as it’s up against:

Lost in The Supermarket – Another standout track from London Calling and as atypical a Clash song as you can imagine, not that this fact diminishes from its quality at all.  Famous for being Joe’s gifted lyrics to Jones as he tried to picture his childhood (though he sung the track Jones dismissed any accuracy apart from the obsession with records). This is a track that will either squeak to the final 16 or fall out much earlier than I expect.

Revolution Rock - One of those songs that spread the vote for seeding songs on London Calling as a few people had it in their top 10. Brass, keyboards and a reggae beat all elements that expanded the diversity of perhaps the best Clash album ever (according to most critics at least – depends when you ask me). I do still love this song as its so loose and Strummer’s vocal performance is just stunning – “Can’t you feeeel it, don’t ignore it”

One More Dub - It’s sister song One More Time made the protected sixteen list so can this come through and upset the track above? If I had to choose a dark horse this would be it. Probably the greatest example of the Clash moving into legitimate dub territory. You’ll have to forward to 3:40 on the clip I found, or have a better time by listening to the entire thing. Guest toasting by Mikey Dread.

Thanks for voting, we’re now more than halfway through round one. If my predictions are right round two will commence round about Sep 20.

Tim