Hello everyone, we’re nearly there as round one is almost complete. Enjoy the next few days of voting because beginning next week I can almost guarantee that every decision will be a lot more difficult. If you’re new to the blog, for the last 3 weeks we’ve been voting on Clash songs in a knockout ‘cup’ format. Song with the most votes continues and the loser is vanquished. We’ve had to say so long to some great songs but only 64 tracks can make the really interesting stages. For today we’ve got some earlier results now official and both were very one-sided:

Lost in the Supermarket defeats Listen 34 – 2

Revolution Rock defeats One More Dub 32 – 5

So a very good day for London Calling, with a few bouts still to go I make it that at least 10 Tracks from the masterpiece will make the final 64 and at least 5 have yet to be voted on. So maybe 16 of 19 can go through! For now though I turn your attention to the random number generator for a fresh foursome of Clash platters to be reviewed. As always links and comments will follow, your deadline for voting is overnight Sat/Sun.

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Are You Ready? - I’ve linked on purpose to the original demo version from November 1983 which is very different from the recording that appeared on Cut The Crap. The demo isn’t great but it’s a defined upgrade on the eventual version that surfaced. Based on the sequence of events this would have been one of the earliest tracks recorded without Mick Jones and featuring his two replacements. This almost sounds like a Clash song, not a good Clash song mind you. Maybe I didn’t get enough sleep….

Julie’s Been Working For The Drug Squad – This on the other hand does sound like a Clash song although very unlike anything on the debut album. This version is a GTER demo which is radically different to the song you know. No piano so the song is driven along by horns and a saxaphone solo. A real skiffle and shambling song, I can only image this was recorded before the producer had his say.

Rebel Waltz -One of the songs that made me wonder should I try and learn bass rather than guitar. In the end I did nothing til I was much older (fool) but the bass line is really majestic. A fine fine vocal performance by Joe Strummer and I’m fascinated to see how the song fares in the voting to follow.

Something About England – This is definitely in my personal top 20 Clash songs. Lyrically one of the most ambitous songs that Strummer wrote with The Clash. The roles played by Mick and Joe are so diverse that it makes the song a magical event (Joe IS the old man). One of those songs that I’ll forever associate with wandering around Piccadilly and Leicester square as a 16 year old in the rain, no money to spend and just observing London. I can’t listen to it and not feel that I’m anywhere other than near Soho waiting for my sister to finish work and drinking a can of strongbow while listening to the Clash on my walkman. You can play this song to me every day and I’d listen to the whole thing gladly. I miss London.

Vote vote vote….thanks as always.