Friday morning at last, and more results from the Clash Cup for you. Picking the best ever Clash songs is much easier when you take the time to vote – I keep finding myself debating over my own decisions. The results of match ups 15+16 are below:

The Cool Out defeats Never Did It 27-3

Hitsville UK defeats  Long Time Jerk 24-12

Two fairly comfortable wins keeps up the trend of lesser known songs not gaining enough support. Voting in this round is relatively easy, but stay with the blog – by the time we get to the next round there will be so many difficult decisions. Right then, time for you to ponder these four over the weekend:

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Well that’s what I like to see, an interesting bout and a stroll (in theory). Very early Clash versus very late Clash and I think I know what to expect. Then we have a hugely popular non LP track against a famous single. Remember you have until Sunday night to vote on these, links below will let you hear the tracks and my pondering follows also.

Dictator - Another track from Cut The Crap, today was probably the first time in 10 or more years that I listened to the track. It’s a live version (as linked) and it’s not awful.  As for lyrics – Yes I am the dictator my name is on your ballot sheet But until my box has your cross you know the form is incomplete

1,2 Crush On You -A pre-Joe Strummer Clash track! Written by Jones/Levene in the Spring of ’76. Even though Strummer took over vocals on the song live it didn’t remain in The Clash live set very long. If this was the only Clash song you ever heard you would have no idea what was to follow. I like the last 25 seconds even today.

Midnight To Stevens -There’s some consensus that this song should have been ‘formally’ included on Combat Rock. The band’s tribute to Guy Stevens did appear on the Broadway box set and is a standout song. It would have not only ‘fit’ on Combat Rock but is arguably better than some songs that are on the album. For me – it is as close to the sound that late career Strummer produced as any. Strummer’s vocal performance is amongst his best and the entire song haunts. Officially this only a demo, but what a demo.

This is Radio Clash - On Pirate Satellite!! What introduction is needed? At the time of release I remember thinking “What are they doing?” but still played my 12″ single to death. A really ambitious song in the context of music at the time (1981)  and a bass line that must be played loud. Also one of my favourite Clash videos, was it funk/rap/dance? It was genius.

Look forward to your votes ~ cheers.

Results time….Arsenal 3 – 1 Celtic, sorry wrong topic you’re probaby here to find out about the latest installment of the Clash Cup. This saga is by way of votes harvested at the blog to determine the best Clash songs. So here are two more final scores:

Charlie Don’t Surf hammered Futura 2000 42-1

House of the Ju Ju Queen edged Fingerpoppin’ 17-13

What a landslide by Charlie Don’t… I expected a comfortable win but that looks positively Cuban in its ratio of victory. The second was a weird pairing but I’m glad which one won, though it did finish pretty close. Now though it’s time for a fresh selection of four songs to face off in the first round:

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Random yes it is……..and as a result of the above bollocks…I’ve no control,

Getting your votes?

perhaps a high vote count in the 2nd pairing will keep both tracks in the tournament. I hate to see bigger tracks paired up but it should make for a fierce battle. More details are below and remember click on the song title to hear it (where possible).

Mustapha Dance - Ah yes, Mick’s danced up treatment of Rock The Casbah. Always good for a shimmy on the dance floor when I was 17 and pretended to know how to dance. The version of this with Ranking Roger from The Beat toasting over the top is worth seeking out. Rumours are that the version I just mentioned are what Jones wanted on the album, though I’m not sure how true that is. (it’s not the version on the myspace site I linked above)

The Beautiful People Are Ugly Too – A Rat Patrol (Mick Jones) mixed song from what then morphed into Combat Rock when production was handed over to Glyn Johns. For my money it’s a shame that this song never made it to vinyl. Yeah it’s a bit Sandinistaesque  but I love the vocal and the lyrics. Still intriguing to conceive of what The Clash might have become if Combat Rock was more like the Rat Patrol sessions, fairly safe to say the success of the band may have been less intense and sudden….but I’m worrying about ‘if only’ which is a waste of your time!

Clash City Rockers – This needs to introduction, anyone who has ever picked up a guitar as a Clash fan has tried out the chords to it. Still a brilliant song to kick start any car journey.

Remote Control - This was the track that led to Complete Control, so like a step parent you have to thank it for that. Growing up in London I can’t tell you how many times I sung to myself ‘here it comes, 11 o’clock where do we go now?’ The detailed CBS story is always worth airing which I’ll do in a future post. Check out the rehearsal version on the London Calling legacy edition.

Thanks for voting !

Mornin’ lets be having you. More results to be shared first and foremost in our march toward The best Clash songs ever. Time to say goodbye to two more songs:

Match 11 - Justice Tonight/Kick It Over defeated Junco Partner 27-10

Match 12 - Four Horsemen edged Lovers Rock 29-12

I must say I was really pretty shocked about the first result. A b-side/remix defeating a staple in Strummer’s post Clash catalog (albeit a cover version). I thought this might be one of the closer votes but Junco Partner received just 27% of the vote so that’s a closed book. Then an all London Calling affair led to Four Horsemen moving  forward to the next round.

Don't interrupt us Joe...

Thanks for voting and here are the next 4 picked as ever at random through my new best friend.

The Right Profile versus    What’s My Name

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The Leader versus    Junkie Slip

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Not a bad batch picked today although it’s arguable the two better tracks face each other. Good chance (if a close vote) that the runner up in the first contest will stay alive. I think that it will be The Right Profile as that even got some top 10 ever support a few weeks back. Then another all Sandinista! affair. Some extra info beneath and I’ll leave it in your hands. (by the way you can listen to any track by clicking on the title beneath)

The Right Profile – A homage to Montgomery Clift and a standout example of where The Clash were in ’79 as they recorded London Calling. Trivia question – what other well known band also sings about the actor?

What’s My Name - Ensure you click the link for the video from 1977, just captivating to see the energy of them live and Joe finishing the song on the floor. One of the few recorded Clash tracks that predates Strummer joining the band. Musically you can tell it has a different feel to much of what was to become the debut album, I think it’s the bridge. An amazing live song.

The Leader- Another Sandinista! track that I first would have heard at age 13-14 and didn’t know what to do with it. I knew I liked it and from my younger musical reference points I had no idea why. A short but lyric filled number that to this day makes me think of a mad dash on a train, I also used to like the closing bars as I knew Something About England was about to crackle from the speakers.

Junkie Slip – I’ve got to think this will lose out to The Leader. I think the most enjoyable aspect revisiting this song is Joe’s vocal performance that lends itself to almost freefrom Jazz delivery, also….listen to Topper – he’s bashing out some amazing stuff especially from the mid point of the song.

Right then – point and click. Cheers ~