Here we are again, one of the few times where you can put complete faith in democracy. The only requirement is that you be a Clash fan and have an interest in helping the blog determine the best Clash songs of all time. If it’s your first visit – it couldn’t be easier – we started with over 160 Clash songs and at random they compete against each other. One vote per visitor per pairing and the winners continue til we reach the last 16. This is still round one (nearly complete) and you’ll see the round of 64 kick off next week. For now though some results must be reviewed with you:

Tommy Gun defeats Wrong ‘em Boyo 31  -   14

1977 defeats Dirty Punk 44  –   1

No shocks there really as Tommy Gun rolls on but by a narrower margin that I’d have guessed. Who voted for Dirty Punk? Was it intentional? Right then let’s see what the next four look like – as ever more info is below and I look forward to your very careful use of your mouse.

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

Three Card Trick – It is another moment of post Mick Clash we have to assess. In terms of ‘respect’ it’s one of the few from Cut The Crap that seems to have a few fans. I’m not one of them but to be fair it’s not a dreadful song. That said it won’t win.

48 Hours - One of those songs that takes me right back to my first hearing of the song as a 12 year old. After my first Clash exposure in late ’78 to GTER being able to get the debut album immediately thereafter was nirvana for me. Needless to say 12 months later London Calling was released – no wonder I was a Clash devotee. 48 hours – all the evidence needed that a song can clock in at under 1:50 and still be immaculate.

Lose This Skin - Guest vocals by old Strummer cohort Tymon Dogg make this track as atypical of a Clash song as it gets. As a kid I’d tell my non-clash friends that the vocals were by the geyser from Rush, it worked a treat. Musically it was a rollercoaster of styles and brilliant drumming. A song that will make a non-Clash fan guess for hours – still a great party trick I enjoy. It did get a revival with Joe and The Mescaleros also!

Time Is Tight - When it comes to cover versions were The Clash lucky or simply genius? Not sure but on recorded evidence a bit of both. Here’s a song that they couldn’t even imprint with the vocal styling of Mick and Joe and still it’s just magnificent. I think it’s one of my favourite Clash songs for the car. Original was of course by Booker T and the MG’s – if you saw the Clash perform the song live you might be lying or a statistical rarity as they apparently only ever played it once.

So there you have it – 4 songs that we must slice down to 2. You have until Sunday morning to make your decisions for which I thank you in advance.

Tim

I know I know, I missed a few days…completely unintended – combination of a lot of work, not feeling too brilliant and the excitement around the Jail Guitar Doors events earlier in the week. Back to the Clash Cup this morning as we seek out (via your educated voting patterns) the best Clash songs of all times. I should really be moving at full speed as round one is nearly over – you’ve got some tough decisions to face in round two – trust me the final 64 is bloody strong !!!   I’ve got 4 new songs under the hammer today and we’ve also got to review results from earlier pairings – so let’s start with that shall we?

Cheat defeats Overpowered by Funk 26  -  17

This Is England defeats Version City 29  -  14

Both results essentially as expected and good support for all four tracks. Not sure how much further either of the winners will progress but we will wait and see. So if you’re new to the blog – all I ask is that you use your Clash expertise (or click on the tracks below) and decide which of these 4 should progress through to the next round:

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

Sean Flynn – You should know me by now, yes the link provided is to the Rat Patrol sessions for Combat Rock. Why? Because I think for the most part those versions are stronger than what eventually surfaced for the final (proper) Clash album. It’s up to you of course but I like this version a lot as it is so much more expansive. As for the song itself, it fits into the Montgomery Clift list of Clash songs motivated by an individual in this case war journalist Sean Flynn.

Mensforth Hill - For me, this  an example of excess from Sandinista! Taking a good song (Something About England) and playing it in reverse doesn’t make for a good time for me. When the Beatles did it I wasn’t impressed and The Clash don’t change my personal feeling on that. I’m sure someone is gonna tell me otherwise but I think there were dozens of better songs by the band that were never recorded.

London’s Burning - Not sure if a better song has ever been written about a part of London I know so well. Strummer’s captures the frustration, boredom and alienation that 1976 West London showed him in a song that will live forever in terms of a perfect snapshot of social observation. Brilliant song…simple as that.

English Civil War - What a difficult choice between this and the above. Some critics were very cynical about The Clash taking a traditional folk song and making it a protest song. I’m not one of them. It was a stretch lyrically but still a really powerful song that I think is full of energy and paranoia – a perfect blend for England circa 1978.

Thanks for your votes – should be fun (especially the 2nd match up) – you have until Tuesday morning…I promise another Clash Cup within 24 hours!!

Tim

Hello again, we’re getting to the very last embers of round one. At that point I’ll build out the page on the site so you can review the remaining 64 so you can assess what’s at stake. I’m looking at a competition to see who can best predict the final 8 Clash songs when all this voting is over. Perhaps giveaway the new Carbon Silicon album to the two best guesses. I’ll work out the details and let you know. For now I just need your votes to get us down to a final 64 best Clash songs of all time. Prior to our new pairings I’ve got a quick results update to provide:

Julie’s Been Working For The Drug Squad defeats Are You Ready 39  -  2

Something About England defeats Rebel Waltz 28  -  14

Two results that I guess went as expected. Are You Ready suffers the 2nd worst defeat of the round. I look forward to seeing what you think of these new four?

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

Wrong ‘em Boyo – This is another Clash cover version and even at that it’s a unique take. The original version is somewhat followed until Strummer instructs them to ‘start all over again’ which indeed they do. The original reggae track was by Roland Alphonso, a Cuban born exile who moved to Jamaica at the age of two. Alphonso was at his most active 1960-1974 but continued playing live right up til his death in 1998.

Tommy Gun - This was probably the biggest surprise of the ‘seeding’ votes we had before the tournament started. I thought this was guaranteed to be protected but fell short of the required votes. Topper’s drums and then the loudest E chords you could ask for. Amazing song, full of power and certain (?) to get through to the next round.

1977 – An early early Clash track that was a Joe’s warning song about 77-84 and with hindsight maybe was prophetic. Great lyrics, and something that captures London and England in a non-majestic but really canny snapshot as it stood in the mid 70′s. I wish that the times when I saw The Clash they had played this song, sadly it was not to be.

Dirty Punk - A Clash song…from Mark II. If you’ve more to add let me know.

Thanks in advance for your votes, you have until Saturday morning to make your decisions. Cheers all.