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.

If you are new to the blog – let me explain the Clash Cup. Crap day, I’m licking my wounds more than a bit today, if you are a Man United fan, I wouldn’t trade my clubs style for your success…end of story.. Sometimes being better doesn’t count for much and this is one of those days. Perhaps the same can be said on some of The Clash Cup voting (I jest)….our continued democratic mission to select the best Clash songs of all time. Before moving on to the newest selections we’ve some results to review:

What’s My Name over     The Right Profile 26-10

The Leader over Junkie Slip 19-5

I thought both votes would be a lot closer when I loaded these polls, the support for tracks from London Calling so far has not translated into wins in the cup. The rule of thumb seems to be the earlier the song the more likely it is to progress (not scientific but it is a fact in 10 of 13 results so far where the tracks weren’t from the same album). The Right Profile didn’t even get enough support to make a later appearance as a high vote getter. So onto the next foursome and it’s a good bunch again.

3 tracks that you’ll be very familiar with and potentially 2 that might make the final 32. The voting is open until Monday night – below you can link to audio and I’ll provide my usual extra info and handicapping.

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Drug Stabbing Time – The first Clash song to feature brass (I think) and I also think it’s got a 20 second brilliant introduction. Leads by Joe and backing by Mick on the choruses (that in itself is a reason to love it). I’d like to hear a version without the saxaphone…is there one? It’s also a very Sandy Pearlman impacted song with every second of the audio filled with noise.

Koka Kola - Strummer lead vocals and Mick joining on the chorus, sound familiar? Still love the couplets rhyming decision, precision and indecision and to this day I still find myself driving at night saying ‘neon light sign says it’. Funny how stuff sticks with you. But clocking in at just 1:48 it’s one the shortest most punchy songs the band ever recorded.

Where You Gonna Go (Soweto) – Yes it’s a rough demo and yes it never made an official release but I was thrilled when it turned up on the London Calling Legacy edition. The sound is the missing link between GTER  and LC and as a result needs inclusion.

Hate & War - I love this song…purely and simply. As a 12 year old kid I played this over and over and over. I knew Hate & War years before I read about the 60′s and Peace & Love. I just found this track had the anger I felt and loved the lyrics. Mick Jones sounds so pissed off especially during the closing refrain when you suddenly add Strummer barking out how he feels. This is one song I’d love to see make the final 16 due to my emotional (and lasting) connection to it. Don’t let me down Clash Bloggers! I just played it now…still bloody supreme.

Thanks for your votes – I promise to fill up a link to all the results so far if you wonder if your personal favourites have been selected.

Tim

If you checked in since last night you saw that the Clash Cup is underway. In latest voting Should I Stay.. looks save in it’s match up but the second pairing is still pretty open – results in on Tuesday morning. Scroll down to earlier posts for all the info. I’ve got to keep this rolling – so armed with my excel sheet and the random number generator let’s see what’s in store:

From Sandinista! – Crooked Beat is taking on Lightning Strikes (not once but twice) from the same album. First time that’s happened with two from the same album and I can’t predict a winner.

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Next up we’ve got Idle in The Kangaroo Court (a Rat Patrol/Combat Rock lost track) paired up with Cheapskates. That looks a bit more like West Ham versus Exeter to me.

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Any trivia or facts…hmmm..

Cheapskates was debuted live at Friars in Aylesbury – a venue I wrote about some weeks ago. It also continued a theme I always loved of Joe writing about the band themselves as characters in a story

Just because we’re in a group
You think we’re stinking rich
‘N we all got model girls
Shedding every stitch
‘N You think the cocaine’s flowing
Like a river up our noses
‘N every sea will part for us
Like the red one did for Moses

Pretty safe to say with Bernie Rhodes at the helm that the stinking rich part wasn’t true, but the drugs certainly followed.

Mikey Dread

Lightning Strikes – well you can hear it here….it was part of a list of parentheses song titles that the Clash used. Also appeared as a live version in the Clash on Broadway box. A classic Joe rap and a song that’s at times all over the place. Crooked Beat -Paul  Simonon shared vocals with the much missed Mikey Dread – and a song I learned on bass!

You should be familiar with 3 of the 4 and here’s a link to Idle in the Kangaroo Court…a song I do like but Cheapskates is a bit of classic. It’s not up to me though.

Looking forward to your votes! Cheers – Tim