The Clash observations thread.

[Marky Dread]

Let's hope she gets more than 48 Hours.

[Heston]

Sorry Hes. It's piss.

Ok, now I will concede defeat.

Cheers TB.

[BitterTom]

Mildly annoyed Deezer doesn't have Cut The Crap. I use the app every day in work and really want to add Three Card Trick (fine track in my opinion) and North and South to the work playlist. There are worse problems in the world granted.

[Low Down Low]

Speaking of CtC i just happened to play the OoC demos recently and realised, very belatedly, what a good track National Powder is. Band sound like they’re having fun with it. Probably the first song Bernie had binned though.

[BitterTom]

I've slated Combat Rock in the past but it dawned on me I haven't properly listened to some of the songs for literally years so decided to put the whole album on earlier which leads to the review nobody asked for.

Know Your Rights - Always a solid opener for me. Like the lyrics and rhythm of the song. Even better live.

Car Jamming - If you look at the dictionary definition of average song, CJ would be at the top. Lazy and just get the feeling they could do better.

SISOSIG - One of the most overrated songs ever, boring and slow. Also (and I don't want to sound a pretentious melt) it's too commercial for me and also for The Clash. An injustice this song remains seen as one of their finest works while other tracks (too many to name) don't get a look in.

Rock The Casbah - Fantastic, great tune, nothing else to say.

Red Angel Dragnet - Oh dear. After Crooked Beat why in hell is Paul singing again? Just don't get the point of this being on CR.

Straight To Hell - A top 5 Clash track. Lyrically and musically brilliant. Again, fantastic live.

Overpowered By Funk- It's funky (no shit) and a bit of a laugh but if I went through life without hearing it again, I'd be no worse off.

Atom Tan - See Car Jamming. Distinctly average though the Joe/Mick singing works well, hardly their finest work though.

Sean Flynn - Call me a heathen but I found on relistening a bit dull. Music wouldn't sound out of place in a Michael Palin documentary. Or Sandinista!

Ghetto Defendant - Fail to see the appeal, dull and nothing special.

Inoculated City - Completely forgot about this number, solid tune and the highlight of a poor half of the album.

Death Is A Star - Shit.

In conclusion (thank God I hear) a little better than I remembered but, rather like Pot Noodle (bear with me) yeah, it feeds me, but I'm not nourished by it.

[Kory]

Car Jamming - If you look at the dictionary definition of average song, CJ would be at the top. Lazy and just get the feeling they could do better.
The lyrics are easily some of joe's best, however. Cool atmosphere at least.


Red Angel Dragnet - Oh dear. After Crooked Beat why in hell is Paul singing again? Just don't get the point of this being on CR.
The music is excellent, especially the drums. I do wish Joe had sung this.


Sean Flynn - Call me a heathen but I found on relistening a bit dull. Music wouldn't sound out of place in a Michael Palin documentary. Or Sandinista!
This is wrong.

A couple comments from me in bold above ^^^

[101Walterton]

With reference to the Top 5 thread is it just me or is it impossible to sing the last line of SISOSIG without hearing the piano riff of RTC kick in 1 second later.

[Heston]

Car Jamming - If you look at the dictionary definition of average song, CJ would be at the top. Lazy and just get the feeling they could do better.
The lyrics are easily some of joe's best, however. Cool atmosphere at least.


Red Angel Dragnet - Oh dear. After Crooked Beat why in hell is Paul singing again? Just don't get the point of this being on CR.
The music is excellent, especially the drums. I do wish Joe had sung this.


Sean Flynn - Call me a heathen but I found on relistening a bit dull. Music wouldn't sound out of place in a Michael Palin documentary. Or Sandinista!
This is wrong.

A couple comments from me in bold above ^^^

Sean Flynn is brilliant. That moment when Joe sings "rain on the leaves and the soldiers sing" and then this great sax line comes in. Then there's that wonderful snake charming bass. I suppose it's what you're looking for in music, I can understand why some people may not like it.

[Low Down Low]

I've slated Combat Rock in the past but it dawned on me I haven't properly listened to some of the songs for literally years so decided to put the whole album on earlier which leads to the review nobody asked for.

Know Your Rights - Always a solid opener for me. Like the lyrics and rhythm of the song. Even better live.

Car Jamming - If you look at the dictionary definition of average song, CJ would be at the top. Lazy and just get the feeling they could do better.

SISOSIG - One of the most overrated songs ever, boring and slow. Also (and I don't want to sound a pretentious melt) it's too commercial for me and also for The Clash. An injustice this song remains seen as one of their finest works while other tracks (too many to name) don't get a look in.

Rock The Casbah - Fantastic, great tune, nothing else to say.

Red Angel Dragnet - Oh dear. After Crooked Beat why in hell is Paul singing again? Just don't get the point of this being on CR.

Straight To Hell - A top 5 Clash track. Lyrically and musically brilliant. Again, fantastic live.

Overpowered By Funk- It's funky (no shit) and a bit of a laugh but if I went through life without hearing it again, I'd be no worse off.

Atom Tan - See Car Jamming. Distinctly average though the Joe/Mick singing works well, hardly their finest work though.

Sean Flynn - Call me a heathen but I found on relistening a bit dull. Music wouldn't sound out of place in a Michael Palin documentary. Or Sandinista!

Ghetto Defendant - Fail to see the appeal, dull and nothing special.

Inoculated City - Completely forgot about this number, solid tune and the highlight of a poor half of the album.

Death Is A Star - Shit.

In conclusion (thank God I hear) a little better than I remembered but, rather like Pot Noodle (bear with me) yeah, it feeds me, but I'm not nourished by it.

Enjoyable review tom. I certainly don't agree with all of it, but some choice lines there. On SIS i actually held a grudge against it for many years on account of being a No.1 single until i came to the conclusion that it wasn't actually the song's fault and started really liking it again because it's got such a powerful beat.

[Marky Dread]

Car Jamming has some of the best lyrics of any Clash song.

[Heston]

I've slated Combat Rock in the past but it dawned on me I haven't properly listened to some of the songs for literally years so decided to put the whole album on earlier which leads to the review nobody asked for.

Know Your Rights - Always a solid opener for me. Like the lyrics and rhythm of the song. Even better live.

Car Jamming - If you look at the dictionary definition of average song, CJ would be at the top. Lazy and just get the feeling they could do better.

SISOSIG - One of the most overrated songs ever, boring and slow. Also (and I don't want to sound a pretentious melt) it's too commercial for me and also for The Clash. An injustice this song remains seen as one of their finest works while other tracks (too many to name) don't get a look in.

Rock The Casbah - Fantastic, great tune, nothing else to say.

Red Angel Dragnet - Oh dear. After Crooked Beat why in hell is Paul singing again? Just don't get the point of this being on CR.

Straight To Hell - A top 5 Clash track. Lyrically and musically brilliant. Again, fantastic live.

Overpowered By Funk- It's funky (no shit) and a bit of a laugh but if I went through life without hearing it again, I'd be no worse off.

Atom Tan - See Car Jamming. Distinctly average though the Joe/Mick singing works well, hardly their finest work though.

Sean Flynn - Call me a heathen but I found on relistening a bit dull. Music wouldn't sound out of place in a Michael Palin documentary. Or Sandinista!

Ghetto Defendant - Fail to see the appeal, dull and nothing special.

Inoculated City - Completely forgot about this number, solid tune and the highlight of a poor half of the album.

Death Is A Star - Shit.

In conclusion (thank God I hear) a little better than I remembered but, rather like Pot Noodle (bear with me) yeah, it feeds me, but I'm not nourished by it.

Enjoyable review tom. I certainly don't agree with all of it, but some choice lines there. On SIS i actually held a grudge against it for many years on account of being a No.1 single until i came to the conclusion that it wasn't actually the song's fault and started really liking it again because it's got such a powerful beat.

Yeah, I think SIS gets bad rap due to over-familiarity, it's actually a shit-kicking song. Those Pidgin Spanish backing vocals are a pretty crazy addition that stops it getting too safe. If only they'd left the mental saxophone in from the Rat Patrol version.

[Heston]

I'm down with the Car Jamming love. Great tune and lyrics. But like a lot of CR it suffers from this boxy sound that I can't put my finger on. It has this cold/dry edge that is the total opposite of Sandinsta.

My verdict on the rest...

Know Your Rights - Could have been a lot better, the FHTE version shows that
Red Angel Dragnet - The vocal by Paul ruins it, love the chorus and groove
Overpowered By Funk - I love this, but another song where the production lets it down. A timid Joe vocal and a horribly brittle drum sound
Atom Tan - I never really warmed to this song, sounds forced and it never really takes off
Ghetto Defendant - Great song, one of Joe's best ever vocals, love the spooky Ginsberg lines
Inoculated City - The first BAD song and it's brilliant. The organ stab after "flushing sure beats brushing" is genius
Death Is a Star - I can like this when I'm in the right mood but Joe's speaking bits sound overwought and corny
Casbah - I will never understand how anyone can put this song down. Truly great lyric and one of the best bass lines ever put down on tape
STH - In my top 2 Clash songs always

[Marky Dread]

The opening drums on Car Jamming are boss. But I agree about the dry (ish) mix.

[BitterTom]

At least we have Straight To Hell to agree over

[Marky Dread]

At least we have Straight To Hell to agree over

Who doesn't love a British jig and reel.