Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song

Clash clash clash. ¡VIVAN LOS NORTEAMERICANOS DEL IMCT Y LAS BRIGADAS DEL CADILLAC NUEVO!

What is the worst Clash song?

Lover's Rock
3
7%
Junkie Slip
4
9%
Stop the World
4
9%
Look Here
4
9%
First Night Back In London
6
13%
Cool Confusion
8
18%
Hitsville UK
8
18%
Ivan Meets GI Joe
2
4%
Crooked Beat
2
4%
Other (please state)
4
9%
 
Total votes: 45

Heston
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song

Post by Heston »

matedog wrote:
11 Aug 2021, 4:59pm
He just does an octave harmony right? A more interesting harmony would have been better.
After another listen, Mick actually goes to a harmony on "let's shake and say we'll operate", and it sounds much better. But then just drops back to the octave.
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board

Marky Dread
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song

Post by Marky Dread »

Heston wrote:
11 Aug 2021, 6:01pm
One thing that's always bugged me about Hitsville. On the lyric sheet it says "it's fast rough factory trade", but it sounds nothing like "trade" on the recording. Sounds more like "time" to me. Which doesn't really make any sense.
I always thought it was "time". Makes sense as it's now time for Fast/Rough/Factory to spring up because Small Wonder has been struck by lightening. I always took it to mean you can strike one down but another will spring up in it's place. That's my take anyway.
Image

Forces have been looting
My humanity
Curfews have been curbing
The end of liberty


We're the flowers in the dustbin...
No fuchsias for you.

"Without the common people you're nothing"

Nos Sumus Una Familia

Heston
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song

Post by Heston »

Marky Dread wrote:
11 Aug 2021, 6:32pm
Heston wrote:
11 Aug 2021, 6:01pm
One thing that's always bugged me about Hitsville. On the lyric sheet it says "it's fast rough factory trade", but it sounds nothing like "trade" on the recording. Sounds more like "time" to me. Which doesn't really make any sense.
I always thought it was "time". Makes sense as it's now time for Fast/Rough/Factory to spring up because Small Wonder has been struck by lightening. I always took it to mean you can strike one down but another will spring up in it's place. That's my take anyway.
Yeah, it makes sense me now you put it like that. I can only assume "trade" was in the original lyric to match up with "rough", and they never got time to change the lyric sheet. Wasn't it a similar story with Combat Rock and all those altered lyrics in the insert.
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board

Marky Dread
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song

Post by Marky Dread »

Heston wrote:
11 Aug 2021, 6:38pm
Marky Dread wrote:
11 Aug 2021, 6:32pm
Heston wrote:
11 Aug 2021, 6:01pm
One thing that's always bugged me about Hitsville. On the lyric sheet it says "it's fast rough factory trade", but it sounds nothing like "trade" on the recording. Sounds more like "time" to me. Which doesn't really make any sense.
I always thought it was "time". Makes sense as it's now time for Fast/Rough/Factory to spring up because Small Wonder has been struck by lightening. I always took it to mean you can strike one down but another will spring up in it's place. That's my take anyway.
Yeah, it makes sense me now you put it like that. I can only assume "trade" was in the original lyric to match up with "rough", and they never got time to change the lyric sheet. Wasn't it a similar story with Combat Rock and all those altered lyrics in the insert.
Yeah loads of different lyrics to the original Rat Patrol/Combat Rock tracks.
Image

Forces have been looting
My humanity
Curfews have been curbing
The end of liberty


We're the flowers in the dustbin...
No fuchsias for you.

"Without the common people you're nothing"

Nos Sumus Una Familia

BitterTom
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song

Post by BitterTom »

I've come to appreciate Stop The World over the last couple of years, its groove is cool as fuck.

Heston
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song

Post by Heston »

BitterTom wrote:
28 Aug 2021, 1:34pm
I've come to appreciate Stop The World over the last couple of years, its groove is cool as fuck.
It's one of those songs that frustrates me. It could have been something really brilliant with a bit more focus and less production indulgence. Incredible lyrics though.
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board

Marky Dread
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song

Post by Marky Dread »

I really dig "Stop the World". Great experimental nature. Much better when it's speed adjusted to it's correct tempo.
Image

Forces have been looting
My humanity
Curfews have been curbing
The end of liberty


We're the flowers in the dustbin...
No fuchsias for you.

"Without the common people you're nothing"

Nos Sumus Una Familia

Clashfan2021
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song

Post by Clashfan2021 »

Marky Dread wrote:
11 Aug 2021, 8:04pm
Heston wrote:
11 Aug 2021, 6:38pm
Marky Dread wrote:
11 Aug 2021, 6:32pm
Heston wrote:
11 Aug 2021, 6:01pm
One thing that's always bugged me about Hitsville. On the lyric sheet it says "it's fast rough factory trade", but it sounds nothing like "trade" on the recording. Sounds more like "time" to me. Which doesn't really make any sense.

I always thought it was "time". Makes sense as it's now time for Fast/Rough/Factory to spring up because Small Wonder has been struck by lightening. I always took it to mean you can strike one down but another will spring up in it's place. That's my take anyway.
Yeah, it makes sense me now you put it like that. I can only assume "trade" was in the original lyric to match up with "rough", and they never got time to change the lyric sheet. Wasn't it a similar story with Combat Rock and all those altered lyrics in the insert.
Yeah loads of different lyrics to the original Rat Patrol/Combat Rock tracks.
Thanks for this. thread. I was looking online for some explanation of that lyric, which took me to this site.
I've heard these lyrics differently for many years. To me they sound like "'past the factory time." As in "small wonder" that that the people who get breaks aren't factory workers--very Joe Strummer sentiment--but it never made perfect sense because lighting struck after the factory closed, so the working stiffs could be the hit makers. Listening to it again, "fast rough factory time" sounds more accurate than my version. My take on the correct verse is that once you get the inspiration, the hit, your work your butt off to make it.

The larger story, I think, is a question about why England lacked something like the Hitsville studio of MoTown, famed as Hitsville USA (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitsville_U.S.A.). But that place was run by Berry Gordy, one of the most notoriously creepy, exploitive producers in the business. Maybe it's irony: Hitsville UK? sure it's clean. Or maybe they didn't know about it and just thought MoTown was awesome and England needed the same? Doubtful.

Either way, I still love the song. Here's Joe and his daughter performing it in 2008 wth some backstory (also Mick clearly saying "fast, rough factory time").

matedog
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song

Post by matedog »

Heston wrote:
11 Aug 2021, 6:16pm
matedog wrote:
11 Aug 2021, 4:59pm
He just does an octave harmony right? A more interesting harmony would have been better.
After another listen, Mick actually goes to a harmony on "let's shake and say we'll operate", and it sounds much better. But then just drops back to the octave.
A follow up from this discussion. I know you saw this on fb, but it's mildly interesting:
Look, you have to establish context for these things. And I maintain that unless you appreciate the Fall of Constantinople, the Great Fire of London, and Mickey Mantle's fatalist alcoholism, live Freddy makes no sense. If you want to half-ass it, fine, go call Simon Schama to do the appendix.

Dr. Medulla
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song

Post by Dr. Medulla »

What a curious thing that Hitsville is tied for worst Clash song. Mediocre and poorly done, that's defensible, but outright worst?
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

Marky Dread
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song

Post by Marky Dread »

Dr. Medulla wrote:
31 Jan 2022, 3:23pm
What a curious thing that Hitsville is tied for worst Clash song. Mediocre and poorly done, that's defensible, but outright worst?
Agree with Doc.
Image

Forces have been looting
My humanity
Curfews have been curbing
The end of liberty


We're the flowers in the dustbin...
No fuchsias for you.

"Without the common people you're nothing"

Nos Sumus Una Familia

BitterTom
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song

Post by BitterTom »

Marky Dread wrote:
31 Jan 2022, 3:48pm
Dr. Medulla wrote:
31 Jan 2022, 3:23pm
What a curious thing that Hitsville is tied for worst Clash song. Mediocre and poorly done, that's defensible, but outright worst?
Agree with Doc.
Agree with Doc and Marky.

Heston
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song

Post by Heston »

BitterTom wrote:
31 Jan 2022, 4:01pm
Marky Dread wrote:
31 Jan 2022, 3:48pm
Dr. Medulla wrote:
31 Jan 2022, 3:23pm
What a curious thing that Hitsville is tied for worst Clash song. Mediocre and poorly done, that's defensible, but outright worst?
Agree with Doc.
Agree with Doc and Marky.
It's insane. I love Hitsville.
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board

Sparky
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song

Post by Sparky »

Heston wrote:
31 Jan 2022, 4:37pm
BitterTom wrote:
31 Jan 2022, 4:01pm
Marky Dread wrote:
31 Jan 2022, 3:48pm
Dr. Medulla wrote:
31 Jan 2022, 3:23pm
What a curious thing that Hitsville is tied for worst Clash song. Mediocre and poorly done, that's defensible, but outright worst?
Agree with Doc.
Agree with Doc and Marky.
It's insane. I love Hitsville.
I too like Hitsville, definitely not my least favorite Clash song by a long shot.
God, what a mess, on the ladder of success
Where you take one step and miss the whole first rung

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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song

Post by amj241 »

Sparky wrote:
31 Jan 2022, 4:50pm
Heston wrote:
31 Jan 2022, 4:37pm
BitterTom wrote:
31 Jan 2022, 4:01pm
Marky Dread wrote:
31 Jan 2022, 3:48pm
Dr. Medulla wrote:
31 Jan 2022, 3:23pm
What a curious thing that Hitsville is tied for worst Clash song. Mediocre and poorly done, that's defensible, but outright worst?
Agree with Doc.
Agree with Doc and Marky.
It's insane. I love Hitsville.
I too like Hitsville, definitely not my least favorite Clash song by a long shot.
There are definitely worse songs on that list for me too. However, I’d probably say Hitsville is my least favorite personally because of the missed potential. If it was just a Mick or Mick/Joe vocal, I think it’d be one of my favorites instead of being on my blocked list on Spotify.

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