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.
Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song
- Heston
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song
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
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.
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
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.Marky Dread wrote: ↑11 Aug 2021, 6:32pmI 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.
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song
Yeah loads of different lyrics to the original Rat Patrol/Combat Rock tracks.Heston wrote: ↑11 Aug 2021, 6:38pmYeah, 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.Marky Dread wrote: ↑11 Aug 2021, 6:32pmI 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.
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
Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song
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
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
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song
I really dig "Stop the World". Great experimental nature. Much better when it's speed adjusted to it's correct tempo.
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
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Clashfan2021
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song
Thanks for this. thread. I was looking online for some explanation of that lyric, which took me to this site.Marky Dread wrote: ↑11 Aug 2021, 8:04pmYeah loads of different lyrics to the original Rat Patrol/Combat Rock tracks.Heston wrote: ↑11 Aug 2021, 6:38pmYeah, 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.Marky Dread wrote: ↑11 Aug 2021, 6:32pm
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.
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").
Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song
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
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
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song
Agree with Doc.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑31 Jan 2022, 3:23pmWhat a curious thing that Hitsville is tied for worst Clash song. Mediocre and poorly done, that's defensible, but outright worst?
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
Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song
Agree with Doc and Marky.Marky Dread wrote: ↑31 Jan 2022, 3:48pmAgree with Doc.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑31 Jan 2022, 3:23pmWhat a curious thing that Hitsville is tied for worst Clash song. Mediocre and poorly done, that's defensible, but outright worst?
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Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song
It's insane. I love Hitsville.BitterTom wrote: ↑31 Jan 2022, 4:01pmAgree with Doc and Marky.Marky Dread wrote: ↑31 Jan 2022, 3:48pmAgree with Doc.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑31 Jan 2022, 3:23pmWhat a curious thing that Hitsville is tied for worst Clash song. Mediocre and poorly done, that's defensible, but outright worst?
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board
Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song
I too like Hitsville, definitely not my least favorite Clash song by a long shot.Heston wrote: ↑31 Jan 2022, 4:37pmIt's insane. I love Hitsville.BitterTom wrote: ↑31 Jan 2022, 4:01pmAgree with Doc and Marky.Marky Dread wrote: ↑31 Jan 2022, 3:48pmAgree with Doc.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑31 Jan 2022, 3:23pmWhat a curious thing that Hitsville is tied for worst Clash song. Mediocre and poorly done, that's defensible, but outright worst?
God, what a mess, on the ladder of success
Where you take one step and miss the whole first rung
Where you take one step and miss the whole first rung
Re: Friday Poll Thread #3 - Worst Clash Song
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.Sparky wrote: ↑31 Jan 2022, 4:50pmI too like Hitsville, definitely not my least favorite Clash song by a long shot.Heston wrote: ↑31 Jan 2022, 4:37pmIt's insane. I love Hitsville.BitterTom wrote: ↑31 Jan 2022, 4:01pmAgree with Doc and Marky.Marky Dread wrote: ↑31 Jan 2022, 3:48pmAgree with Doc.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑31 Jan 2022, 3:23pmWhat a curious thing that Hitsville is tied for worst Clash song. Mediocre and poorly done, that's defensible, but outright worst?