I never really though about it, but really Joe did write most of everything, didn't he? Haven't read the books, but what was the division of labor, generally? Did they write together?
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 20:47 (ten years ago) link
I like this story re: Rock the Casbah:
Digby Cleaver (Mick Jones' guitar technician): "I just remember [Topper Headon] sitting at the piano and playing that riff. [...] He put bass and drums on it, and it sounded brilliant. He did the whole thing himself. He presented it to Joe with this soppy set of lyrics abou how much he missed his girlfriend. Joe just took one look at these words and said 'How incredibly interesting!', screwed the piece of paper into a ball and chucked it backwards over his head. Topper's face! Joe said 'Look, I write the bloody words. I've got a set of lyrics that will fit this already.' And that was what became 'Rock The Casbah'."
― Gukbe, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 20:49 (ten years ago) link
lol poor Top
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 16 July 2013 20:50 (ten years ago) link
27. Stay Free - 299 pts - 17 votes - 1 #1
http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/8114/d4eq.jpg
― Gukbe, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 20:50 (ten years ago) link
Haha
But to Joe's credit, he'd had a pretty good track record of replacing the original writer's intent with his own ("Mick said, 'It's called "I'm So Bored With You"! It's about my girlfriend!' I said, 'Never mind all that!'")
xp
― Esperanto, why don't you come to your senses? (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Tuesday, 16 July 2013 20:53 (ten years ago) link
Stay Free was the first song I ever played with my first real band. That my first real band would go on to invent emo is probably not a coincidence.
― Three Word Username, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:00 (ten years ago) link
I tried to get my band back in the day to cover it, but the bass player couldn't handle it.
― Gukbe, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:01 (ten years ago) link
Also GIS suggests the lyrics are a favourite among tattoo enthusiasts and graffiti artists.
― Gukbe, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:02 (ten years ago) link
I almost always wrote my own basslines to Clash stuff, being unable to hack Simonon's parts -- but this one fell right under my baby fingers for some reason.
― Three Word Username, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:03 (ten years ago) link
I love Joe's antiromantic tyranny, imagine what a bunch of sops they'd be without him rampaging over their broken hearts, lol
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:05 (ten years ago) link
26. Know Your Rights - 310 pts - 19 votes
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/6168/x58v.jpg
― Gukbe, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:05 (ten years ago) link
"It's called 'Lovely Call Me' about a girl I broke up with and I want her to call me""RAGH. Sod that. London Calling."
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:06 (ten years ago) link
xpost nooooooooooo too low
THIS IS A PUBLICSERVICEANNOUNCEMENT
WITH
GUITAAARS
"Stay Free" quoted on The Wire:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPScohqtbyo
― Pete Scholtes, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:07 (ten years ago) link
ha. never noticed that.
― Gukbe, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:09 (ten years ago) link
"Stay Free" is the first one that makes me really wanna yell TOO LOW. My favorite Mick vocal.
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:11 (ten years ago) link
I didn't vote for "Know Your Rights" but two things: One of my favorite Youtube sights is seeing Paul play bass on it; and it's the only Clash song I've ever seen a high-school student of mine (Mexican American sophomore) get excited about.
― Pete Scholtes, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:18 (ten years ago) link
I cited Know Your Rights in a law school exam once. The class was called Law In Society and when I got into the exam there was an essay question about depictions of law in popular culture. We hadn't studied that in the class at all but I thought 'fuck it, I'm doing that one', and Know Your Rights was one of the things I wrote about.
I had never heard Know Your Rights at the time, I just knew the title.
― Ismael Klata, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:18 (ten years ago) link
Really not an obvious cover choice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbLlQxMjmqc
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:18 (ten years ago) link
voted for "Stay Free." Jones is rather fey on it, no?
― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:19 (ten years ago) link
Jones is Guy to Strummer's Ian MacKaye.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:20 (ten years ago) link
xpost I really dig the PJ version
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:20 (ten years ago) link
25. Somebody Got Murdered - 325 pts - 24 votes
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/3830/2mxf.jpg
― Gukbe, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:23 (ten years ago) link
OH SHITESOUNDS LIKE MURDER
― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:25 (ten years ago) link
Know Your Rights was my #2. Bummed that it just missed the top 25.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:28 (ten years ago) link
Too good for the movie Scarface
― Gukbe, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:31 (ten years ago) link
24. Armagideon Time/Justice Tonight/Kick It Over - 339 pts - 17 votes - 3 #1
http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/4104/uags.jpg
― Gukbe, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:36 (ten years ago) link
woooh
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:43 (ten years ago) link
I don't know why my expectations when I started this had this in the top 5.
― Gukbe, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:46 (ten years ago) link
By "this" I mean Armagideon Time.
― Gukbe, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:47 (ten years ago) link
Oh, and this is where "The Call Up" would have placed if I had added "The Cool Out".
Gotcha. I do wish the combination policy was clear before voting, but at the same time my two votes for a few songs & dubs pushed them higher. 6 of one, half dozen of another.
― EZ Snappin, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:50 (ten years ago) link
Yeah, that's my bad.
― Gukbe, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:52 (ten years ago) link
23. Death or Glory - 356 pts - 24 votes - 1 #1
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/6165/pe2v.jpg
― Gukbe, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:57 (ten years ago) link
It's no biggie. I doubt any of the dubs would have placed on their own.
xpost
― EZ Snappin, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 21:58 (ten years ago) link
way too low
― a hand, palming an ilx face forever (Hunt3r), Tuesday, 16 July 2013 22:01 (ten years ago) link
"He who POLLS nuns later joins the church"
― Uncle Cyril O'Boogie (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 16 July 2013 22:02 (ten years ago) link
oh man i wish i had thought of that
― Gukbe, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 22:06 (ten years ago) link
22. I'm So Bored with the U.S.A. - 369 pts - 19 votes - 1 #1
http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/5508/nt7i.jpg
― Gukbe, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 22:12 (ten years ago) link
I am too, Clash. I am too.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 16 July 2013 22:14 (ten years ago) link
aren't we all.
― EZ Snappin, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 22:21 (ten years ago) link
ok, last one for today.
― Gukbe, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 22:22 (ten years ago) link
Police and Thieves - 396 pts - 23 votes - 1 #1
http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/2811/dmx8.jpg
― Gukbe, Tuesday, 16 July 2013 22:23 (ten years ago) link
what a way to go out
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 16 July 2013 22:33 (ten years ago) link
i'M
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 16 July 2013 22:34 (ten years ago) link
SO BOOOOOORED
WITH THE
U!
S! A!
I was one of the #1 votes for "Tommy Gun," I really had no idea how well regarded the song was so I'm a little disappointed it's that low
― king of steens (some dude), Tuesday, 16 July 2013 22:35 (ten years ago) link