The Clash – Spanish Bombs (1979)

It’s been an exhausting week or so at work with a couple of speeches, a number of interviews, a pair of unexpected crises and the odd IT glitch. Not only that, but there’s been no football to watch for five of the last seven evenings – I’ve had to remember what else I used to get up to before Euro 2020 (sic) dominated the schedule.

Anyhow, we’re a couple of hours away from the first semi-final which sees Italy taking on Spain. I’m playing a number of different strategies with my various fantasy football teams with a couple banking on the Italians and others banking on Spain. My best performing team is currently running 2nd (one point off the lead) in the Fantasy iTeam app and that one is using a more balanced strategy – as such, I’m feeling pretty neutral about the result this evening!

I couldn’t think of a great song featuring a word associated with Italy in the title so I’ve had no choice but to post The Clash‘s magnificent “Spanish Bombs” from the epoch defining London Calling album. Depending on the result tonight, I might regret not posting Mink DeVille‘s classic “Spanish Stroll” but perhaps I will keep that back for another occasion (another victory by Rafa Nadal perhaps?)

I’ve already posted three other tracks from London Calling – check here for “Death or Glory”, here for “The Guns of Brixton” and here for the perfect “Train In Vain” – what an LP!

A simply perfect record. The LP version first and then a great live take from 1980.

Come on Spain, err, and Italy!

Play loud.

Sheila Hylton – Bed’s Too Big Without You (1980)

I’ve always had a soft spot for The Police. Check here for the outstanding “So Lonely” from their debut LP Outlandos D’Amour released in 1978.

There were a number of punk and new wave bands around this time who were either playing reggae cover versions or writing their own reggae tunes.

Examples of the former were The Clash‘s outstanding reading of Junior Murvin‘s “Police and Thieves” and Stiff Little Fingers‘ terrific cover version of Bob Marley & The Wailers‘ superb “Johnny Was”.

Examples of the latter were The Ruts‘ booming “Jah War” (previously posted here) and The Clash’s very own “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” which was previously posted here and which features the immortal couplet:

If Adolf Hitler flew in today

They’d send a limousine anyway

The fusion of punk and reggae was a heady mix and I had always assumed that the influence flowed in one direction.

However, this was not always the case as Sheila Hylton demonstrates on her outstanding cover version of The Police’s “The Bed’s Too Big Without You” which originally appeared on their excellent second LP Reggatta De Blanc released in 1979.

It’s another single that I have on both 7″ and 12″ vinyl …. You simply can’t go wrong when Sly & Robbie do the arrangement and supply the bass and drums!

Anyhow, turn the bass up and enjoy the 12″ version, a mimed appearance on Top of the Pops, a nice live take from Sunsplash in 1981 and then the 7″ version for completeness.

Perfect pop music.

Killing Joke – The Wait (1980)

I can remember buying Killing Joke‘s eponymous debut LP in the autumn of 1980 at a record shop in Central District in Hong Kong. Was it Universal Records? It was a place that sold lots of stuff on Polydor. And, what was the building?

I’d spent a few weeks in the summer of the same year in the UK listening to John Peel every night and buying copious quantities of vinyl by Joy Division, Theatre of Hate, The Fall, Mekons and, err, The Notsensibles.

With these purchases, I found myself belonging to a small band of folk in Hong Kong who were really into the very obscure “independent” music scene of the time – not to say that I didn’t love Chic, Sister Sledge, Two Tone, The Jam, etc simultaneously!

Anyhow, “The Wait” by Killing Joke turned into a surprise “crossover” hit at the back of our schoolbus later that year.

No doubt due to the tastes of the person owning the sound system, AC/DC were on almost constant rotation with the odd nod to the Sex Pistols, The Clash, Iron Maiden, etc.

However, my request that my home recording of the Killing Joke LP should be given an airing was granted and, in due course, “The Wait” was identified by “all on the bus who mattered” as a “metal” classic. (Intriguingly, I’ve only recently learnt that Metallica, themselves, covered the “tune” on their 1987 Garage Days EP – I’ve never rated them by the way!)

No matter, the Metallica version is a pale shadow of the original which features an admirably relentless guitar riff over pounding drums and bass with the keyboard throwing in its best Cabaert Voltaire inspired moves …

The LP verison and then the original demo.

Just Play Loud.

Billy Fury – Wondrous Place (1960)

I’ve always struggled with the notion of a “credible” English rock’n’roll star from the golden era when Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Gene Vincent, Little Richard, etc, were doing their thing.

And someone from Liverpool christened Ronald Wycherley doesn’t begin with the most promising moniker. The fact that under the “Personal Life” section of his Wikipedia entry, the first thing we learn about the rebranded Billy Fury is that “he was a keen birdwatcher” further undermines one’s confidence in what he’s likely to sound like.

However, great songs by British rock’n’rollers do exist – check here for a previous post featuring Vince Taylor and the Playboys‘ outstanding “Brand New Cadillac” which was subsequently covered by The Clash. By the way, for those who enjoy “fun facts”, Vince was originally christened Brian Holden and was apparently the main inspiration for David Bowie‘s Ziggy Stardust character. Who knew that?

Another great British rock’n’roll song was “Shakin’ All Over” by Johnny Kidd and the Pirates which might get an airing on this blog at some point – Mr Kidd was originally christened Frederick Albert Heath …..

Anyhow, “Wondrous Place” is a lovely record and has turned up in the odd advert over the years. Apparently, it was originally recorded by the American singer Jimmy Jones (originally christened James Jones) but that version failed to dent the charts. In more recent years, the tune has been covered by Last Shadow Puppets and Jason Donovan (separately, I must emphasise, not as an implausible collaboration).

I have to say that “Wonderful Plaice” would be a great name for a fish and chip shop if anyone is thinking of opening one (see what I’ve done there?) If you do use it, please feel free to pass the idea off as your own, I’m not litigious.

Perfect pop music!

Danny Ray – Revolution Rock (1976)

On the 18th anniversary of Joe Strummer‘s untimely death, I decided to break away from the “walking” genre that has underpinned my last few posts.

However, I decided that I wouldn’t post something by The Clash themselves and instead post the original version of a tune that the band covered on their outstanding 1979 LP, London Calling.

Danny Ray‘s “Revolution Rock” joins several other songs on this blog that were subsequently covered by The Clash. Check here for “Pressure Drop” by The Maytals, here for “Police on my Back” by The Equals, and here for “Brand New Cadillac” by Vince Taylor and His Playboys.

For the Strummer aficionados among you, check out a few old posts from the blog: here for “Janie Jones”, here for “White Man in Hammersmith Palais”, here for “Death or Glory”, here for “The Guns of Brixton”, here for “Train in Vain, and here for Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros outstanding “Coma Girl”!

Whether it is their originals or their cover versions, The Clash were quite a band.

Thank you Mr Strummer.

Ramones – I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend (1976)

After the aberration of last night when Elon Musk‘s intoxicating visions of space travel momentarily (well for about 15 minutes, to be fair) lulled me into some sort of Elton John coma, I’m getting this blog back on track this evening.

Ramones were simply one of the greatest bands of all time and their first three LPs are right up there with my favourites of all time.

Their eponymous debut LP of 1976 was a concise affair but set the blueprint for much of what followed in the brief halcyon period of punk in both the UK and the USA.

I could have posted pretty much any track from the LP but I’m feeling a tad reflective tonight and this always hits that spot.

All four members of the band who played on this track are now dead. Only drummer Tommy made it into his 60s.

But what a legacy.

And what perfect lyrics:

Hey, little girl, I want to be your boyfriend
Sweet little girl, I want to be your boyfriend
Do you love me, babe?
What do you say?
Do you love me, babe?
What can I say?
Because I want to be your boyfriend

Music never really got better than this.

 

Ruts – Babylon’s Burning (1979)

Ruts were one of the great punk bands.

I’ve previously posted their all time classic track “Jah War” here: a great example of the many wonderful punk/reggae crossovers of the late 70s that The Clash, Stiff Little Fingers, The Specials, etc, were engaging in.

I’m posting “Babylon’s Burning” tonight because my family have received remarkable news, in recent days, that one of my cousins is finally returning to the UK after three decades, incommunicado, in the African bush.

His work as an explorer, visionary and missionary will, in future years, become noted for the depth, insight, generosity and impact of his interactions with a range of communities.

It’s great to have him back.

He asked me to post something inappropriate by the Dead Kennedys but, I’m afraid, he’s going to have to put up with this,

You’re not in Kinshasa now buddy. And the UK is in lockdown.

The late great Malcolm Owen at the height of his powers!

 

The Maytals – Pressure Drop (1969)

Another absolute classic song that was subsequently covered by The Clash (as the B-Side to “English Civil War” released in 1979 in this case). This brings to the end, for the moment, my run of posts referencing songs covered by The Clash ….

“Pressure Drop” was released in 1969 by The Maytals (before they became Toots and the Maytals) and it is a stone cold rocksteady classic that memorably appeared in the wonderful film The Harder They Come.

Occasionally, I check in on Wikipedia to see whether they can add further background to the songs I’ve chosen to post on this blog. For this one, they’ve done themselves surreally proud.

To start with, there is an admirably scientific dissection of what the song might be about:

“Pressure Drop” refers to the barometric pressure. This song predates modern weather forecasting, and at that time in the context of this song, island populations relied on the simple but reliable instrument (barometer) to predict adverse weather. The liquid barometer displays pressure as a measure of the fluid in a glass tube, and when the air pressure drops the fluid level “drops” accordingly. A rapid drop in air pressure indicates the severity of the approaching storm (hurricane), and is sometimes referred to as “the bottom dropping out”. Attention to pressure changes could spell the difference between life and death for an island dweller. “Pressure drop” is used as a clever poetic device in this song, and is the artist’s way of saying, “A storm is coming for you.”

This is possibly one of the finest pieces of music criticism I have read in the last 20 years. The observation that “this song predates modern weather forecasting …” being the sort of insight that Lester Bangs, Nick Kent, Paul Morley, etc, could only dream of.

Fortunately, they also quote “Toots” himself who observes more usefully:

It’s a song about revenge, but in the form of karma: If you do bad things to innocent people, then bad things will happen to you. The title was a phrase I used to say. If someone done me wrong, rather than fight them like a warrior, I’d say: ‘The pressure’s going to drop on you.'”

Either way, it’s a brilliant record!

 

The Equals – Police On My Back (1967)

Okay, so the beezer Christmas idea of posting a few original versions of songs subsequently covered by The Clash continues.

After the rock solid genius of Vince Taylor’s original version of “Brand New Cadillac” (here), how about trying this for size?

The Clash’s cover version of “Police On My Back” was one of the stronger songs off the triple (gulp) LP, Sandinista, released in December 1980.

I don’t know any band that can productively occupy 144 minutes of your time on a single release and The Clash, to no one’s surprise, also failed to deliver consistently on this bloated piece of self indulgence.

One of the biggest downsides from the invention of the CD was to make bands believe that they now had to fill 79 minutes of air time as opposed to the 40 minutes or so you had to play with when releasing a vinyl LP.

The 33 and a third long player, itself, set expectations about how much music a band needed to deliver to give “value for money” but I would wager a “considerable sum” that there are very few albums, whether on LP or CD, that “leave you wanting more”.

The conclusion? All bands should feel comfortable releasing as much music of whatever duration they think is consistent  with the quality they aspire to. Don’t be guided by the format!

Anyway, this is a stunning record. Released in 1967, The Equals know how to use a little under 3 minutes to maximum effect! Written and sung by the wonderful Eddy Grant who obviously went on to a much higher profile musical career a decade or so later!

Vince Taylor and His Playboys – Brand New Cadillac (1959)

Having commemorated yesterday’s 17th anniversary of Joe Strummer’s passing by posting his wonderful posthumous single, “Coma Girl”, I’ve hit upon a beezer idea for the Christmas holidays ….. why not post the original versions of all the songs that The Clash covered (that warrant inclusion on thebestmusicofalltime of course)? What could possibly go wrong?

“Brand New Cadillac” appeared on The Clash’s epoch defining London Calling double LP in 1979 but the song was originally released 20 years earlier by the English rock and roll singer, Vince Taylor (and His Playboys, of course!) It was actually the B-side of the single with the lead track being “Pledgin’ My Love”.

Joe Moretti plays a storming guitar part over a driving bass and drums on a stone cold rock’n’roll classic – Moretti later played on the superb “Shakin’ All Over” by Johnny Kidd and the Pirates.

The Vince Taylor original is a little bit faster than The Clash’s cover version; the latter only beats the original in any dimension by having Strummer shouting “Drive, Drive” over the first few bars.

Perfect pop music!