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Rating: I feel like such a partisan when talking to you about the Clash that—as I've done so far—I should refrain from any comment. The Clash were my uncles, my adolescent discomfort when others listened to Led Zeppelin while I went around with my "Sandinista" shirt and elected Joe Strummer as my personal idol. But I wasn't the only one. England in '77 was swallowed without appeal by the epochal impact of this debut. "The Clash," or when the Clash still pretended not to know how to play. "The Clash," or what was defined by many British magazines at the time as the greatest rock debut ever. It's pointless to be so exaggerated, but if someone ventured such hyperbolic statements, there must have been a reason.
Legend has it that the singer of the pub-rock band 101’ers, Joe Strummer, decided to pack up on the eve of his group's first single, after listening disconcertedly to one of the early Sex Pistols concerts. Son of an ambassador and raised in a high bourgeois environment, Strummer joined in the first months of 1976 the London SS, a group led by guitarist Mick Jones, a working-class boy from Brixton, passionate about a hard-rock indebted to old glories like the Faces and Mott The Hoople. They combined their exceptional compositional skills, naming the new project "The Clash," "noise," aiming for a hard, compact sound, guided by anger but also by the taste for songwriting. They began writing lyrics reflecting the ills of the society of the time, their own, shouting out values and ideals of militancy and the fight for social rights; Strummer and Jones, created as formidable Lennon/McCartney of punk, something new, something that certainly related to the nascent movement (so much that they immediately became a real flag), but also had in itself a strong call to the oldest roots of rock, the purest and uncompromising. It was rock & roll stripped to the bone, as that of the Jam in the same years was a beat-mod stripped to the extreme consequences. It brought back to the raw state, the raw material, the roots of pop history, to graft onto them their own new, magnificent creations. Ours were the first to graft political messages, moreover as sharp as they were brilliant and intelligent, onto the canvas of British punk.
These little shards of a maximum of three minutes became epic manifests of a new, almost lucid, struggle against the system, considered not as something undefined (an instinctive protest against authorities, from parents to politicians, etc.) but as something nameable and identifiable, problems that were as real as unemployment and racism appearing raw, burning without filigree, without delicate words. The guitar becomes the real weapon to use, music an instrument of commitment, not just a means to shock, show off, or make money. In the midst immortal riffs like that of the first single "White Riot" (complete with police siren and broken glass in the subsequent American version), "Career Opportunities," the cruel and sarcastic "London's Burning" (in the future it will move to a more relaxed "London Calling," perhaps a sign of the times), the captivating rockabilly of "Remote Control," up to the brave earful aimed at the Yankees with "I'm So Bored With The U.S.A." Many chocolates for young revolutionaries, but the palm of the unexpected masterpiece certainly belongs to those six experimental minutes of "Police & Thieves," which by the turn of the millennium was elected by some as one of the ten best songs of the century. It's (perhaps) another exaggeration, but this does not detract from the stunning beauty of this simple, passionate track: the Clash amaze us by extracting their unprecedented reggae feature with the cover of Junior Murvin, a novelty that will set a trend in the pubs of English suburbs, naturally combining the homage to a musical genre until then rather neglected with a declaration of intent, to be a band that dares more than their contemporaries, and that will consume its brief artistic journey in the effort to go beyond, to expand its horizons, ending up not being a punk group, or a rock group anymore, but simply the "Clash," eventually being defined two years later with the epithet "the only band that matters."
It is worth noting that this record was released in two versions, the original English one from 1977 with fourteen tracks and the fifteen-track version from 1979 for entry into the still virgin American market. It's an important distinction because the two copies share only six tracks, the remaining tracks are different while in both cases excellent and with the stature of a classic. And it's difficult, almost a game, to decide if one of the two collections is better than the other. Among the wonders of the English record, we have the ironic "Cheat" (with small electronic special effects!), "Protex Blue" sung by an inspired Mick Jones, and the classic singalong of "48 hours." In the American version, historical singles like "Clash City Rockers" (and down to write it on the backpack, on desks, with the penknife...), "White Man In Hammersmith Palais" (perfect symbiosis of reggae and pub-rock), the cover of "I Fought The Law" and the famous "Complete Control," a reaction to the improper management by the manager Bernard Rhodes of the previous single "Remote Control," angry, almost Bolan-like for catchiness but much more rustic, "proletarian." This will also be the first song where the historic drummer Topper Headon makes his appearance, after the departure of temporary Terry Chimes. The Clash, finally with a complete and matured line-up, will know how to put on their gloves, and a few months later at the arrival in the States of this Trojan horse coupled with the subsequent triumphant "Pearl Harbor '79" tour, the surprises will culminate with the birth, right among those distant lands, of the magnificent "London Calling." And after, nothing will ever be the same again, Clash included.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Clash City Rockers (03:49)
And I wanna move the town to the Clash City Rockers
You need a little jump of electrical shockers
You better leave town if you only wanna knock us
Nothing stands the pressure of the Clash City Rockers
You see the rate they come down the escalator
Now listen to the tube train accelerator
Then you realise that you got to have a purpose
Or this place is gonna knock you out sooner or later
So don't complain about your useless employment
Jack it in forever tonight
Or shut your mouth and pretend you enjoy it
Think of all the money you've got
And I wanna liquefy everybody gone dry
Or plug into the aerials that poke up in the sky
Or burn down the suburbs with the half-closed eyes
You won't succeed unless you try
So don't complain about your useless employment
Jack it in forever tonight
Or shut your mouth (shut it) and pretend you enjoy it
Think of all the money you've got, yeah yeah
Yes, I wanna move the town to the Clash City Rockers
You need a little jump of electrical shockers
You better leave town if you only wanna knock us
Nothing stands the pressure of the Clash City Rockers
You owe me a move say the bells of St. Groove
Come on and show me say the bells of old Bowie
When I am fitter say the bells of Gary Glitter
No one but you and I say the bells of Prince Far-I
No one but you and I say the bells of Prince Far-I
And I wanna move the town to the Clash City Rockers
You need a little jump of electrical shockers
You better leave town if you only wanna knock us
Nothing stands the pressure of the Clash City Rockers
Rock rock, Clash City Rockers
Rock rock, Clash City Rockers
Rock rock, Clash City Rockers
Rock rock, Clash City Rockers
Rock rock, Clash City Rockers
Rock rock, Clash City Rockers
Rock rock, Clash City Rockers
Rock rock, Clash City Rockers
Rock rock, Clash City Rockers
02 I'm So Bored With the U.S.A. (02:25)
Yankee soldier
He wanna shoot some skag
He met it in Cambodia
But now he can't afford a bag
Yankee dollar talk
To the dictators of the world
In fact it's giving orders
An' they can't afford to miss a word
I'm so bored with the U.S.A.
But what can I do?
Yankee detectives
Are always on the TV
'Cos killers in America
Work seven days a week
Never mind the stars and stripes
Let's print the Watergate tapes
I'll salute the new wave
And I hope nobody escapes
I'm so bored with the U.S.A.
But what can I do?
Move up Starsky
For the C.I.A.
Suck on Kojak
For the U.S.A.
03 Remote Control (03:02)
Who needs remote control
From the Civic Hall
Push a button
Activate
You gotta work an' you're late
It's so grey in London town
With a panda car crawling around
Here it comes
Eleven o'clock
Where can we go now?
Can't make a noise
Can't get no gear
Can't make no money
Can't get outta here
Big business it don't like you
It don't like the things you do
You got no money
So you got no power
They think you're useless
An' so you are - puuuuuuunnnnnk!
They had a meeting in Mayfair
They got you down an'
They wanna keep you there
It makes them worried
Their bank accounts
That's all that matters
And you don't count
Can't make no progress
Can't get ahead
Can't stop the regress
Don't wanna be dead
Look out' those rules and regulations
Who needs the Parliament
Sitting making laws all day
They're all fat and old
Queuing for the House of Lords
Repression - gonna start on Tuesday
Repression - gonna be a Dalek
Repression - I am a robot
Repression - I obey
05 White Riot (02:00)
White riot (I wanna riot)
White riot (a riot of my own)
White riot (I wanna riot)
White riot (a riot of my own)
Black man gotta lot a problems
But they don't mind throwing a brick
White people go to school
Where they teach you how to be thick
An' everybody's doing
Just what they're told to
An' nobody wants
To go to jail!
All the power's in the hands
Of people rich enough to buy it
While we walk the street
Too chicken to even try it
Everybody's doing
Just what they're told to
Nobody wants
To go to jail!
Are you taking over
or are you taking orders?
Are you going backwards
Or are you going forwards?
08 I Fought the Law (02:41)
Breaking rocks in the hot sun
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
I needed money 'cause I had none
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
I killed my baby and it feels so bad
I guess my race is run
She's the best girl that I ever had
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the
Robbing people with a six-gun
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
I lost my gun and I lost my fun
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
I left my baby and it feels so bad
I guess my race is run
She's the best girl that I ever had
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the
09 Janie Jones (02:07)
He's in love with rock'n'roll woaahh
He's in love with gettin' stoned woaahh
He's in love with Janie Jones
But he don't like his boring job, no...
He's in love with rock'n'roll woaahh
He's in love with gettin' stoned woaahh
He's in love with Janie Jones
But he don't like his boring job, no...
An' he knows what he's got to do
So he knows he's gonna have fun with you
You lucky lady!
An' he knows when the evening comes
When his job is done he'll be over in his car for you
He's in love with rock'n'roll woaahh
He's in love with gettin' stoned woaahh
He's in love with Janie Jones
But he don't like his boring job, no...
An' in the in-tray lots of work
But the boss at the firm always thinks he shirks
But he's just like everyone, he's got a Ford Cortina
That just won't run without fuel
Fill her up, Jacko!
He's in love with rock'n'roll woaahh
He's in love with gettin' stoned woaahh
He's in love with Janie Jones
But he don't like his boring job, no...
An' the invoice it don't quite fit,
There's no payola in his alphabetical file
This time he's gonna really tell the boss
Gonna really let him know exactly how he feels
It's pretty bad!
He's in love with rock'n'roll woaahh
He's in love with gettin' stoned woaahh
He's in love with Janie Jones
But he don't like his boring job, no...
No
No
No
Let them know
Let them know
Let them know - how you feel
10 Career Opportunities (01:53)
The offered me the office, offered me the shop
They said I'd better take anything they got
Do you wanna make tea at the BBC?
Do you wanna be, do you really wanna be a cop?
Career opportunities are the ones that never knock
Every job they offer you is to keep you out the dock
Career opportunity, the ones that never knock
I hate the army and I hate the R.A.F.
I don't wanna go fighting in the tropical heat
I hate the civil service rules
And I won't open letter bombs for you
Career opportunities are the ones that never knock
Every job they offer you is to keep you out the dock
Career opportunity, the ones that never knock
Oi
Bus driver, ambulance man, ticket inspector
They're gonna have to introduce conscription
They're gonna have to take away my prescription
If they wanna get me making toys
If they wanna get me, well, I got no choice
Career opportunities are the ones that never knock
Every job they offer you is to keep you out the dock
Career opportunity, the ones that never knock
Careers, careers, careers
Ain't never gonna knock
11 What's My Name (01:41)
What the hell is wrong with me? I'm not who I want to be
I tired spot cream an' I tried it all I'm crawling up the wall!
What's my name naaaame...naaaame....naaaame....
I tried to join a ping-pong club, sign on the door said all full up!
I got nicked, fighting in the road an' the judge didn't even know
What's my name
Dad go pissed so I got clocked
Couldn't hear the Tannoy so he lost the lot
Offers Mum a bribe through the letter box
Drives you fucking mad
What's my name
Now I'm round the back of your house at night
Peeping in the window - are you sleeping tight?
I laugh at your locks with my celloid strip
An' you won't know who came
What's my name
13 Police & Thieves (06:01)
Police and thieves in the street
Oh yeah!
Scaring the nation with their guns and ammunition
Police and thieves in the street
Oh yeah!
Fighting the nation with their guns and ammunition
From genesis to revelation
The next generation will be hear me
From genesis to revelation
The next generation will be hear me
And all the crowd comes in day by day
No one stop it in anyway
And all the peacemaker turn war officer
Hear what I say
Vocal ad lib
Police, police, police and thieves oh yeah
Police, police, police and thieves oh yeah
From genesis oh yeah
Police, police, police and thieves oh yeah
Scaring, fighting the nation
Shooting, shooting their guns and ammunition
Police, police, police and thieves oh yeah
Police, police, police and thieves oh yeah
Here come, here come, here come
The station is bombed
Get out get out get out you people
If you dont wanna get blown up
14 Jail Guitar Doors (03:05)
Let me tell you 'bout Wayne and his deals of
cocaine
A little more every day
Holding for a friend till the band do well
Then the D.E.A. locked him away
Clang clang, go the jail guitar doors
Bang bang, go the boots on the floor
Cry cry, for your lonely mother's son
Clang clang, go the jail guitar doors
An' I'll tell you 'bout Pete, didn't want no fame
Gave all his money away
"Well there's something wrong, it'll be good for you, son"
And so they certified him insane
And then there's Keith, waiting for trial
Twenty-five thousand bail
If he goes down you won't hear his sound
But his friends carry on anyway
Fuck 'em!
Jail guitar doors
54/46 was my number
Jail guitar doors
Right now someone else has that number
15 Garageland (03:12)
Back in the garage with my bullshit detector
Carbon monoxide making sure it's effective
People ringing up making offers for my life
But I just wanna stay in the garage all night
We're a garage band
We come from Garageland
Meanwhile things are hotting up in the West End alright
Contracts in the offices, groups in the night
My bummin' slummin' friends have all got new boots
An' someone just asked me if the Group would wear suits
I don't wanna hear about what the rich are doing
I don't wanna go to where the rich are going
They think they're so clever, they think they're so right
But the truth is only known by guttersnipes
There's twenty-two singers! But one microphone
Back in the garage there's five guitar players
But one guitar, back in the garage
Complaints! Complaints! Wot an old bag
Back in the garage ...all night
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Other reviews
By joe strummer
This record is too well crafted to aspire to be the ultimate representative of punk.
"White Riot" is a song, how to say... revolutionary! It's a surge of electricity.
By poison.mind
"'Clash City Rockers' is the first song to take the stage, which will then become one of the most memorable anthems of punk."
"'The Clash', the first CD of the English band, undoubtedly is part of the beginning of punk music history!"
