Famously
dubbed as “the only band that matters” by Columbia Records, the Clash were arguably
the most accomplished group rising from the British punk rock movement of the
late 1970s. While the music in their first two records, The Clash and Give ‘Em Enough
Rope, was fierce, loud and straightforward, it already hinted at an
eclecticism that would bloom in their third effort, London Calling. Despite being a sprawling double album and a true
melting pot of musical styles, London
Calling is remarkably cohesive and focused. It is therefore quite a task to
highlight only a few songs from this record, given the superlative quality of
the material at hand. The record begins with the anthem “London Calling”, where
the apocalyptic lyrics of a devastated London are well accompanied by a rhythm
section reminiscent of reggae and a guitar line owing to punk aesthetics. In
“Spanish Bombs” and “The Right Profile”, the band pays tribute to poets who
fought in the Spanish civil war and to ill-fated actor Montgomery Clift,
respectively. “Clampdown” constitutes a merciless critique of young idealists
who end up “working for the clampdown”, while “The Guns of Brixton” is an
autobiographical song by bassist Paul Simonon about his troubled home district
in London. Moreover, “Death or Glory” embodies another rant against the
establishment, and “I’m Not Down” deals with persistence in the face of
adversity. For your listening pleasure, here is the closer “Train in Vain”, a
fine and only love song in London Calling:
