Live, 1982: One of my favorite songs on Sandinista!, “Charlie Don’t Surf” appears to have been inspired by a line of dialogue from Apocalypse Now. I am a sucker for false endings, and “Charlie Don’t Surf” has one with about … Continue reading
Fan video: In some ways, “Washington Bullets” is the title track of Sandinista!. Joe Strummer let’s loose politically in the lyrics on the United State’s history of providing weapons to various resistance movements – though he also takes on the … Continue reading
Official Version is embedding disabled. Album cover video: “The Call Up” is one of The Clash’s best loved songs from Sandinista!. Well, maybe not with the general public, but Clash fans dig “The Call Up”. The song is an anti-war … Continue reading
Courtesy of iMeem: The Equaliser – The Clash I may be wrong, but I’ve also believed “The Equaliser” was an example of dub reggae. Reading Wikipedia’s description, I still think it might be, but I’m not quite as confident. This … Continue reading
Video with lyrics: The Equals (featuring Eddy Grant) original: Before he was a solo artist of some note, Eddy Grant was the leader of the rock band, The Equals. He’s had a long and distinguished career as a songwriter, musician, … Continue reading
Fan video: Rocking Live in ’83: “The Sound of Sinners” is an absolute gem of a gospel number. Live, they turned it into a sort of rock-a-billy number. Tim Curry is featured at the end of the studio version doing … Continue reading
Fan video: Up In Heaven (Not Only Here)” sounds a rather lot like “Police on my Back.” I mean, they’re pretty different songs, but there’s something about the two tracks that is pretty similar. The Clash revisit the idea of … Continue reading
Live in France: “Lightning Strikes (Not Once But Twice)” is another old school rap influenced song on Sandinista!. Though not as effective as “The Magnificent Seven,” this song is still a pretty decent attempt at a rap song. Strummer’s singing … Continue reading
Anime fan video: “Somebody Got Murdered” is an absolute classic as far as I’m concerned. I don’t know that it got a whole lot of U.S. radio play outside the college circuit, but in my opinion its as strong a … Continue reading
The Maoists combine The Clash song with Revolutionary Ballet clips: “Rebel Waltz” is, in fact, a Waltz. It joins Camper Van Beethoven’s “Sad Lover’s Waltz” and “Velvet Waltz” by Built to Spill on my very short list of songs that … Continue reading