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The Essential Clash

 
Album Review: The Essential Clash

  • Artist: The Clash
  • Rating: StarStarStarStarStar
  • Release Date: March 11, 2003
  • Type: Compilation (best of), Lyrics are included with the album
  • Genre: Rock

Review

Some would argue that if you only wanted two Clash discs in your collection, you should skip this 40-track overview and pick up The Clash and London Calling instead. No matter how transcendent those two albums are -- and they are among the very greatest popular music of the 20th century -- that overlooks the fact that the group had many, many great songs not on either album, including "Safe European Home," "Stay Free," "Bankrobber," "Rock the Casbah," "Straight to Hell," "This Is Radio Clash," and "Should I Stay or Should I Go," to begin with. That's where this 2003 compilation comes in. It fills in many of the gaps between those two records, while summarizing The Clash and London Calling well, providing a first-rate overview of the greatest punk band. It's not quite perfect, however: some great singles and B-sides fall through the cracks (notably "Gates of the West," "Jail Guitar Doors," "The Call Up," "Armagedion Time," "The Prisoner," "Protex Blue") and the Sandinista! selections feel nearly as haphazard as the album itself. Nevertheless, this does provide the best, most extensive and logical overview of the band yet assembled, and it's worthwhile not just as an introduction, but as a terrific listen. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Tracks



CD 1

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
White Riot (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (1:59)
London's Burning (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (2:10)
Complete Control (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (3:13)
Clash City Rockers [Original Version] Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (3:56)
I'm So Bored with the U.S.A. (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (2:25)
Career Opportunities (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (1:52)
Hate & War (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (2:05)
Cheat (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (2:06)
Police & Thieves (Lyrics) Junior Murvin, Lee "Scratch" Perry The Clash (6:00)
Janie Jones (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (2:05)
Garageland (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (3:13)
Capital Radio One Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (2:09)
(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (4:01)
English Civil War (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Traditional The Clash (2:36)
Tommy Gun (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (3:17)
Safe European Home (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (3:51)
Julie's Been Working for the Drug Squad (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (3:04)
Stay Free (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (3:40)
Groovy Times (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (3:30)
I Fought the Law (Lyrics) Sonny Curtis The Clash (2:39)


CD 2

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
London Calling (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (3:20)
The Guns of Brixton Paul Simonon The Clash (3:10)
Clampdown (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (3:50)
Rudie Can't Fail (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (3:29)
Lost in the Supermarket (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (3:47)
Jimmy Jazz (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (3:55)
Train in Vain (Stand by Me) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (3:11)
Bankrobber (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones The Clash (4:35)
The Magnificent Seven The Clash The Clash (5:33)
Ivan Meets G.I. Joe (Lyrics) The Clash The Clash (3:07)
Police on My Back (Lyrics) Eddy Grant The Clash (3:17)
Stop the World (Lyrics) The Clash The Clash (2:33)
Somebody Got Murdered (Lyrics) The Clash The Clash (3:34)
The Street Parade The Clash The Clash (3:29)
This Is Radio Clash (Lyrics) The Clash The Clash (4:11)
Ghetto Defendant (Lyrics) The Clash The Clash (4:44)
Rock the Casbah (Lyrics) The Clash The Clash (3:42)
Straight to Hell (Lyrics) The Clash The Clash (5:30)
Should I Stay or Should I Go (Lyrics) The Clash The Clash (3:08)
This Is England (Lyrics) Joe Strummer, Bernard Rhodes The Clash (3:50)

Credits

The Clash (Producer), Bruce Dickinson (Compilation Producer), Joe Strummer (Guitar), Joe Strummer (Vocals), Micky Foote (Producer), Mick Jones (Guitar), Mick Jones (Vocals), Sandy Pearlman (Producer), Bill Price (Producer), Nick Sheppard (Guitar), Paul Simonon (Bass), Guy Stevens (Producer), Jose Unidos (Producer), Tory Crimes (Drums), Micky Jones (Guitar), Micky Jones (Vocals), Vince White (Guitar), Vic Anesini (Mastering), Josh Cheuse (Art Direction), Josh Cheuse (Design), Paul Slattery (Photography), Kate Simon (Photography), Bob Gruen (Photography), Pennie Smith (Photography), Pennie Smith (Cover Photo), Tricia Ronane (Executive Producer), Nicky "Topper" Headon (Drums)
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Wikipedia: The Essential Clash
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The Essential Clash
Compilation album by The Clash
Released March 11, 2003 (2003-03-11) (U.S.)
April 22, 2003 (UK)
Recorded 1977-1985
Genre Punk rock
Length Disc one: 60:01
Disc two: 76:03
Label Epic E2K 89056
Producer The Clash, Micky Foote, Sandy Pearlman, Bill Price, Guy Stevens, Jose Unidos
Professional reviews
The Clash compilations and lives chronology
From Here to Eternity: Live
(1999)
The Essential Clash
(2003)
London Calling: 25th Anniversary Legacy Edition
(2004)

The Essential Clash is a career-spanning greatest hits album by The Clash first released in 2003. It is part of the on-going 'The Essential' Sony BMG compilation series. The album is dedicated to Joe Strummer, who died during compilation of this album.

The B-side recording titled "Radio Clash" was released on this album with the incorrect A-side title of "This Is Radio Clash." Both tracks have the same length and the only notable difference is in the two mixes and the lyrics. The similarities of the titles and the recordings has led to quite a bit of confusion not only by fans but by record companies as well. The same mistake had also already been made on the remastered version of the Super Black Market Clash CD. The actual A-side recording of "This Is Radio Clash" can be found on the 1991 collection The Singles.

Contents

Reception

  • Spin (6/03, p.104) - "These two discs are a pretty hot crib sheet....The first 11 cuts are a shuffle mix of highlights from the U.S. and U.K. versions of 1977's incendiary The Clash, and if they don't inspire you to punch holes in the plaster, you're too well-adjusted."
  • Uncut (5/03, p.114) - 4 stars out of 5 - "They never lost sight of Britain's strange mix of supermarket torpor and multicultural high energy."

Track listing

Disc one

  • All songs written by Joe Strummer and Mick Jones, except where noted.
  1. "White Riot" – 1:59
  2. "London's Burning" – 2:10
  3. "Complete Control" – 3:13
  4. "Clash City Rockers" (original version) – 3:56
  5. "I'm So Bored with the U.S.A." – 2:25
  6. "Career Opportunities" – 1:52
  7. "Hate & War" – 2:05
  8. "Cheat" – 2:06
  9. "Police & Thieves" (Murvin-Perry) – 6:00
  10. "Janie Jones" – 2:05
  11. "Garageland" – 3:13
  12. "Capital Radio One" – 2:09
  13. "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" – 4:01
  14. "English Civil War (song)" (traditional, arranged by Jones-Strummer) – 2:36
  15. "Tommy Gun" – 3:17
  16. "Safe European Home" – 3:51
  17. "Julie's Been Working for the Drug Squad" – 3:04
  18. "Stay Free" – 3:40
  19. "Groovy Times" – 3:30
  20. "I Fought the Law" (Curtis) – 2:39

UK version adds "1977" - 1.41 as track 2.

Disc two

  • All tracks written by The Clash, except where noted.
  1. "London Calling" (Jones-Strummer) – 3:20
  2. "The Guns of Brixton" (Paul Simonon) – 3:10
  3. "Clampdown" (Jones-Strummer) – 3:50
  4. "Rudie Can't Fail" (Jones-Strummer) – 3:29
  5. "Lost in the Supermarket" (Jones-Strummer) – 3:47
  6. "Jimmy Jazz" (Jones-Strummer) – 3:55
  7. "Train in Vain (Stand by Me)" (Jones-Strummer) – 3:11
  8. "Bankrobber" (Jones-Strummer) – 4:35
  9. "The Magnificent Seven" – 5:33
  10. "Ivan Meets G.I. Joe" – 3:07
  11. "Police On My Back" (Grant) - 3:17 (UK version replaces this track with "Broadway" - 4:56, placing it between "The Street Parade" and "This Is Radio Clash")
  12. "Stop the World" – 2:33
  13. "Somebody Got Murdered" – 3:34
  14. "The Street Parade" – 3:29
  15. "This Is Radio Clash" (The recording included here is actually the B-side "Radio Clash", not the A-side) – 4:11
  16. "Ghetto Defendant" – 4:44
  17. "Rock the Casbah" – 3:42
  18. "Straight to Hell" – 5:30
  19. "Should I Stay or Should I Go" – 3:08
  20. "This Is England" (Rhodes-Strummer) – 3:50

DVD

Track listing

  1. Clash On Broadway Trailer including "London Calling" and "Radio Clash"
  2. "White Riot"
  3. "Complete Control"
  4. "Tommy Gun"
  5. "Clampdown"
  6. "Train In Vain"
  7. "London Calling"
  8. "Bankrobber"
  9. "The Call Up"
  10. "Rock The Casbah"
  11. "Should I Stay Or Should I Go? (Live)"
  12. "Career Opportunities (Live)"

Special features

  • Hell W10 - written and directed by Joe Strummer. Filmed in the summer of 1983 and filmed in black and white.
  • Promo Footage (1976) - including "1977", "White Riot" and "London's Burning"
  • Discography
  • "I Fought The Law" (Live, from the film Rude Boy)
  • Interview clip (London Weekend Show 1976)

Credits

  • All videos directed by Don Letts except "Tommy Gun" directed by Keef & Co and "White Riot" directed by Lindsey Clinell.
  • Hell W10 soundtrack features excerpts from; "Version City", "Rudie Can't Fail", "First Night Back In London (Instrumental)", "Know Your Rights (Instrumental)", "Long Time Jerk (Instrumental)", "Cool Confusion (Instrumental)", "Ghetto Defendant (Instrumental)", "Junco Version (Instrumental)", "Atom Tam (Instrumental)", "Silicone On Sapphire", "Wrong 'Em Boyo", "Overpowered By Funk (Instrumental)", "The Call Up", "Red Angel Dragnet (Instrumental)", "Jimmy Jazz", "Mensforth Hill", "Junkie Slip", "Time Is Tight", "Armagideon Time", "Listen", "The Equaliser", "Police On My Back", "One More Dub", "Rock The Casbah (Instrumental)".[1]

References

  1. ^ The Essential Clash DVD Sleeve: Clash soundtrack produced from the clash archives for 2003 DVD release of Hell 10

 
 
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