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The Clash — Straight To Hell
Album: Combat Rock
Avg rating:
7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1966









Released: 1982
Length: 5:17
Plays (last 30 days): 2
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If you can play on fiddle, how's about a British jig and reel?
Speaking King's English in quotation, as railhead towns feel the steel mills rust
Water froze, in the generation
Clear as winter ice, this is your paradise

There ain't no need for ya, there ain't no need for ya
Go straight to hell boy, go straight to hell boy

Wanna join in a chorus, of the Amerasian blues?
When it's Christmas out in Ho Chi Minh City
Kiddie say "Papa-Papa-Papa-Papa-san, take me home?"
"See me got photo-photo-photograph of you and Mamma-Mamma-Mamma-san?"
"Of you and Mamma-Mamma-Mamma-san"
Lemme tell ya about your blood, bamboo kid, it ain't Coca-Cola, it's rice

Straight to hell boy, go straight hell boy
Go straight hell boy, go straight hell boy

Oh Papa-san, please take me home
Oh Papa-san, everybody they wanna go home
So Mamma-san says

You wanna play mind-crazed banjo, on the druggy-drag Ragtime U.S.A.?
In Parkland International Hah! Junkiedom U.S.A.?
Where procaine proves the purest rock man groove and rat poison
The volatile Molatov says "Pssst, Hey chico we got a message for ya, see, vamos vamos muchacho"
From Alphabet City, all the way A to Zed, dead, head

Go straight to hell boy, go straight to hell boy

Straight to hell

Oh Papa-san, please take me home
There ain't no need for ya, there ain't need for ya
Go straight to hell boy, go straight to hell boy

Can you cough it up, loud and strong
The immigrants, they wanna sing all night long
It could be anywhere, most likely could be any frontier, any hemisphere, in no man's land
There ain't no asylum here, King Solomon he never lived round here

Straight to hell boy, go straight to hell boy
Go straight to hell boy, go straight to hell boy

Oh Papa-san, please take me home
Oh Papa-san, everybody they wanna go home now
Rickshaw rides, ten mile a penny, ten mile a penny, do you want?
Comments (287)add comment
Is it wrong that I really wanted this to be MIA?
Posted 3 months ago by Larrygrrl    [ Reply ]
I bypassed Punk. because most was crap. So I never heard this until this year.
9 in my book.
Posted 4 months ago by owchita    [ Reply ]
HEART RENDNG. iF YOU HAVE A HEART.
and very poignant in Trump's America.
Posted 4 months ago by okskyhi    [ Reply ]
Mediocre song.
Posted 5 months ago by nicknt    [ Reply ]
 coloradojohn wrote:
 War? Politics? Nah... Music, Women, and Emotions are the real True Mysteries in Life.
 
For the record, I'm a laydee (I've had independent checks done an' everything) and I'd have been impressed as all hell if someone had played this to me in their car.  But then, I've been told that I'm not 'normal'. Whatever that is...
Posted 5 months ago by SpinyNorma    [ Reply ]
 ziggytrix wrote:
Go straight to Hellboy? Perlman or Harbour?
 

Perlman, but have gained respect for Mr. Harbour's talent. Just wish he'd get some better roles- looking forward to Black Widow...
Posted 5 months ago by derhey9416    [ Reply ]
 blue-ice wrote:
Seems a good splif would do this tune better than reality.
 
Fifteen years later I can verify that your supposition is indeed true.
Posted 5 months ago by alexandersmcmillan    [ Reply ]
If you like this song, check out the "extended" version they finally released on the Sound System box set

https://open.spotify.com/track/4NFBTkuQQ9f17DTGUHSveP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_4jpHiiZp0
Posted 6 months ago by scrubbrush    [ Reply ]
 jonahboo wrote:
cool band = turd song
 

Cool band = cool song!    The Clash is one of those bands where you really need to listen carefully to the lyrics in order to appreciate them.  Their biting sarcasm and political criticism of the Thatcher/Reagan years is some of the best. If only we had listened to them, perhaps we would not be in the pickle we're in now.

Best Clash line: "Vacuum cleaner sucks up budgie." 
Cheers to all RP listeners!
Posted 9 months ago by woodchuk    [ Reply ]
Now play MIA Paper Planes!
Posted 11 months ago by apparatuspdx    [ Reply ]
 jukes1 wrote:
bruceandjenna wrote:
Not part of my generation's music, so I'm not familiar with it.  I was reading while listening, so didn't pay attention to the lyrics.  

I found the music uninteresting.  Don't hurt me.
 

You might prefer Lily Allen’s clash-approved remake. I certainly do (love the original too).
 
I don't prefer the Lilly Allen version but glad to listen to it ;-)
Posted 1 year ago by dtl    [ Reply ]
That must have been the inspiration of Slumdog Millionaire's Paper Planes.
Posted 1 year ago by smoneck    [ Reply ]
Weak album and even weaker movie. Lame Post Punk attempt at a Spaghetti Western. I was at the NY Film Festival Premiere and after party. There was a very loud, annoying Clash groupie there who kept interrupting the proceedings. That groupie became Courtney Love.
Posted 1 year ago by thewiseking    [ Reply ]
The Clash never made a bad album.
Posted 1 year ago by jjbchansen159    [ Reply ]
More Clash!
Posted 1 year ago by wjmacdono    [ Reply ]
cool band = turd song
Posted 1 year ago by jonahboo    [ Reply ]
 ace-marc wrote:
The World needs More Clash and  More Strummer. 
 
Vacuum cleaner sucks up budgie!

Posted 1 year ago by nomnol    [ Reply ]
The World needs More Clash and  More Strummer. 
Posted 1 year ago by ace-marc    [ Reply ]
@rafiki that’s my first thought when I hear this piece.
Posted 1 year ago by theirongiant    [ Reply ]
I am ashamed I first thought about paper planes  
Posted 1 year ago by rafiki    [ Reply ]
...And take your money
Posted 1 year ago by ExploitingChaos    [ Reply ]
Go straight to Hellboy? Perlman or Harbour?
Posted 1 year ago by ziggytrix    [ Reply ]
 thundrpants wrote:
M.I.A. samples the beginning motif in "All I Wanna Do." Brilliant!
 
Paper Planes, actually.
Posted 1 year ago by ScottFromWyoming    [ Reply ]
ouch
Posted 1 year ago by newbolddrive    [ Reply ]
 coloradojohn wrote:
I've always loved this mad, twisted ditty... It sure has differing effects on listeners, though! Sometime in '89 or so, while based in Shizuoka, after a dinner-date with a French Canadian gal I'd just met, I was driving my Honda City up a winding road full of hair-pin turns through terraces of caterpillar-like rows of tea trees on the slopes of Chiba-san to a spooky old temple built in 776 called Chiman-ji that she wanted me to show her, with my cassette of Combat Rock in the deck. As we got near the temple, as tendrils of fog wafted among the towering hinoki trees and the smell of mugwort drifted in through the open windows, this song came on. It didn't take long for her to try to put a stop to it... "Just what IS THIS we're listening to here?" she said, noticeably angry all out of proportion. "The Clash," I said, adding, "—What's wrong? Seems perfect, to me..." She pushed the Eject button and demanded, "Take me back to town. Now!" WTF?!  All the way down, she kept fuming, "I can't believe that terrible, bizarre music that you played for me!"

17 years or so ago I was in LA visiting my architect friend, and we took a long stoned drive to Mineral King, where we were to park and start a trek that would take us several days off-trail way up into The Kaweah Peaks, and when it was my turn to choose the tunes, I put Combat Rock in. When this song came along, he couldn't stop raving about it, and made me rewind and play it multiple times. He loved it so much that he convinced me to let him borrow the tape for awhile. After our week-long camping and climbing trip, I went down to visit a friend in San Diego for a few days. When I came back, I asked if I could have my tape back. He told me that he'd been playing it, right after I'd left, and during this song, his wife had gotten furious, screamed at him, got up, took the tape out, and had either hid it somewhere or threw it out. WTF?!  War? Politics? Nah... Music, Women, and Emotions are the real True Mysteries in Life.
 

Well I've always liked it.  Its been one of my favorite Clash tunes since I heard it way back when.
Posted 1 year ago by pigtail    [ Reply ]
M.I.A. samples the beginning motif in "All I Wanna Do." Brilliant!
Posted 1 year ago by thundrpants    [ Reply ]
bruceandjenna wrote:
Not part of my generation's music, so I'm not familiar with it.  I was reading while listening, so didn't pay attention to the lyrics.  

I found the music uninteresting.  Don't hurt me.
 

You might prefer Lily Allen’s clash-approved remake. I certainly do (love the original too).
Posted 1 year ago by jukes1    [ Reply ]
 coloradojohn wrote:
I've always loved this mad, twisted ditty... It sure has differing effects on listeners, though! Sometime in '89 or so, while based in Shizuoka, after a dinner-date with a French Canadian gal I'd just met...
  ...He told me that he'd been playing it, right after I'd left, and during this song, his wife had gotten furious, screamed at him, got up, took the tape out, and had either hid it somewhere or threw it out. WTF?!  War? Politics? Nah... Music, Women, and Emotions are the real True Mysteries in Life.
 
It's weird that a laid back tune like this could elicit such similar and strong reactions from two different people.  Mysteries indeed.
Posted 1 year ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
 bruceandjenna wrote:
Not part of my generation's music, so I'm not familiar with it.  I was reading while listening, so didn't pay attention to the lyrics.  

I found the music uninteresting.  Don't hurt me.
 
You're safe. A lot of great, famous songs are not one listen wonders. But with time....
Posted 1 year ago by xray38    [ Reply ]
we miss ya Joe
Posted 1 year ago by MrMelons    [ Reply ]
Not part of my generation's music, so I'm not familiar with it.  I was reading while listening, so didn't pay attention to the lyrics.  

I found the music uninteresting.  Don't hurt me.
Posted 1 year ago by bruceandjenna    [ Reply ]
 ziggytrix wrote:

Cool stories! (not sarcastic)
 
That was an awesome story!!!!!
Posted 2 years ago by andrew2112    [ Reply ]
 coloradojohn wrote:
I've always loved this mad, twisted ditty... It sure has differing effects on listeners, though! Sometime in '89 or so, while based in Shizuoka, after a dinner-date with a French Canadian gal I'd just met, I was driving my Honda City up a winding road full of hair-pin turns through terraces of caterpillar-like rows of tea trees on the slopes of Chiba-san to a spooky old temple built in 776 called Chiman-ji that she wanted me to show her, with my cassette of Combat Rock in the deck. As we got near the temple, as tendrils of fog wafted among the towering hinoki trees and the smell of mugwort drifted in through the open windows, this song came on. It didn't take long for her to try to put a stop to it... "Just what IS THIS we're listening to here?" she said, noticeably angry all out of proportion. "The Clash," I said, adding, "—What's wrong? Seems perfect, to me..." She pushed the Eject button and demanded, "Take me back to town. Now!" WTF?!  All the way down, she kept fuming, "I can't believe that terrible, bizarre music that you played for me!"

17 years or so ago I was in LA visiting my architect friend, and we took a long stoned drive to Mineral King, where we were to park and start a trek that would take us several days off-trail way up into The Kaweah Peaks, and when it was my turn to choose the tunes, I put Combat Rock in. When this song came along, he couldn't stop raving about it, and made me rewind and play it multiple times. He loved it so much that he convinced me to let him borrow the tape for awhile. After our week-long camping and climbing trip, I went down to visit a friend in San Diego for a few days. When I came back, I asked if I could have my tape back. He told me that he'd been playing it, right after I'd left, and during this song, his wife had gotten furious, screamed at him, got up, took the tape out, and had either hid it somewhere or threw it out. WTF?!  War? Politics? Nah... Music, Women, and Emotions are the real True Mysteries in Life.
 
Cool stories! (not sarcastic)
Posted 2 years ago by ziggytrix    [ Reply ]
love this wicked song!!!
80's flashback: Alex Cox's "Walker", scored by Strummer, inspired by Marlon Brando's "Burn!"
reagan thatcher and company, poppa bush and his cia central american manipulations, 
Remember some american culture that had you do some research?   
Original movie poster for the film Burn!.jpg
Posted 2 years ago by hayduke2    [ Reply ]
I've always loved this mad, twisted ditty... It sure has differing effects on listeners, though! Sometime in '89 or so, while based in Shizuoka, after a dinner-date with a French Canadian gal I'd just met, I was driving my Honda City up a winding road full of hair-pin turns through terraces of caterpillar-like rows of tea trees on the slopes of Chiba-san to a spooky old temple built in 776 called Chiman-ji that she wanted me to show her, with my cassette of Combat Rock in the deck. As we got near the temple, as tendrils of fog wafted among the towering hinoki trees and the smell of mugwort drifted in through the open windows, this song came on. It didn't take long for her to try to put a stop to it... "Just what IS THIS we're listening to here?" she said, noticeably angry all out of proportion. "The Clash," I said, adding, "—What's wrong? Seems perfect, to me..." She pushed the Eject button and demanded, "Take me back to town. Now!" WTF?!  All the way down, she kept fuming, "I can't believe that terrible, bizarre music that you played for me!"

17 years or so ago I was in LA visiting my architect friend, and we took a long stoned drive to Mineral King, where we were to park and start a trek that would take us several days off-trail way up into The Kaweah Peaks, and when it was my turn to choose the tunes, I put Combat Rock in. When this song came along, he couldn't stop raving about it, and made me rewind and play it multiple times. He loved it so much that he convinced me to let him borrow the tape for awhile. After our week-long camping and climbing trip, I went down to visit a friend in San Diego for a few days. When I came back, I asked if I could have my tape back. He told me that he'd been playing it, right after I'd left, and during this song, his wife had gotten furious, screamed at him, got up, took the tape out, and had either hid it somewhere or threw it out. WTF?!  War? Politics? Nah... Music, Women, and Emotions are the real True Mysteries in Life.
Posted 3 years ago by coloradojohn    [ Reply ]
I've always loved the audacity and terrible truth in this mad, twisted ditty...
Posted 3 years ago by coloradojohn    [ Reply ]
Haven't heard this in ages -  nice blast from the past!
Posted 3 years ago by nagsheadlocal    [ Reply ]
 gandalfbmg wrote:
Call me crazy, but when I heard this start, I kind wished it was Paper Planes...

 
Yes! Me too! I was like, "whoa, Bill"...
Posted 3 years ago by Spiderwoman    [ Reply ]
Wondering if M.I.A. sampled this for Paper Planes?
Posted 3 years ago by Spiderwoman    [ Reply ]
 DaMoGan wrote:

Bill and 'Becca, I see what you did there.  From Johnny Cash — The Man Comes Around to this? That's why RP is better than any internet radio station with computer-generated playlists, even if they had the same music collection. {#Laughing}

 
Nice catch DaMoGan- Missed that:)  Agree!!
Posted 3 years ago by maxjboxer    [ Reply ]
Why did political rock disappear?  The Clash did it right!
Posted 3 years ago by jozooka    [ Reply ]

Bill and 'Becca, I see what you did there.  From Johnny Cash — The Man Comes Around to this? That's why RP is better than any internet radio station with computer-generated playlists, even if they had the same music collection. {#Laughing}
Posted 4 years ago by DaMoGan    [ Reply ]
 steppr wrote:
Same thought process here
...{#Eek} 
gandalfbmg wrote:
Call me crazy, but when I heard this start, I kind wished it was Paper Planes...
 

 

I dunno I just really hate that M.I.A. ripped this song, Paper Planes is so vapid by comparison.
Posted 4 years ago by unclelonghair    [ Reply ]
 steppr wrote:
Same thought process here
...{#Eek} 
gandalfbmg wrote:
Call me crazy, but when I heard this start, I kind wished it was Paper Planes...

 

 
same {#Redface}
Posted 4 years ago by root0    [ Reply ]
Same thought process here
...{#Eek} 
gandalfbmg wrote:
Call me crazy, but when I heard this start, I kind wished it was Paper Planes...

 


Posted 4 years ago by steppr    [ Reply ]
U nummer 1 
Posted 4 years ago by LastGaspMusic    [ Reply ]
Lemme' tell you about your blood, bamboo kid
It ain't coco cola, it's rice.

Sounds exactly like what a drunk GI would tell an Ameriasian son: bad poetry indeed.
Posted 4 years ago by helloitsme    [ Reply ]
 thewiseking wrote:
bad poetry and oh so earnest

 




Posted 5 years ago by nerakdon    [ Reply ]
bad poetry and oh so earnest
Posted 5 years ago by thewiseking    [ Reply ]
try your best
Posted 5 years ago by Dorothyhancock    [ Reply ]
 gandalfbmg wrote:
Call me crazy, but when I heard this start, I kind wished it was Paper Planes...

 
You're crazy but I uploaded that and it got accepted. Never played of course, but hey. My mistake, it did get a couple of plays.
Posted 5 years ago by ScottFromWyoming    [ Reply ]
 gandalfbmg wrote:
Call me crazy, but when I heard this start, I kind wished it was Paper Planes...

 
Never knew MIA/Paper Planes had sampled this tune.
Posted 5 years ago by FrankRizzo    [ Reply ]
Musically perhaps not their most catchy tune, but the sentiment in the lyric is second to none, except the line in the middle that goes:
Mama San says "dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-did-dig-dig-dig-doog-doog-dug-dug-dug-dug-dug-dug" 
Posted 5 years ago by 2020sk    [ Reply ]
Clash Approved Cover
Posted 6 years ago by jukes1    [ Reply ]
 jt1 wrote:Start with Janie Jones, the Clash, the Clash
I REALLY need to get some Clash albums. Once again, RP is educating me.

 


Posted 6 years ago by leetlericky    [ Reply ]
He just did it again! 

Snorfalorpagus wrote:

And again. Absolutely superb.

 


Posted 6 years ago by umassice    [ Reply ]
Call me crazy, but when I heard this start, I kind wished it was Paper Planes...
Posted 6 years ago by gandalfbmg    [ Reply ]
please don't play this song, pleaseeee!
Posted 6 years ago by orhanveli    [ Reply ]

This song fucking resonates.

 
Posted 6 years ago by hallogallo    [ Reply ]
 fil wrote:
From "Johnny Cash - The Man Comes Around" to this. One of the best segues ever.

 
And again. Absolutely superb.
Posted 6 years ago by Snorfalorpagus    [ Reply ]
 thewiseking wrote:
This helps demonstrate that alot of what the Clash did was rubbish and sounds terribly dated.
btw, I was at the NY Film Festival Premiere of the film Straight to Hell, which was an absolute disaster. A crazy, distruptive groupie kept talking thru the film and I believe was thrown out. That groupie....................Courtney Love.

 
Well, I still love this song although I think the Clash was overrated for an American audience. Fredriley has a very interesting take on The Clash as a band influencing British politics and culture. 

The movie "Straight to Hell" was a mess from what I remember reading of it. Alex Cox rounded up his buddies to make a movie and have fun--I don't think he took it seriously. Joe Strummer according to an article I read (Q Magazine? Vanity Fair? something like that) totally threw himself into his role and was sleeping outside under a wagon during the filming.  

Courtney Love? Courtney Love is a disaster. Crazy and disruptive as she might have been, she wasn't a groupie--looks like she was the leading lady in the movie. All the more reason to skip the film.

You can read another guy's take from imdb.com and decide for yourself. You get the sense that a studio gave Cox a bit of money but only got a home movie in return:

What's wrong with the kid? Sexual Tension.
14 November 2005 | by Johann (United States) – See all my reviews

This is a story of three desperadoes and a girl who accidentally go to a small town after screwing up an assassination job and robbing a bank. The town is owned by the McMahon family (the Pogues with a few others thrown in) all of whom are addicted to coffee and enjoy killing and being all in all bastards. There's tension, characters clashing and sexual. The film didn't have a whole lot of a plot, but that doesn't really matter much because it seems to be more of a spoof on spaghetti westerns and even the actors and actresses themselves. It takes repeated viewing to really get down what is going on and how the parties are related to each other, but that doesn't seem to matter quite so much. All in all, I recommend this film to those of you who love weird movies and everyone who remembers the 80's punk scene.

 
Posted 7 years ago by kcar    [ Reply ]
This is near the top of my favorite Clash tunes...
Posted 7 years ago by tulfan    [ Reply ]
 fil wrote:
From "Johnny Cash - The Man Comes Around" to this. One of the best segues ever.

 
He just did it again.  That was awesome. 
Posted 7 years ago by GarageDragon    [ Reply ]
Am I the only one out there...?

 
msymmes wrote:
Joe was a genius!

 


Posted 7 years ago by msymmes    [ Reply ]
Joe was a genius!
Posted 7 years ago by msymmes    [ Reply ]
 fil wrote:
From "Johnny Cash - The Man Comes Around" to this. One of the best segues ever.

 

Yes, this.{#Arrowu}
Posted 7 years ago by danimal3114u    [ Reply ]

''Man, those cats were kung fu fighting..''


Posted 7 years ago by ThePoose    [ Reply ]
Ditto fil {#Angel}. Brilliant! 
Posted 7 years ago by the_prof    [ Reply ]
From "Johnny Cash - The Man Comes Around" to this. One of the best segues ever.
Posted 7 years ago by fil    [ Reply ]
SO-HO TRUE! It's. The. Clash.
'Nuff said.

 Luciano wrote:
The Clash, always on a higher level. As to the lyrics, the theme itself sets this song milles ahead of other bands. The music fits the lyrics. It´s not a song to dance or to bang your head. It´s The Clash.

 


Posted 7 years ago by nsaeed    [ Reply ]
 jackiewelsh wrote:
{#Crowded}what an awesome segue fr cash!
 
From Cash to Clash, so to say.
Posted 7 years ago by Bleyfusz    [ Reply ]
I REALLY need to get some Clash albums. Once again, RP is educating me.
Posted 7 years ago by jt1    [ Reply ]
{#Cry} please make it stop..

oh, right! PSD!
Posted 8 years ago by alezz_ua    [ Reply ]
 jackiewelsh wrote:
{#Crowded}what an awesome segue fr cash!
 
Yes, love both very much - {#High-five}
Posted 8 years ago by ambrebalte    [ Reply ]
{#Crowded}what an awesome segue fr cash!
Posted 8 years ago by CrackerjaxATX    [ Reply ]


{#Devil_pimp}


Posted 8 years ago by Candela    [ Reply ]
 ubuntourist wrote:
"Go straight to Hellboy"

Hellboy
 
That is wonderful.  Best pun I've seen in awhile.
Posted 8 years ago by AvoidingWork    [ Reply ]
This is not my favorite Clash track by any stretch, but this does fit nicely after Johnny Cash's "The Man Comes Around."  This is why I listen to RP instead of Pandora.  I don't have either track and wouldn't have put them together. 
Posted 8 years ago by bluejay08003    [ Reply ]
80's flashback: Alex Cox's "Walker", scored by Strummer, inspired by Marlon Brando's "Burn!"
reagan thatcher and company, poppa bush and his cia central american manipulations, 
Remember some american culture that had you do some research?   
Posted 8 years ago by hayduke2    [ Reply ]
"Go straight to Hellboy"

Hellboy
Posted 8 years ago by ubuntourist    [ Reply ]
The Clash, always on a higher level. As to the lyrics, the theme itself sets this song milles ahead of other bands. The music fits the lyrics. It´s not a song to dance or to bang your head. It´s The Clash.
Posted 8 years ago by Luciano    [ Reply ]
 socalhol wrote:

Thanks for sharing — now I think I need to check it out!  Here's a photo of the Clash from that episode on NBC.com.  And from there I see it was Season 8, Episode 3 (that aired Oct 9, 1982) — which can be watched on streaming Netflix, if you have that membership feature.

EDIT:  oops, guess not — musical guests are NOT included.  bastards

 
Here it is.
Posted 8 years ago by ScottFromWyoming    [ Reply ]
The "When the Man Comes Around"/"Straight to Hell" segue should win an Academy Award!
Posted 8 years ago by gvan    [ Reply ]
The lights dim.....the crowd surges forward with a roar.....The Pogues have used this as their walk-on music every time I have seen them since 2005. Whoo Hoo!{#Sunny}
Posted 8 years ago by Lizard62    [ Reply ]
Boring. Could have been made with a 1980 drum machine and a microphone.
Posted 8 years ago by yofitofu    [ Reply ]
This is pure crap... Mute
Posted 8 years ago by tphord    [ Reply ]
 toterola wrote:

Funny!

I couldn't disagree more about the continuing relevance of The Clash, but I would have given a small fortune to have seen Courtney tossed out on her ass! {#Jump}
 

of course the Clash continue to be relevant. Just not this stuff.
Posted 9 years ago by thewiseking    [ Reply ]
 thewiseking wrote:
This helps demonstrate that alot of what the Clash did was rubbish and sounds terribly dated.
btw, I was at the NY Film Festival Premiere of the film Straight to Hell, which was an absolute disaster. A crazy, distruptive groupie kept talking thru the film and I believe was thrown out. That groupie....................Courtney Love.
 
Funny!

I couldn't disagree more about the continuing relevance of The Clash, but I would have given a small fortune to have seen Courtney tossed out on her ass! {#Jump}
Posted 9 years ago by toterola    [ Reply ]
Awesome!!  I was hoping you'd play this eventually.
Posted 9 years ago by terrapin52    [ Reply ]
This helps demonstrate that alot of what the Clash did was rubbish and sounds terribly dated.
btw, I was at the NY Film Festival Premiere of the film Straight to Hell, which was an absolute disaster. A crazy, distruptive groupie kept talking thru the film and I believe was thrown out. That groupie....................Courtney Love.
Posted 9 years ago by thewiseking    [ Reply ]
Need to mute for few minutes {#Stop}
Those sounds drilling hole my mind
Posted 9 years ago by alezz_ua    [ Reply ]
Sounds like someone has been watching "Slumdog Millionaire."   {#Wink}
Posted 9 years ago by jgeyer    [ Reply ]
 brulie wrote:
They played this on SNL on what was one of the best SNL episodes of all time (IMHO) — Ron Howard was host. Alas, it was the Dick Ebersol era (Eddie Murphy cast), so we won't ever see the whole thing rebroadcast. We happened to have taped it (on Betamax!), so I watched it, like, ten times. I was really surprised that they chose this as their second song.
 
Thanks for sharing — now I think I need to check it out!  Here's a photo of the Clash from that episode on NBC.com.  And from there I see it was Season 8, Episode 3 (that aired Oct 9, 1982) — which can be watched on streaming Netflix, if you have that membership feature.

EDIT:  oops, guess not — musical guests are NOT included.  bastards

Posted 9 years ago by socalhol    [ Reply ]
Purrrrfection!
Posted 9 years ago by Dangerpussy    [ Reply ]
Not my cuppa.
Posted 9 years ago by Dahlia_Gumbo    [ Reply ]
 aelfheld wrote:
One of the very few songs of theirs that I much care for.
 
Agreed, doesn't even sound like a "normal" Clash song.

Posted 9 years ago by sbegf    [ Reply ]
One of the very few songs of theirs that I much care for.
Posted 9 years ago by aelfheld    [ Reply ]

The Clash - Straight To Hell, Live (80's)

Live at the US Festival 1983.

If you can play on the fiddle
How's about a British jig and reel?
Speaking King's English in quotation
As railhead towns feel the steel mills rust water froze
In the generation
Clear as winter ice
This is your paradise

There ain't no need for ya
Go straight to hell boys

Y'wanna join in a chorus
Of the Amerasian blues?
When it's Christmas out in Ho Chi Minh City
Kiddie say papa papa papa papa-san take me home
See me got photo photo
Photograph of you
Mamma Mamma Mamma-san
Of you and Mamma Mamma Mamma-san
Lemme tell ya 'bout your blood bamboo kid.
It ain't Coca-Cola it's rice.

Straight to hell
Oh Papa-san
Please take me home
Oh Papa-san
Everybody they wanna go home
So Mamma-san says

You wanna play mind-crazed banjo
On the druggy-drag ragtime U.S.A.?
In Parkland International
Hah! Junkiedom U.S.A.
Where procaine proves the purest rock man groove
and rat poison
The volatile Molatov says-

Go straight to hell

Can you really cough it up loud and strong
The immigrants
They wanna sing all night long
It could be anywhere
Most likely could be any frontier
Any hemisphere
No man's land and there ain't no asylum here
King Solomon he never lived round here

Go straight to hell boys

Posted 9 years ago by calypsus_1    [ Reply ]

Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Straight To Hell, Live

Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros playing Straight to Hell, live in Cologne, Germany (1999). Track 1 of11. Superb performance, with very high quality sound. Enjoy.     



Posted 9 years ago by calypsus_1    [ Reply ]
 Sasha2001 wrote:

With the proper credit for that joke belonging to Billie Crystal. Having pulled it out at a party recently the joke bombed pretty hard. I soon realized the person I was telling it to was too young to know about Wings.
 
Wow!  So I was actually the butt of the joke as I haven't heard about Billie Crystal saying that.  LOL!!  That changes my whole respect for that younger pup!
Posted 9 years ago by AvoidingWork    [ Reply ]
 AvoidingWork wrote:

I had to "Educate" a few of my younger office mates on where MIA got their sample.
I'm pretty sure the one guy was joking when he said "You mean Paul McCartney was in another band before Wings?"  Pretty sure...
 


With the proper credit for that joke belonging to Billie Crystal. Having pulled it out at a party recently the joke bombed pretty hard. I soon realized the person I was telling it to was too young to know about Wings.
Posted 9 years ago by Sasha2001    [ Reply ]
Saw the Pogues a coupe of weeks and they took the stage to this song. Nice touch.
Posted 9 years ago by tpowers    [ Reply ]
Third in a row now. Is this Radio Hell?
Posted 9 years ago by Bleyfusz    [ Reply ]
 willmcnaught wrote:
Joe you are missed! {#Notworthy}
 
ya sort of sad, sounded like he was finally getting his personal life where he wanted it to be

Posted 9 years ago by michaelc    [ Reply ]
Joe you are missed! {#Notworthy}
Posted 9 years ago by willmcnaught    [ Reply ]
Love it.
Posted 10 years ago by jackiebd    [ Reply ]
The last great Clash song...rock on
Posted 10 years ago by neuticle    [ Reply ]
 tinybubbles wrote:
I miss Joe.
 

si si si
Posted 10 years ago by SuzG    [ Reply ]
 sickels wrote:
just realized this song is where the M.I.A. "I fly like paper, get high like planes" riff comes from
 
I had to "Educate" a few of my younger office mates on where MIA got their sample.
I'm pretty sure the one guy was joking when he said "You mean Paul McCartney was in another band before Wings?"  Pretty sure...
Posted 10 years ago by AvoidingWork    [ Reply ]
Whisky Tango Foxtrot....
Posted 10 years ago by LastChance    [ Reply ]
This really hit the spot.  Thanks Bill! (and part of a great set today too!)

Quite ironic listening to this song streaming living over the internet on RP here in Ho Chi Minh City...

Really brought a smile to my face...
Can you cough it up loud and strong
The immigrants
They wanna sing all night long
It could be anywhere
Most likely could be any frontier
Any hemisphere
No man's land
Ain't no asylum here
King Solomon he never lived round here

Straight to Hell, boys
Go straight to Hell, boys
Go straight to Hell, boys
Go straight to Hell, boys


Posted 10 years ago by careyz    [ Reply ]
They played this on SNL on what was one of the best SNL episodes of all time (IMHO) — Ron Howard was host. Alas, it was the Dick Ebersol era (Eddie Murphy cast), so we won't ever see the whole thing rebroadcast. We happened to have taped it (on Betamax!), so I watched it, like, ten times. I was really surprised that they chose this as their second song.
Posted 10 years ago by brulie    [ Reply ]
some parts are sounding very similar to M.I.A.'s paper planes {#Ask}
Posted 10 years ago by KrischanZ    [ Reply ]
I really much prefer the live version of this. So much atmosphere. This feels too dry and clinical
Posted 10 years ago by DoctorHooey    [ Reply ]
 

Bought this record in 7th grade 'cause of Should I Stay or Should I Go and Rock the Casabah... one listen to this song at it became my favorite. The drums are simple but genius. Also, there's an extended version (or this is the edited version) that came out on some compilation that's even better


Posted 10 years ago by scrubbrush    [ Reply ]
I also was slightly upset with myself for digging the MIA song about to play and then overjoyed with the resulting earworm. Thank you RP for braving the radio frontier.
Posted 10 years ago by psychoacoustic    [ Reply ]
9 to 10
Posted 10 years ago by Sleepytyme    [ Reply ]
I fly like paper get high like planes, you catch me at the border I got visas in my name...
Posted 10 years ago by lysisphere    [ Reply ]
 lazylemming wrote:
how disapointing... i thought we were gonna hear MIA's "Paper Planes."  {#Wink}
 
funny, when this started i thought "how disappointing, we are about to hear MIA's 'Paper Planes' "
was relieved when I heard Joe Strummer's voice

not hating on MIA or that song, but too much overplay from lesser radio stations leaves me with a sour taste in my mouth

Posted 10 years ago by topherg87    [ Reply ]
just realized this song is where the M.I.A. "I fly like paper, get high like planes" riff comes from
Posted 10 years ago by sickels    [ Reply ]