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Now war is declared and battle come down
London calling to the underworld
Come out of the cupboard, you boys and girls
London calling, now don't look to us
Phony Beatlemania has bitten the dust
London calling, see, we ain't got no swing
Except for the ring of that truncheon thing
The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in
Meltdown expected, the wheat is growing thin
Engines stop running, but I have no fear
'Cause London is drowning and I live by the river
London calling to the imitation zone
Forget it, brother, you can go it alone
London calling to the zombies of death
Quit holding out and draw another breath
London calling, and I don't wanna shout
But while we were talking, I saw you nodding out
London calling, see, we ain't got no high
Except for that one with the yellowy eyes
The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in
Engines stop running, the wheat is growing thin
A nuclear error, but I have no fear
'Cause London is drowning and I, I live by the river
The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in
Engines stop running, the wheat is growing thin
A nuclear error, but I have no fear
'Cause London is drowning and I, I live by the river
Now get this
London calling, yes, I was there, too
And you know what they said, well, some of it was true
London calling at the top of the dial
And after all this, won't you give me a smile?
London calling
I never felt so much a-like...

I agree completely!
"Who are your influences?"
"Barry Manilow"
"Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell"
"Wings ... Bachman Turner Overdrive?"
"Spandau Ballet, Soft Cell"
"I t'ought you were selling drugs."
The Commitments - such a fun, quotable movie.
<click>
Adele: Hello.
Leonard Cohen: And who shall I say is calling?
Paul Simon: Al.
Joe Strummer: London.
Carly Rae Jepson: Maybe.
Proclivities wrote:

Bill...you old clever dog you...

Redpoint wrote:
Solid 10 though.
Redpoint wrote:
Solid 10 though.
Solid 10 though.
Humble opinion alert!!
Is it a problem to overplay a song that you love?And what is the definition of "overplayed"?

2016 not so much
Yah... No. It's still a good line. Beatlemania was completely lame.




2016 not so much
Advertisers—Please stop using this song for anything tangentially-related to London! Honestly, I'm somewhat surprised that they allow the rights to be used so liberally. Sure, back in '67 The Who Sell Out, and Sex Pistols participated in The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle before they started Flogging a Dead Horse. And yes, The Clash were signed to a major label from the start. Oh well.
Archival footage surfacing all the time.
Joe Strummer ism's:
" What kind of group are we ? We are a "News" Group - too many songs are out there about Love - subjects' covered ."
SquiddlyDiddly wrote:
I wore a Mohican and other punkie stuff. . . and this t-shirt. . . I thought it was apt.

Lee:
I was, and it was great.

agreed!


Could actually be both "error" and "era", depending on interpretation.
Era isn't pronounced anything like error in English English.
Nowadays, I much prefer Joe and the Mescaleros
You best heed Joe's advice:
Come out of the cupboard, you boys and girls!

Judging by your favorites, it doesn't seem as if you "understand the attraction" of much music made after 1973 or so. The lyric is "error" though; this album was released several months after the Three Mile Island accident and that line is likely a reference to that..
Could actually be both "error" and "era", depending on interpretation.
Error. The cold war era was still in full swing at the time.

I wore a Mohican and other punkie stuff. . . and this t-shirt. . . I thought it was apt.


I hear it as "error". Never did understand the attraction to this group.
Could actually be both "error" and "era", depending on interpretation.
I hear it as "error". Never did understand the attraction to this group.
Lotta this album lately, not that there's anything wrong with that.

The album's front cover features a photograph of Simonon smashing his Fender Precision Bass (on display at the Cleveland Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as of May 2009) against the stage at The Palladium in New York City on 21 September 1979 during the Clash Take the Fifth US tour. Pennie Smith, who photographed the band for the album, originally did not want the photograph to be used. She thought that it was too out of focus, but Strummer and graphic designer Ray Lowry thought it would make a good album cover. In 2002, Smith's photograph was named the best rock and roll photograph of all time by Q magazine, commenting that "it captures the ultimate rock'n'roll moment - total loss of control".
The cover artwork was designed by Lowry and was a homage to the design of Elvis Presley's self-titled debut album. The cover was named the ninth best album cover of all time by Q magazine in 2001. In 1995, Big Audio Dynamite used the same scheme for their F-Punk album. The album cover for London Calling was among the ten chosen by the Royal Mail for a set of "Classic Album Cover" postage stamps issued in January 2010
I remember reading the Simonon was pissed at himself for breaking that bass. It was his favorite at the time.
...we always hurt the ones we love...

powerianaaaaaaa
bravo..
lk
This.

The brilliant Elvis parody was clearly lost on you then!
Always loved the photo, but never made the Elvis connection. Thanks! Makes it even cooler.



The brilliant Elvis parody was clearly lost on you then!
I'm not sure that person even looked at the album cover very closely or knows what's going on in the picture if he considers it a "helpless wimp cover". It's considered to be one of the best album covers ever by numerous sources. I saw them in 1979, at The Palladium in NYC, where and when that picture was taken. The Cramps and Bo Diddley opened for them.
Don't think so.
One of the best songs ever,.
:-) wild days those days:-)
Don't think so.
The brilliant Elvis parody was clearly lost on you then!

thanks for that !
ps: "lost in a supermarket" 's too a great song in this album
Oh, just let the punks become famous and make real good money, and we'll see....

The album's front cover features a photograph of Simonon smashing his Fender Precision Bass (on display at the Cleveland Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as of May 2009) against the stage at The Palladium in New York City on 21 September 1979 during the Clash Take the Fifth US tour. Pennie Smith, who photographed the band for the album, originally did not want the photograph to be used. She thought that it was too out of focus, but Strummer and graphic designer Ray Lowry thought it would make a good album cover. In 2002, Smith's photograph was named the best rock and roll photograph of all time by Q magazine, commenting that "it captures the ultimate rock'n'roll moment - total loss of control".
The cover artwork was designed by Lowry and was a homage to the design of Elvis Presley's self-titled debut album. The cover was named the ninth best album cover of all time by Q magazine in 2001. In 1995, Big Audio Dynamite used the same scheme for their F-Punk album. The album cover for London Calling was among the ten chosen by the Royal Mail for a set of "Classic Album Cover" postage stamps issued in January 2010
I remember reading the Simonon was pissed at himself for breaking that bass. It was his favorite at the time.
One of the top 10 songs ever from rom one of the top ten albums ever put out by anyone not named the Beatles.

From everything I've heard, Beatlemania was a very real thing. Only wish I was there to hear it, wonderful confluence of a disproportionately high number of young folk + very, very good pop music that it was.
(edit: spelling)
Back in the 80s, this was a very popular song. My buddy had the cassette in his chevelle and it was on constantly. There also was a very popular fake Beatles show in live theatres called Beatlemania. Four actor s who's would dress up and perform all the fab four hits.
the clash were punks, right? imho 15-billion-euro-olympics and punks don't match. at all.
Oh, just let the punks become famous and make real good money, and we'll see....
The album's front cover features a photograph of Simonon smashing his Fender Precision Bass (on display at the Cleveland Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as of May 2009) against the stage at The Palladium in New York City on 21 September 1979 during the Clash Take the Fifth US tour. Pennie Smith, who photographed the band for the album, originally did not want the photograph to be used. She thought that it was too out of focus, but Strummer and graphic designer Ray Lowry thought it would make a good album cover. In 2002, Smith's photograph was named the best rock and roll photograph of all time by Q magazine, commenting that "it captures the ultimate rock'n'roll moment - total loss of control".
The cover artwork was designed by Lowry and was a homage to the design of Elvis Presley's self-titled debut album. The cover was named the ninth best album cover of all time by Q magazine in 2001. In 1995, Big Audio Dynamite used the same scheme for their F-Punk album. The album cover for London Calling was among the ten chosen by the Royal Mail for a set of "Classic Album Cover" postage stamps issued in January 2010.
Thanks for the detailed info. Interesting read!

the clash were punks, right? imho 15-billion-euro-olympics and punks don't match. at all.
The album's front cover features a photograph of Simonon smashing his Fender Precision Bass (on display at the Cleveland Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as of May 2009) against the stage at The Palladium in New York City on 21 September 1979 during the Clash Take the Fifth US tour. Pennie Smith, who photographed the band for the album, originally did not want the photograph to be used. She thought that it was too out of focus, but Strummer and graphic designer Ray Lowry thought it would make a good album cover. In 2002, Smith's photograph was named the best rock and roll photograph of all time by Q magazine, commenting that "it captures the ultimate rock'n'roll moment - total loss of control".
The cover artwork was designed by Lowry and was a homage to the design of Elvis Presley's self-titled debut album. The cover was named the ninth best album cover of all time by Q magazine in 2001. In 1995, Big Audio Dynamite used the same scheme for their F-Punk album. The album cover for London Calling was among the ten chosen by the Royal Mail for a set of "Classic Album Cover" postage stamps issued in January 2010.
From everything I've heard, Beatlemania was a very real thing. Only wish I was there to hear it, wonderful confluence of a disproportionately high number of young folk + very, very good pop music that it was.
(edit: spelling)
Come on u R's!!!!
Only the best stand up the test of time.
Right-o, Lucky!!
Only the best stand up the test of time.
Joe's voice still scares the shit out of me over 32 years later.

And I live in a van, down by the river!
Well played, Art.
WTF is that duck doing in the tub?
A really good song from one of the most overrated bands in history. Joe Strummer rocked though!
I'm not sure, but I think I feel sorry for you...at least your right about Joe Rocking
One of the top 10 songs ever from rom one of the top ten albums ever put out by anyone not named the Beatles.
When the universe calls me, it plays Johnny Nash singing "I Can See Clearly Now". This has happened three times so far, each at key decision points in my life. Each time an excellent choice.
So I say listen to your synchronicity... pip pip and cheerio!
https://londonsburning.org/art_rolling_stone_04_03_80.html
Love to see brilliance recognized in real time. I've got to think that Rolling Stone's calling The Clash the greatest rock n roll band in the world in 1980 was pretty ballsy.

Still... The only band that mattered when it counted. Rest easy, Joe.

Haha, I was just going to write the exact opposite - I feel like I hear this song almost every day on RP :)
Following Saturday's appearance at the Glastonbury Festival, Bruce appeared on Sunday, June 28, at the Hard Rock Calling Festival in London's Hyde Park. Like Glastonbury, this turned into another magical show making the back-to-back U.K. festival appearances an all time highlight for Bruce and the Band. Here, in full, is the opening song from Bruce's set, "London Calling." (Joe Strummer/Mick Jones).
Lyrics:
London calling to the faraway towns
Now war is declared - and battle come down
London calling to the underworld
Come out of the cupboard,you boys and girls
London calling, now don't look to us
Phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust
London calling, see we ain't got no swing
'Cept for the ring of that truncheon thing
CHORUS
The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in
Meltdown expected, the wheat is growing thin
Engines stop running, but I have no fear
Cause London is drowning and I, live by the river
London calling to the imitation zone
Forget it, brother, you can go at it alone
London calling to the zombies of death
Quit holding out - and draw another breath
London calling - and I don't wanna shout
But while we were talking I saw you nodding out
London calling, see we ain't got no high
Except for that one with the yellowy eyes
CHORUS x2
The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in
Engines stop running, the wheat is growing thin
A nuclear error, but I have no fear
Cause London is drowning and I, I live by the river
Now get this
London calling, yes, I was there, too
An' you know what they said? Well, some of it was true!
London calling at the top of the dial
And after all this, won't you give me a smile?
London Calling
I never felt so much alike, like-a, like-a...
The Clash interviewed on the Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder. June 1981.
"I laughed my way through this!!! Its hilarious!" jimjimtrains
The Clash, for most of their recording career (1977-1982) consisted of Joe Strummer (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Mick Jones (lead guitar, vocals), Paul Simonon (bass guitar, backing vocals, occasional lead vocals) and Nicky "Topper" Headon (drums, percussion).
Studio albums
- The Clash (1977)
- Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978)
- London Calling (1979)
- Sandinista! (1980)
- Combat Rock (1982)
- Cut the Crap (1985)

And I live in a van, down by the river!
Rip it up Joe!!!
Best guitarist name ever..............................