The Clash — London Calling
Album: London CallingAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 5501
Length: 3:17
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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
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...
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...
Comments (480)add comment
Proclivities wrote:
scrubbrush wrote:
Were you lost, by any chance?
Well, mine is being heavily remodeled and it makes it hard to find anything. I can no longer shop happily. (No special offers, either.)
Were you lost, by any chance?
Well, mine is being heavily remodeled and it makes it hard to find anything. I can no longer shop happily. (No special offers, either.)
Honest Joe.
Take things easy up there friend.
Take things easy up there friend.
eileenomurphy wrote:
I was briefly in a band that had this on their setlist loved playing that bass line
Iconic! ...I love the sound of the bass guitar!
I was briefly in a band that had this on their setlist loved playing that bass line
If anyone skips this perhaps they should consider iHeart Radio for their entertainment!
Proclivities wrote:
Too funny!! GREAT TUNE! Thanx RP!
Too funny!! GREAT TUNE! Thanx RP!
smousourakis wrote:
wow, this is very cool.
wow, this is very cool.
mach-hog wrote:
Totally Cool!!
… Listen closely to the bass riff, it is most excellent. Considering Simenon was not a musician before he joined the band, indeed!!! ☮️
Totally Cool!!
Proclivities wrote:
LOL!!
LOL!!
mach-hog wrote:
I Agree completely! Very well stated!
… Listen closely to the bass riff, it is most excellent. Considering Simenon was not a musician before he joined the band, indeed!!! ☮️
I Agree completely! Very well stated!
jerund wrote:
If this is the type of music climate change inspires then go climate change!!!
Great climate change song! Classic riffs. Listen closely to the bass riff, it is most excellent.
If this is the type of music climate change inspires then go climate change!!!
I just checked in to raise my rating to 10 but I see I already did that on another day.
scrubbrush wrote:
c.
Were you lost, by any chance?
I saw what you did there...c.
gregskrtic wrote:
Were you lost, by any chance?
I heard this in the supermarket coming out of the muzak system the other day... I thought, "how old does one have to be to hear the Clash in Safeway?" smh.....
Were you lost, by any chance?
… my crows love this song too … ahem, seagulls actually, Joe was mimicking them, common near the North side of Battersea Park. ☮️
… Listen closely to the bass riff, it is most excellent.
Considering Simenon was not a musician before he joined the band, indeed!!! ☮️
Simply superb after all these years✌️
Great climate change song! Classic riffs. Listen closely to the bass riff, it is most excellent.
What a track✌️
my crows love this song too
Cueburned wrote:
Airplay-depends on where you were. The alt stations in the NY tri-state area were playing this when it came out. Rock the cashbox (lol) got played to death though. I saw them on that tour when they opened for the Who. Have to wonder if their presence lit a fire under the Who's collective asses. Maybe not as the Who was adjusting to playing w/o Moon. But a run -in with Paul Simonon and Topper Headon at a London bar inspired Townsend to write "Who Are You?" a few years earlier.
The Clash. Another band which in hindsight is still not really anything more dangerous than a pretty good pop/rock band. In the US, radio treated them as RADICALS. Barely got FM radio play in most places. (well, with the exception of rock the cashbox). Re-listening to some of my old vinyl there are many tracks better than this one. Too bad this is the one that got encoded onto our cultural DNA. Still. thanks to the Clash and for that matter Brit pop in the 80's for saving us from more Olivia Newton John.
Airplay-depends on where you were. The alt stations in the NY tri-state area were playing this when it came out. Rock the cashbox (lol) got played to death though. I saw them on that tour when they opened for the Who. Have to wonder if their presence lit a fire under the Who's collective asses. Maybe not as the Who was adjusting to playing w/o Moon. But a run -in with Paul Simonon and Topper Headon at a London bar inspired Townsend to write "Who Are You?" a few years earlier.
cc_rider wrote:
'Beatlemania' is a long-running Beatles tribute band. I think the group is technically 'The Cast of Beatlemania'. The original members performed in the Broadway play 'Beatlemania'. The Cast has changed but the group is still performing. The Broadway play closed in, uh, 1979. Same year this song came out.
That's what Joe was talking about: 'phony Beatlemania'. Not the actual Beatles or the mania around them.
c.
I saw Beatlemania on Broadway in '78. It was a multimedia show as much as it was 4 actors/musicians playing the Beatles (and doing a top notch job of it). Really good show.
'Beatlemania' is a long-running Beatles tribute band. I think the group is technically 'The Cast of Beatlemania'. The original members performed in the Broadway play 'Beatlemania'. The Cast has changed but the group is still performing. The Broadway play closed in, uh, 1979. Same year this song came out.
That's what Joe was talking about: 'phony Beatlemania'. Not the actual Beatles or the mania around them.
c.
I saw Beatlemania on Broadway in '78. It was a multimedia show as much as it was 4 actors/musicians playing the Beatles (and doing a top notch job of it). Really good show.
Proclivities wrote:
Loool... So from the bottom of my heart: Thx for making me lol!!! Rare these days.
Loool... So from the bottom of my heart: Thx for making me lol!!! Rare these days.
SUPERGREAT!!!
veloman wrote:
...a smile?
Not again. What are they trying to sell this time?
At the 20003 grammy awards bruce springsteen and elvis Costello did a great version of this song
gregskrtic wrote:
Better than Michael Bouble' or disco! ...eh?
I heard this in the supermarket coming out of the muzak system the other day... I thought, "how old does one have to be to hear the Clash in Safeway?" smh.....
Better than Michael Bouble' or disco! ...eh?
jcbenten994 wrote:
COOL! ...it's a shame about your classmates! ...LOL!
I wore this vinyl out when it was released... My HS classmates only listened to disco (uggghhh).
One of my great failings in life was not being able to see The Clash...
COOL! ...it's a shame about your classmates! ...LOL!
Iconic! ...I love the sound of the bass guitar!
jcbenten994 wrote:
Tornado Jam, Lubbock, Texas. May 11, 1980.
I wore this vinyl out when it was released... My HS classmates only listened to disco (uggghhh).
One of my great failings in life was not being able to see The Clash...
Tornado Jam, Lubbock, Texas. May 11, 1980.
I wore this vinyl out when it was released... My HS classmates only listened to disco (uggghhh).
One of my great failings in life was not being able to see The Clash...
One of my great failings in life was not being able to see The Clash...
Never fails to get me up and jumping and singing along! Let's celebrate and venerate the eternal spirit, wit, and grit of Joe Strummer! Can't forget the rainy day B.A.D. rocked the CU Balch Fieldhouse, either!
I heard this in the supermarket coming out of the muzak system the other day... I thought, "how old does one have to be to hear the Clash in Safeway?" smh.....
This falls into the category of "Like it, never need to hear it again because it's been so overplayed" for me.
kingart wrote:
Engines stop running, the Wheaties grow thin
The then Ford owned JagUar had a TV commercial with this
Clash song in the background...Luckily it didn't include that
line...
Tony in NJ
W.A.S.T.E.
Skydog wrote:
That's what Joe was talking about: 'phony Beatlemania'. Not the actual Beatles or the mania around them.
c.
"Phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust" was a good line in 1979,
2016 not so much
'Beatlemania' is a long-running Beatles tribute band. I think the group is technically 'The Cast of Beatlemania'. The original members performed in the Broadway play 'Beatlemania'. The Cast has changed but the group is still performing. The Broadway play closed in, uh, 1979. Same year this song came out.2016 not so much
That's what Joe was talking about: 'phony Beatlemania'. Not the actual Beatles or the mania around them.
c.
Was around when this record came out. Somehow, every year it gets better.
Those were the days✌️
I'm 18 again!
eileenomurphy wrote:
I agree completely!
GREAT tune! ...I love it! ....great bass guitar sound!
I agree completely!
GREAT tune! ...I love it! ....great bass guitar sound!
Rest easy Joe. We got this.
Was 18 when this came out. Once in a lifetime combination for me.
Paul_in_Australia wrote:
"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.
huebdoo wrote:
These albums are probably had the biggest effect on music as we know it
....on music as YOU know it? The challenge that I have with your statement is the lack of recognition of the antecedents to those albums that you mention. We can all nominate the five most influential albums, but where do you begin and where do you end?
Aren't all your artists caucasian? Can we really say that Chuck Berry or ( insert name of any noteworthy artist - black or white - that you havent mentioned who pre dates the artists that you mention> didnt influence their successors? There is a line in the film The Commitments where one character says
'Who are your influences?"
Did the artists that you mention spontaneously invent new directions, or is all music necessarily derivative of what came before? I have London Calling on a 12" single and the LPs scattered on the floor around the record player suggest that the Clash acknowledged a debt to The Beatles, The Sex Pistols, Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan.
"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.
<ring ring>
<click>
Adele: Hello.
Leonard Cohen: And who shall I say is calling?
Paul Simon: Al.
Joe Strummer: London.
Carly Rae Jepson: Maybe.
Proclivities wrote:
<click>
Adele: Hello.
Leonard Cohen: And who shall I say is calling?
Paul Simon: Al.
Joe Strummer: London.
Carly Rae Jepson: Maybe.
Proclivities wrote:
I get it...Zombies of death.
Bill...you old clever dog you...
Bill...you old clever dog you...
Too strong 
Engines stop running, the Wheaties grow thin
Not sure its "overplayed" but certainly a 10 any day of the week imho.
Not sure how you give it a 10 but say it's overplayed. Gotta thinka about that some more. Maybe you are onto something.
Redpoint wrote:
Redpoint wrote:
Man is this one overplayed song...
Solid 10 though.
Solid 10 though.
Not sure how you give it a 10 but say it's overplayed. Gotta thinka about that some more. Maybe you are onto something.
Redpoint wrote:
Redpoint wrote:
Man is this one overplayed song...
Solid 10 though.
Solid 10 though.
Not again. What are they trying to sell this time?
Ah, the Clash. amateurs yes but their bad poetry sprung from genuine feeling
Redpoint wrote:
Humble opinion alert!!
Is it a problem to overplay a song that you love?And what is the definition of "overplayed"?
Man is this one overplayed song...
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"?
Skydog wrote:
Yah... No. It's still a good line. Beatlemania was completely lame.
"Phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust" was a good line in 1979,
2016 not so much
2016 not so much
Yah... No. It's still a good line. Beatlemania was completely lame.
Man is this one overplayed song...
Solid 10 though.
Proclivities wrote:
Cueburned wrote:
The Clash. Another band which in hindsight is still not really anything more dangerous than a pretty good pop/rock band. In the US, radio treated them as RADICALS. Barely got FM radio play in most places. (well, with the exception of rock the cashbox). Re-listening to some of my old vinyl there are many tracks better than this one. Too bad this is the one that got encoded onto our cultural DNA. Still. thanks to the Clash and for that matter Brit pop in the 80's for saving us from more Olivia Newton John.
Any reason it needs to be 'dangerous'? This is social commentary. It's not supposed to be 'dangerous' . Make people think, sure. At the time this was radical because the UK at the time was in severe crisis. Youth had never felt so disenfranchised. Of course, now it's the norm... ;)The Clash. Another band which in hindsight is still not really anything more dangerous than a pretty good pop/rock band. In the US, radio treated them as RADICALS. Barely got FM radio play in most places. (well, with the exception of rock the cashbox). Re-listening to some of my old vinyl there are many tracks better than this one. Too bad this is the one that got encoded onto our cultural DNA. Still. thanks to the Clash and for that matter Brit pop in the 80's for saving us from more Olivia Newton John.
With apologies, this set has caused me to mash the mute button.
First emphasis is on girl
One of my all time favorite albums but I always seem to skip this song. Overplayed I guess. Love to here more of the deeper cuts.
"Phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust" was a good line in 1979,
2016 not so much
2016 not so much
Ölf Pointz from Germany
A most excellent song, and another that has survived over-use in adverts (to use the British-ism).
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.
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.
I have to get one of these shirts!
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:
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 recently went to a 70/80s party with Mrs Poacher and we both went as punks.
I wore a Mohican and other punkie stuff. . . and this t-shirt. . . I thought it was apt.
I wore a Mohican and other punkie stuff. . . and this t-shirt. . . I thought it was apt.
SeriousLee wrote:
Lee:
I was, and it was great.
I guess you had to be there.
Lee:
I was, and it was great.
OK, London Calling does not work right after Santana's Soul Sacrifice. Totally screws up the great mood from before. 
zedstation wrote:
agreed!
This double album is loaded with great tracks, one after the other; why is most radio airplay limited to playing the same 2-3?
agreed!
Lets party, oh wait it is Sunday morning, I don't do that anymore.
joe-1 wrote:
Could actually be both "error" and "era", depending on interpretation.
Era isn't pronounced anything like error in English English.
Could actually be both "error" and "era", depending on interpretation.
Era isn't pronounced anything like error in English English.
This double album is loaded with great tracks, one after the other; why is most radio airplay limited to playing the same 2-3?
I loved this stuff back then.
Nowadays, I much prefer Joe and the Mescaleros
Nowadays, I much prefer Joe and the Mescaleros
I guess you had to be there.
Great on so many diferent levels. Thanks Clash and Joe Strummer. Prophetic in so many different levels.
I love this album, but especially starting with 'Jimmy Jazz', the third track. For whatever reason, this song and 'Brand New Cadillac' sound kind of depressing yo me.
Lrobby99 wrote:
You best heed Joe's advice:
Come out of the cupboard, you boys and girls!
Never did understand the attraction to this group.
You best heed Joe's advice:
Come out of the cupboard, you boys and girls!
This album was released 35 years ago today! Thanks Bill! 
Lrobby99 wrote:
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..
MrsTom wrote:
"a nuclear error" or era?
I hear it as "error". Never did understand the attraction to this group. 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..
joe-1 wrote:
Could actually be both "error" and "era", depending on interpretation.
Error. The cold war era was still in full swing at the time.
Could actually be both "error" and "era", depending on interpretation.
Error. The cold war era was still in full swing at the time.
This song never gets outdated. Brilliant!!!! Cheers from the UK! We love radio paradise!
I recently went to a 70/80s party with Mrs Poacher and we both went as punks.
I wore a Mohican and other punkie stuff. . . and this t-shirt. . . I thought it was apt.
I wore a Mohican and other punkie stuff. . . and this t-shirt. . . I thought it was apt.
One of the classics, and still great decades later!
now get this 
Lrobby99 wrote:
Could actually be both "error" and "era", depending on interpretation.
MrsTom wrote:
I hear it as "error". Never did understand the attraction to this group.
"a nuclear error" or era?
I hear it as "error". Never did understand the attraction to this group.
Could actually be both "error" and "era", depending on interpretation.
MrsTom wrote:
I hear it as "error". Never did understand the attraction to this group.
"a nuclear error" or era?
I hear it as "error". Never did understand the attraction to this group.
"a nuclear error" or era?
bless you for this!
Bill:
Lotta this album lately, not that there's anything wrong with that.
Lotta this album lately, not that there's anything wrong with that.
bronorb wrote:
...we always hurt the ones we love...
CTS wrote:
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.
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...
Not my favorite song of theirs, yet still better than 92% of the rest of the music out there. Well done, The Clash.
10 + for mebravo........
powerianaaaaaaa
bravo..
lk
powerianaaaaaaa
bravo..
lk
drivingunit103 wrote:
This.
...never enough Clash...
This.
Song & Band 10+ Chingachgook wrote:
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!
Always loved the photo, but never made the Elvis connection. Thanks! Makes it even cooler.
Love the clash. Too bad the were kind of short lived. Chingachgook wrote:
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.
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.
prickelpit96 wrote:
One of the best songs ever,.
Will there ever be a time where this song will be overplayed?
Don't think so.
NEVERDon't think so.
One of the best songs ever,.
stuarta2301 wrote:
:-) wild days those days:-)
Top tune, takes me back 30 years to my yoof!
:-) wild days those days:-)
Will there ever be a time where this song will be overplayed?
Don't think so.
Don't think so.
Top tune, takes me back 30 years to my yoof!
RedTruk wrote:
The brilliant Elvis parody was clearly lost on you then!
Great song, helpless wimp album cover.
The brilliant Elvis parody was clearly lost on you then!
...never enough Clash...
Yes, I know The Clash is a great band, but I'm so sick of this bloody song! Blah! Blah! Blah! 
oh yeah ! Clash on radio ! Really love it !
thanks for that !
ps: "lost in a supermarket" 's too a great song in this album
thanks for that !
ps: "lost in a supermarket" 's too a great song in this album
Gotta get this disk.
Great song, helpless wimp album cover.
Bleyfusz wrote:
Oh, just let the punks become famous and make real good money, and we'll see....
Oh, just let the punks become famous and make real good money, and we'll see....
CTS wrote:
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.
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.
Right up there with ROCK THE CASBAH! at the top of the Best Rock Songs Ever list...and few rockers had such amazing delivery, or were so dang FUN to imitate in sing-along as Joe, God rest his rocking soul... ("and everybody says, 'Is he all right?' and everybody says, 'What's he like?' and everybody says, 'He sure looks funny' — 'at's 'at MontGOM'ry CLIFT, honey!")