History Music / LondonCalling

''London Calling'' is the third studio album by Music/TheClash, released in late 1979. It is arguably their most popular and most critically acclaimed album, and it established the band as one of the most diverse and talented PostPunk artists in the world. The songs drew from styles as diverse as {{Jazz}}, {{Ska}}, and {{Rockabilly}}, the latter of which led to the font of the album cover to be similar to Music/ElvisPresley's [[ElvisPresleyTheAlbum debut]]. Critics agree that the band [[GrowingTheBeard grew the beard]] around this time and presented their music with insight and maturity, without alienating the record from much of their young fanbase.

* EpicRocking: The 5½ minute "Revolution Rock".

'''''London Calling''''' is the third studio album by Music/TheClash, released in late 1979. It is arguably their most popular and most critically acclaimed album, and it established the band as one of the most diverse and talented PostPunk artists in the world. The songs drew from styles as diverse as {{Jazz}}, {{Ska}}, and {{Rockabilly}}, the latter of which led to the font of the album cover to be similar to Music/ElvisPresley's [[ElvisPresleyTheAlbum debut]]. Critics agree that the band [[GrowingTheBeard grew the beard]] around this time and presented their music with insight and maturity, without alienating the record from much of their young fanbase.

The result effectively demonstrated The Clash's ability to [[EvolvingMusic evolve rapidly and successfully]]. ''London Calling'' is the subject of the book [[http://www.marcusgray.co.uk/clash/ ''Route 19 Revisited: The Clash and the Making of'' London Calling]] by Marcus Gray, who exhaustively compiled interviews and information about the record in order to provide a new appreciation for The Clash and its work. ''Magazine/TimeMagazine'' included the album in their [[TimeAllTime100Albums 2006 list of 100 timeless and essential albums]], and it is listed at #8 in Magazine/RollingStone's [[Music/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time]] and at #39 on ''Magazine/{{NME}}'s'' list of the same name.

'''''London Calling''''' is the third studio album by Music/TheClash, released in late 1979. It is arguably their most popular and most critically acclaimed album, which established the band as one of the most diverse and talented PostPunk artists in the world. The songs drew from styles as diverse as {{Jazz}}, {{Ska}}, and {{Rockabilly}}, the latter of which led to the font of the album cover to be similar to Music/ElvisPresley's [[ElvisPresleyTheAlbum debut]]. Critics agree that the band [[GrowingTheBeard grew the beard]] around this time and presented their music with insight and maturity, without alienating the record from much of their young fanbase.

The band began to take the recording sessions pretty seriously, and would spend long hours in the studio working on each track. Motivated to remain true to a PunkRock aesthetic while branching out toward newer styles, Joe Strummer and Mick Jones drew from more personal accounts and dynamic musicality rather than the signature [[ProtestSong protest songs]] with which they had been associated. While maintaining solid political stances in songs such as "London Calling" and "Spanish Bombs", other songs such as "Death or Glory" and "Clampdown" speak to youth to fight for individuality, against the heavy consumerism of the time. The result demonstrated The Clash's ability to [[EvolvingMusic evolve rapidly and successfully]] and effectively both [[TropeCodifier codify]] and [[UnintentionalPeriodPiece display the accessibility]] of {{Punk}} in the mainstream.

It is the subject of the book [[http://www.marcusgray.co.uk/clash/ ''Route 19 Revisited: The Clash and the Making of'' London Calling]] by Marcus Gray, who exhaustively compiled interviews and information about the record in order to provide a new appreciation for The Clash and its work. ''Magazine/TimeMagazine'' included the album in their [[TimeAllTime100Albums 2006 list of 100 timeless and essential albums]], and it is listed at #8 in Magazine/RollingStone's [[Music/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time]] and at #39 on ''Magazine/{{NME}}'s'' list of the same name.

* TakeThat: "[[Music/{{Wings}} Phony Beatlemania]] has bitten the dust", from "London Calling", which refers to Music/PaulMcCartney's failed attempt to remain as popular with ''Music/{{Wings}}'' as ''Music/TheBeatles''. However, this later led to some UnfortunateImplications after Music/JohnLennon was shot and killed the following year.

* TakeThat: "[[Music/{{Wings}} Phony Beatlemania]] has bitten the dust", from "London Calling". This later led to some UnfortunateImplications after Music/JohnLennon was shot and killed the following year.

* StepfordConsumer:

'''''London Calling''''' is the third studio album by Music/TheClash, released in late 1979. It is arguably their most popular and most critically acclaimed album, which established the band as one of the most diverse and talented PostPunk artists in the world. The songs drew from styles as diverse as {{Jazz}}, {{Ska}}, and {{Rockabilly}}, the latter of which led to the font of the album to be similar to Music/ElvisPresley's [[ElvisPresleyTheAlbum debut]].

The band began to take music pretty seriously around this time, and would spend long hours working on each track. Motivated to remain true to a PunkRock aesthetic while branching out toward newer styles, Joe Strummer and Mick Jones drew from more personal accounts and dynamic musicality rather than the signature [[ProtestSong protest songs]] with which they had been associated. While maintaining solid political stances in songs such as "London Calling" and "Spanish Bombs", other songs such as "Death or Glory" and "Clampdown" speak to youth to fight for individuality, against the heavy consumerism of the time. The result demonstrated The Clash's ability to [EvolvingMusic evolve rapidly and successfully]] and effectively both [[TropeCodifier codify]] and [[UnintentionalPeriodPiece display the accessibility]] of {{Punk}} in the mainstream.

The band began to take music pretty seriously around this time, and would spend long hours working on each track. Motivated by Due to ''London Calling's'' release in the UK in December 1979, and its American counterpart's release a month later, the album effectively straddles two decades, so most critics are split whether to incorporate it in the latter or former decade. This split, nevertheless, speaks to The Clash's ability to [[EvolvingMusic evolve rapidly and successfully]] and effectively both [[TropeCodifier codify]] and [[UnintentionalPeriodPiece demonstrate the accessibility]] of {{Punk}} in the mainstream.

'''''London Calling'''''' is the third studio album by Music/TheClash, released in late 1979. It is arguably their most popular and most critically acclaimed album, which established the band as one of the most diverse and talented PostPunk artists in the world. The songs drew from styles as diverse as {{Jazz}}, {{Ska}}, and {{Rockabilly}}, the latter of which led to the font of the album to be similar to Music/ElvisPresley's [[ElvisPresleyTheAlbum debut]].

*

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[[caption-width-right:350:''"London calling, at the top of the dial/And after all this, won't you give me a smile?"'']]

''London Calling'' is the third studio album by Music/TheClash, released in late 1979. It is arguably their most popular and most critically acclaimed album. It's become one of the essential albums of the 1970's. It's the subject of the book ''[[http://www.marcusgray.co.uk/clash/ Route 19 Revisited: The Clash and the Making of ''London Calling'']] by Marcus Gray.

Magazine/TimeMagazine included the album in their [[TimeAllTime100Albums 2006 list of 100 timeless and essential albums]] and it was listed at #8 in Magazine/RollingStone's [[Music/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time]].

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[[AC: Side Two]]

[[AC: Side Three]]

[[AC: Side Four]]

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!! Bonus Tracks (The Vanilla Tapes):

* AdvertOverloadedFuture: Consumerism is criticized in numerous tracks on this album.

--> ''Did you stand by me?''
--> ''No, not at all''
--> ''Did you stand by me?''
--> ''No way''

--> ''You can crush us''
--> ''You can bruise us''
--> ''But you'll have to answer to''
--> ''Oh, the guns of Brixton''
--> ''When they kick at your front door''
--> ''How you gonna come?''
--> ''With your hands on your head''
--> ''Or on the trigger of your gun?''

--> ''When they kick down your front door, how you gonna come''
--> ''With your hands on your head or on the trigger of your gun?''

* EasterEgg: An accidental one. "Train in Vain" was meant to be released as a promo for NME magazine. When that fell through, they quickly added it to ''London Calling'' after the packaging had already been printed. As a result, "Train in Vain" wasn't listed on the album cover. This didn't stop it from becoming one of the band's best-known songs.
** A more deliberate version from the same album: Alongside the usual [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matrix_number matrix number]], the double LP had a message etched into the run-out grooves one word at a time: "TEAR... DOWN... THE... WALLS!"

* GratuitousSpanish: "Yo te quiera infinito, yo te quiera, oh mi corazón", from "Spanish Bombs".
* TheGreatFlood: London is flooding in "London Calling".
* ImmediateSelfContradiction: The odd line in "London Calling"
--> ''A nuclear error, but I have no fear''
--> '''Cause London is drowning and I, I live by the river!''

* LyricalDissonance:
** "Death Or Glory" is an upbeat little number about, uh, how even the toughest rebels eventually sell out.

* NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly: The album might be the most literal example, with all kinds of stylistic variations.

* ProductPlacement: "Brand New Cadillac" and "Koka Kola".
* RefrainFromAssuming: The "Stand by me" chorus of "Train in Vain" got so bad that in the States the single was released as "Train in Vain (Stand by Me)." The song itself is a last-minute addition and was not featured at the track listing, which makes things worse.
* RockersSmashGuitars: Paul Simonon smashes his bass on the album cover.

--> ''You see, he feels like Ivan''
--> ''Born under the Brixton sun''
--> ''His game is called survivin' ''
--> ''At the end of "The Harder They Come"''

--> ''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''
* TakeThat: "[[Music/{{Wings}} Phony Beatlemania]] has bitten the dust", from "London Calling".

'''''London Calling''''' is the third studio album by Music/TheClash, released in late 1979. It is arguably their most popular and most critically acclaimed album. It's become one of the essential albums of the 1970's. It's the subject of the book ''[[http://www.marcusgray.co.uk/clash/ Route 19 Revisited: The Clash and the Making of ''London Calling'']] by Marcus Gray.

* CoverVersion: "Brand New Cadillac", by '50s rockers Vince Taylor and His Playboys, "Wrong 'Em Boyo" by The Rulers, "Revolution Rock" by Danny Ray and the Revolutionaries. "Rudy Can't Fail" opens with a couple of verses of the traditional "Stagger Lee".

Together with ''Music/{{Sandinista}}'' it's often seen as their MagnumOpus. Magazine/TimeMagazine included the album in their [[TimeAllTime100Albums 2006 list of 100 timeless and essential albums]] and it was listed at #8 in Magazine/RollingStone's [[Music/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time]].

* EpicRocking: The 5 1/2 minute "Revolution Rock".

* GratuitousSpanish: "Yo te quiera infinito, yo te quiera, oh mi corazón", from "Spanish Bombs"

!!Tropes Calling:

Together with ''Music/{{Sandinista}}'' it's often seen as their MagnumOpus. Magazine/TimeMagazine included the album in their [[TimeAllTime100Albums 2006 list of 100 timeless and essential albums]] and it was listed at nr. #8 in Magazine/RollingStone's [[Music/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time]].

** "The Guns of Brixton" makes reference to Film/TheHarderTheyCome which stars reggae singer and Clash influence Jimmy Cliff.

'''''London Calling''''' is the third studio album by Music/TheClash, released in 1979. It is arguably their most popular and most critically acclaimed album. It's become one of the essential albums of the 1970's. It's the subject of the book ''[[http://www.marcusgray.co.uk/clash/ Route 19 Revisited: The Clash and the Making of ''London Calling'']] by Marcus Gray.

* ShoutOut: The typographic design on the album cover is a shout-out to the debut album ''[[Music/ElvisPresleyTheAlbum Elvis Presley]] (1956)'' by Music/ElvisPresley.

*** Punk cover band, Me First and The Gimme Gimmes "borrows" the London Calling riff for their cover of [[Music/TheTurtles "Elenore"]]

** "The Guns of Brixton makes reference to Film/TheHarderTheyCome which stars reggae singer and Clash influence Jimmy Cliff.

* TitleTrack: It's the only Clash album that has one.