The Clash began with guitarist Mick Jones and bassist Paul Simonon in the last days of a band with a truly great name – London S.S. They decided, after going nowhere, it was time to pull the plug and start over. Well, along comes the older Joe Strummer on guitar. There were numerous personnel changes but these three served as the band’s core.The importance of The Clash cannot be overstated. Their Punk Rock showed considerable musical range incorporating various musical styles including Reggae and R&B. They were the lightning rod for the Punk movement preaching revolutionary politics. While they appeared to be chasing the Sex Pistols, by the end of the game, they were far more successful, commercially and artistically. 10. The Guns Of Brixton It was written and sung by bassist Paul Simonon, who grew up in Brixton, South London. The song has a strong Reggae influence, reflecting the culture of the area. Guns Of Brixton 9. Lost In The Supermarket Though credited to the Joe Strummer/Mick Jones songwriting partnership, it written by Strummer with Jones on lead vocals. Lost In The Supermarket 8. Clampdown The song criticizes the capitalist system and young people being slotted in dead-end jobs. “When it got time for us to start leaving school, they took us out on trips to give us an idea of what jobs were available,” commented Simonon. “But they didn’t try to introduce us to anything exciting or meaningful. They took us to the power station and the Navy yards. It was like saying, ‘This is all you guys could ever do’. Some of the kids fell for it.” Clampdown 7. Train In Vain (Stand By Me) “‘Train In Vain” was added after the deal for the band to write a song for an NME (New Musical Express magazine) flexi-disc fell through,” remembered Jones. “We had this spare track we had done as a giveaway. So we put it on “London Calling” but there wasn’t time (to list the track) because the sleeves were already done.” Train in Vain (Stand By Me) 6. I Fought The Law The Clash were in San Francisco working on their second album, “Give ‘Em Enough Rope” when they heard the Bobby Fuller’s original. The Clash’s version helped introduce the band to American audiences. I Fought The Law 5. White Riot The song, about class economics and race, was written after Strummer and Simonon were involved in the riots at the Notting Hill Carnival in 1976. White Riot 4. Should I Stay Or Should I Go “It wasn’t about anybody specific and it wasn’t pre-empting my leaving The Clash,” offered Jones. “It was just a good Rockin’ song, our attempt at writing a classic … When we were just playing, that was the kind of thing we used to like to play.” 3. This Is Radio Clash Released as a single in 1981, the song drew criticism from fans and critics who wanted The Clash to return to its anarchic Punk roots. But it also garnered praise for their anti-authoritarian lyrics and the Rap Rock and Funk elements. This Is Radio Clash 2. Rock The Casbah Drummer Topper Headon had written and recorded the song’s music. But Headon’s soppy, romantic lyrics did not do anything for Strummer. The guitarist crushed the lyric sheet into a ball and chucked it backwards over his head. He then went into the studio’s bathroom and wrote lyrics to match the song’s melody. Rock The Casbah 1. London Calling The title track from the band’s 1979 double album was released as a single and reached #11 in the U.K. The apocalyptic politically charged rant was written by Strummer and Jones. “We felt that we were struggling about to slip down a slope or something, grasping with our fingernails” said Strummer. “And there was no one there to help us.” “This is London calling …”, was used during World War II in broadcasts to occupied European countries. London Calling ### The post The Clash: 10 Best Songs appeared first on RockinTown.