Comments on: London Calling as a Single LP

By: GSS

GSS — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 23:49:03 +0000

I dunno man. Koka Kola is some pretty high quality filler.

But I take your point. The good tracks are kind of concentrated on the first 2 sides.

By: Glenn Evans

Glenn Evans — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 22:15:43 +0000

Y’see, the thing about ‘London Calling’ is that it is ALREADY a great single album (in my opinion). I just never play album two. Since it came out I have regularly played sides 1 and 2 and I love every track but I stopped playing sides 3 and 4 after a few weeks and didn’t hear them again for years – until the CD came out. Then I gave tracks 11-19 another go and after twenty years they still sound like filler. Personally, I think the only reason ‘Train in Vain’ sounds reasonably ok is that it comes after all the filler before it…put it next to the title track, ‘Clampdown’, ‘Hateful’ – anything on sides 1 and 2 really – and it doesn’t stack up. So, given that the Clash insisted that LC retail at single LP price, I’ve always thought of it as a single album with a kind of bonus LP of filler thrown in.

By: kpunk

kpunk — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:27:52 +0000

As for ‘London Calling,’ I can cut 3-4 songs, but can’t get it down to a single album without losing some gems. The first two sides are near perfect, while the last two could only use a little trimming. Nope, can’t get it down to a single album unless it is a long album.

By: kpunk

kpunk — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:24:19 +0000

‘Lose this Skin’ is a toss-up.
But I still maintain ‘Kingston Advice’ is the most under-appreciated song on the album. A definite keeper.

By: Janet

Janet — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 19:03:38 +0000

Oh, to you (Steve-You). Although I have the same weird, warm feelings toward Lose This Skin.

By: GSS

GSS — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 23:16:56 +0000

???

Are you talking to me or Dan?

By: Janet

Janet — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 03:07:02 +0000

See, I’m basically too drunk to argue. So ok. You’re right. About everything.
Now that was easy, wasn’t it?

By: dan

dan — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:06:30 +0000

By: dan

dan — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:05:13 +0000

Sandinista the single album…

Side 1:
Magnificent 7
Hitsville Uk
Somebody Got Murdered
One More Time
One More Dub

Side 2:
The Street Parade
Police On My Back
Something About England
Washington Bullets
Lose This Skin
The Call Up

…would have been one of the greatest LPs in the history of LPs. I was also tempted to add Lose This Skin. While I understand that by any objective standard it is dreadful, I have a strange fondness for it. Fuck it, it’s going in.