Happy 45th Anniversary to The Clash’s eponymous debut album The Clash, originally released in the UK April 8, 1977 and in the US July 23, 1979.
To this day, it is difficult to imagine what the punk-rock scene would have been without such an influential powerhouse as The Clash, one of the most prominent driving forces of the punk movement.
Formed in 1976, The Clash would soon become one of the most legendary punk-rock bands in music history. Moving with the motto, "We're anti-Fascist, we're anti-violence, we're anti-racist, and we're pro-creative," the band was at the frontline of the protests and uprisings of the mid-‘70s and early ‘80s, promoting non-conformity, rebellion against oppression and the oppressors, and revolutionary liberal thinking—all themes which were closely associated with the punk genre.
From their early beginnings, The Clash used their music as a powerful medium to deliver their ideological sentiments, advocating for the issues that affected them and their country, articulating incisive depictions of the world and London in the mid-‘70s, referencing drugs, boredom, police brutality, racism, violence, imbued with an underlying no-hope-for-tomorrow feeling. The Clash, indeed, formed during an era of political and social uncertainty in the U.K. and raised the foundations for what punk music should be: a strong, revolutionary statement of liberation and freedom.
Musically, The Clash rejected all of the elements that were in fashion a decade before: the styles, the "goody-goody" attitudes, the peace and love, over-positive philosophy. The band replaced these tropes with uncomfortable truths and short songs filled with strong hooks, catchy guitar lines, fast tempos, delivering poignant, and crucial messages aimed toward promoting social change.
After signing with CBS Records in January 1977, the band commenced recording their eponymous debut album, The Clash, released in the UK on April 8, 1977. Although drawing mainly from rock & roll, the album provides a glimpse of The Clash's signature sound: a volcanic blend of classic rock tunes, reggae, funk, jazz, dub, and hip-hop.
Thematically, The Clash mirrors the worries and frustrations British youth were facing in the ‘70s. Unemployment was a huge concern for many young adults, who feared a hopeless future. On the other hand, the government was perceived as untrustworthy for not having its citizens' best interests at heart. As a result, the youth of the country was furious, and punk culture rose to the occasion to give a voice to the oppressed population.
The Clash's eponymous album represented a staple soundtrack to the new revolution. The songs on the record are short yet intense, explosive, and fueled by rage, sarcasm, and revolutionary connotations. The arrangements are mostly characterized by two electric guitars, bass, and drums, providing proper support to Joe Strummer and Mick Jones' angry vocal delivery.
The album opens with the infectious, syncopated "Janie Jones" filled with lightning-speed, punchy electric guitar lines and scratchy, echoing vocals emphasizing the chorus, "He's in love with Janie Jones." The song is, however, dedicated to pop singer Marion Mitchell, best known as Janie Jones, who, in 1973, was sent to prison for running a prostitution ring. Four years later, The Clash immortalized Jones as a victim of the Establishment hypocrisy, who saw her reputation ripped to shreds by the tabloids.
"Remote Control" is social commentary over jumpy drum kits and screeching electric guitars. The song was inspired by the band's anger at the local governments that kept canceling their shows. The blunt instrumental, the in-your-face vocal delivery, and the humorous, satirical lyrics serve as a protest against various forms of institutionalized oppression: the police, governments in general, and Parliament specifically, while reinforcing the state of misery in lines like, "Big business, it don't like you / It don't like the things you do / You got no money / So you got no power / They think you're useless / And so you are, punk / They had a meeting in Mayfair / They got you down and wanna keep you there / It makes them worried / Their bank accounts / It's all that matters / You don't count."
The rampant "I'm So Bored With The U.S.A" was brought to life as a song about Jones' former girlfriend. However, Strummer suggested ad-libbing "S.A," infusing the track with a whole new meaning and perspective, turning it into a fiery critique of the United States’ treatment of veterans, the economic interference with other countries, and American TV. The song portrays the viewpoint of other U.K. punk bands at the time, and their rejection of exported American culture.
The next song, "White Riot" defined the band's political agenda. On March 31, 1976, The Clash's lead singer Joe Strummer and bassist Paul Simonon joined hundreds of Black youngsters marching against the brutalities and violence perpetrated by police. As a result of the events of that day, the group wrote "White Riot." The song is one of the most powerful on the album, delivering a raw, short message brimming with anger about the oppression of people of color and the resentment toward the white people who refuse to use their privilege to take action and speak up against such racist policing and injustices. "All the power's in the hands / Of the people rich enough to buy it / While we walk the street / Too chicken to even try it."
"Hate & War" portrays the difficult reality of working-class people who spend their lives as victims of the capitalist machine, removed from any source of hope for a better life. The song is a monologue narrated in the first person with The Clash’s trademark authenticity. "Hate & War" deals with some hard truths, mirroring the grim realities of Britain in the ‘70s, which were in direct contrast with the optimism and hope of the ‘60s hippy movement promoting "Peace & Love."
"What’s My Name" offers a brutal depiction of rejection ("I tried to join a ping-pong club / Sign on the door said, 'All full up'"), domestic abuse ("Dad got pissed, so I got clocked"), and a young man’s quest for his identity and social acceptance, reiterated through the question posed in the chorus ("What’s my name?").
Formerly written by guitarist Mick Jones, the next song, "Deny," contains a fierce anti-drug statement—a topic The Clash would revisit in later works (“Then said you'd given it up / Gone an' kicked it in the head / You said you ain't had none for weeks / Baby I seen your arms / Baby I seen your arms”).
The next track, "London Burning," takes its name after the renowned nursery rhyme about the 1666 Great London Fire. "London Burning" explores numerous topics, beginning with a tale of a city dominated by television described as "the new religion," to then offering a glimpse of the punk scene and a light commentary on racial disparities. The core theme of the piece is the disheartening life of people in London, suggesting that such boredom is "burning the city."
The infectious, sung-out-loud "Career Opportunities" criticizes the culture of demonizing unemployed people, assuming that taking a stalemate job would be more beneficial than not having a job at all ("They offered me the office, offered me the shop / They said I'd better take anything they got / Do you wanna make tea at the BBC?"). The song exposes the social stigma linked to being unemployed and the culture of no hope for the people stuck in unsatisfying jobs, as lead guitarist Mick Jones explained during an interview with Caroline Coon in 1976: "There's a social stigma attached to being unemployed. Like 'Social Security Scroungers' every day in the Sun. I don't want to hear that. I cheer them. You go up north and the kids are ASHAMED that they can't get a job."
"Cheat" celebrated the nascent punk aesthetic, delivered with driving rhythm to support Strummer's energetic vocals ("I don't know what can be done about it / If you play the game, you get nothing out of it / Find out for yourself try bein' a goody goody.").
"Protex Blue" is one of the few songs Strummer composed and wrote before joining The Clash. The track—a silly, macho "ode" to one of the then-most popular brands of condoms—adds frivolity to the more serious themes of the previous songs.
The album’s momentum further builds with "Police & Thieves," formerly written by two of the most prominent reggae exponents: Junior Murvin and Lee “Scratch” Perry. "Police & Thieves" soon became one of the most iconic reggae songs of all time and a major hit in the U.K. The lyrics describe the disruption of the relationship between the African Caribbean community and the Jamaican government due to the corruption and violence perpetrated on civilians by the establishment. Given that British police had been accused of institutional racism, the song turned into the soundtrack and anthem for the people protesting the establishment during the Notting Hill Carnival of 1976. After the disastrous end of the Carnival—which was intended to be a celebration of Caribbean culture—Strummer and Simonon, who took part in the march, were inspired to craft a rendition of the piece. The band reworked "Police & Thieves," blending their punk-rock signature sound with reggae influences, to concoct a style then labeled as "punk reggae."
"48 Hours" describes a period stretching from Friday to Sunday evening. The most emblematic, vivid, and relatable line in the song is "Monday is comin' like a jail on wheels."
Closing the album is "Garageland," offering the band's rebuttal to critic Charles Shaar Murray who harshly defined The Clash as "the sort of garage band who should be speedily returned to the garage, preferably with the motor running." Little did he know, the band soon became one of the most acclaimed, legendary punk-rock groups on the planet, which paved the way for many artists to come.
The Clash was only the beginning of the band's illustrious career. The Clash's cultural and musical legacy still stands strong in its historical influence, remaining unmatched and immeasurable. Although forty-five years have passed, the band's debut album feels massively relevant today, standing out as a musical pillar and source of inspiration to take action for the social change we all want to see.
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