The Ultimate Playlist

Q

Chris Shiflett picks his top ten Clash tunes

This Is Radio Clash
"This song was always on MTV when I was a kid. There's a real mish- mash of things going on in it: an early hip hop influence, rock'n'roll, politics. It's like everything they did rolled up into one."
Get it: The Singles

(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais
"It's eerie, this song. It sounds like a rainy London night to me. I don't even know what the Hammersmith Palais is - as a kid growing up in Santa Barbara and listening to British punk, London seemed like this faraway, mythical place."
Get it: The Singles

The City Of The Dead
"This was just a B-side, but it's great. It's just an upbeat, rocking song, and it bridges the gap between the first album and Give 'Em Enough Rope."
Get it: Super Black Market Clash

Janie Jones
"I love this song because it captures the raw energy of that first album. I remember my older brother buying the first Clash record and the first Sex Pistols record out of curiosity because we'd seen it on the TV news. We played the records and thought they sucked. I don't think my ears were ready."
Get it: The Clash

Lost In The Supermarket
"I remember being on a camping trip in 10th grade and listening to the London Calling album over and over with some friends of mine. I couldn't believe I'd never heard it before. Lost In The Supermarket is one of my favourite songs on it because it just makes me happy. I still get lost in the supermarket now."
Get it: London Calling

Rudie Can't Fail
"I just played this in a covers band with some of the other dads from my son's pre-school. We were playing this Westside LA fundraiser with all these rich, yuppie parents and I had to chuckle to myself because it's as far away from the song's origins as you could go."
Get it: London Calling

The Magnificent Seven
"Occasionally, through the years, I've been known to DJ and this song always gets people moving because it's got that great, four-on-the-floor thing."
Get it: Sandinista!

Bankrobber
"The Clash were always great when they dabbled in reggae, but this one is just a straight-up reggae jam. I don't know if they were the first ones to mix reggae and punk, but they were certainly the biggest - the whole ska punk scene owes a debt to this song."
Get it: The Singles

Straight To Hell
"It's one of the weirder Clash songs, kind of trancey and vibey and spooky sounding. It's one of those songs where you drift off for a minute and start thinking you're in Apocalypse Now."
Get it: Combat Rock

Every Little Bit Hurts
"It's Mick Jones singing a cover of an old soul song and the vibe is so beautiful. I was supposed to play with Mick Jones at a show for Billy Bragg's Jail Guitar Doors recently. I realised Mick had nowhere to plug his guitar in so I gave him my amp and just mimed. My big chance to jam with Mick Jones didn't happen, but it looked like it did."
Get it: Clash On Broadway

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