London Calling (1979)

"London Calling" is a song by the English rock band the Clash. It was released as a single from the band's 1979 double album of the same name. This apocalyptic, politically charged rant features the band's post-punk sound, electric guitar and vocals.

Writing and recording

The song was written by Joe Strummer and Mick Jones. The title alludes to the BBC World Service's station identification: "This is London calling..." which was used during World War II, often in broadcasts to occupied countries.

The lyrics reflect the concern felt by Strummer about world events with the reference to "a nuclear error" – the incident at Three Mile Island, which occurred earlier in 1979. Joe Strummer has said: "We felt that we were struggling about to slip down a slope or something, grasping with our fingernails. And there was no one there to help us."

The line "London is drowning / And I live by the river" comes from concerns that if the River Thames flooded, most of central London would drown, something that led to the construction of the Thames Barrier which came into operation three years after the song. Strummer references police brutality in the lines "We ain't got no swing / Except for the ring of that truncheon thing" as the Metropolitan Police at the time had a truncheon as standard issued equipment.

The lyrics also reflect desperation of the Clash's situation in 1979 struggling with high debt, without management and arguing with their record label CBS over whether the London Calling album should be a single or double album. The lines referring to "Now don't look to us / Phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust" reflects the concerns of the band over its situation after the punk rock boom in England had ended in 1977.

According to a retrospective assessment by AllMusic critic Donald A. Guarisco, the song "cleverly crossbreeds anthemic hard rock with reggae by juxtaposing slashing, staccato guitar riffs with an undulating rhythm section beat as Strummer lays down a snarling vocal". Guarisco finds that this gives the song "a hypnotic sense of drive."

The song fades out with a Morse code signal spelling S-O-S, reiterating the earlier urgent sense of emergency, and further alluding to drowning in the river.

"London Calling" was recorded at Wessex Studios located in a former church hall in Highbury in North London. This studio had already proved to be a popular location with the Sex Pistols, the Pretenders and the Tom Robinson Band. The single was produced by Guy Stevens and engineered by Bill Price.

Personnel

"London Calling"

Sources:

• Joe Strummer – lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitar
• Mick Jones – lead guitars, backing vocals
• Paul Simonon – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Topper Headon – drums

"Armagideon Time"

• Joe Strummer – lead vocals, piano
• Mick Jones – guitars, sound effects
• Paul Simonon – bass guitar
• Topper Headon – drums, percussion
• Mickey Gallagher – organ

Artwork

Continuing the theme of the retro Elvis Presley-inspired London Calling LP cover, the single sleeve (front and back) is based on old Columbia 78 rpm sleeves. The cover artwork was designed by Ray Lowry and is identical to the Columbia sleeve but with the blank 78 covers from the original changed to classic rock and punk LP sleeves. From left to right they are: the Beatles' debut, Please Please Me; Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols; the Rolling Stones' debut album, The Rolling Stones; the Clash's debut album, The Clash; Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited; and Presley's debut LP, Elvis Presley.

Reissues

The single has several issues, all with different covers. Four are from 1979 (catalogue number: 8087; S CBS 8087; 128087; S CBS 8087). In 1988, a special limited edition boxed set was released, containing three tracks, "London Calling" on side one, "Brand New Cadillac" and "Rudie Can't Fail" on side two, a poster and two badges (catalogue number: CLASH B2). Two were released by CBS Records in 1991 (catalogue number: 656946; 31-656946-22), both with "Brand New Cadillac" on the B-side; the second one has an additional track on side two "Return to Brixton (Jeremy Healy 7" Remix)" (see the table below).

In 2012, on the occasion of the International Record Store Day, a limited edition 7" was released, with a new mix of the song by Mick Jones, and an instrumental version on the B-side.

Chart success and critical reception

"London Calling" was released as the only single from the album in the UK and reached No. 11 on the UK Singles Chart in January 1980, becoming at once the band's highest-charting single until "Should I Stay or Should I Go" hit No. 1 ten years later. The song did not make the U.S. charts, as "Train in Vain" was released as a single and broke the band in the United States, reaching No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 62 in Canada.