This Is Radio Clash: Difference between revisions

"This Is Radio Clash"
"This Is Radio Clash"
Single by The Clash
B-side	"Radio Clash"
Released	20 November 1981 (U.K.)
Recorded	1981
Genre	Rap rock; funk;
Length	4:10
Label	CBS
Songwriter(s)	Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Topper Headon
Producer(s)	The Clash
The Clash singles chronology

Browse history interactively

← Previous edit

Content deleted Content added

VisualWikitext

Inline

Latest revision as of 16:56, 4 June 2023

"This Is Radio Clash" is a song by the English punk rock band the Clash. It was released as a single in November 1981 on various formats. The song was performed live before its release, beginning with the Impossible Mission Tour of April and May 1981.^{[citation needed]} A live performance was also televised on Tom Snyder's Tomorrow show on 5 June 1981.^{[citation needed]}

The song received mixed reviews from critics, who were hoping The Clash would return to its anarchic punk roots. Despite the mixed reviews, the song received some praise for its experimental nature and the Clash's signature anti-authoritarian political lyrics. As well as the previous Clash single (The Magnificent Seven), "This is Radio Clash" also continued the Clash's genre experiments with Rap rock and funk, which had broken through the American markets.

Release

7-inch single

The 7-inch single also contains a B-side titled simply "Radio Clash", which is a remix of the title track with additional lyrics. The Clash stated at the time that they intended the songs to be heard as a single entity.^{[citation needed]} The two recordings have the same playing time.

"This Is Radio Clash" begins with the lyric:

"This is Radio Clash on pirate satellite
Orbiting your living room, cashing in the bill of rights."

"Radio Clash" begins with:

"This is Radio Clash resuming all transmissions
Beaming from the mountain tops, using aural ammunition."

On some versions of the Super Black Market Clash CD, the B-side "Radio Clash" is included, but incorrectly listed as "This Is Radio Clash". The same error was repeated on the US version of the 2003 collection The Essential Clash.

12-inch single

On side one of the 12-inch single, "This Is Radio Clash" is followed by "Radio Clash". Side two contains two additional remixes of the title track: "Outside Broadcast" and "Radio Five". In 2006, a CD compilation called Singles Box was released which collected all four versions in the same order with original cover art.

Legacy

American critic Eric Schafer described the song as "a magnificent, daring, challenging record that was years ahead of its time; one of the great rock records of the 1980s, it has never been given its just credit. Twenty-eight years after its debut, were it released today it would still burn up the radio."^[3]

The song is not featured on any of the Clash's original studio albums, but is included on their compilations The Story of the Clash, Volume 1 (1988), Clash on Broadway (1991), The Singles (1991), Sound System (2013), Singles Box (2006) and The Singles (2007). The song is included on the experimental compilation album called Disco Not Disco 2 (2002), as well as the radio soundtrack in the video game Battlefield Hardline (2015). The song was also briefly featured in season 2, episode 4 of Stranger Things.

Track listing

All tracks written and composed by The Clash (Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Topper Headon).

7" vinyl

"This Is Radio Clash" – 4:12
"Radio Clash" – 4:12

12" vinyl / Cassette

"This Is Radio Clash" – 4:12
"Radio Clash" – 4:12
"Outside Broadcast" – 7:23
"Radio 5" – 3:38

Personnel

The Clash

Joe Strummer – vocal, rhythm guitar
Mick Jones – vocal, lead guitar
Paul Simonon – bass guitar
Topper Headon – drums

Additional musician

Gary Barnacle – saxophones

Charts

Year	Chart	Peak position
1981	UK Singles Chart	47
1982	Australia (ARIA)^[4]	40
1982	New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[5]	28
1982	Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[6]	9
1982	US Billboard Club Play Singles^[7]	17
1982	US Mainstream Rock^[7]	45

Notes

^ Aaron, Charles (11 February 2014). "Rap-Rock: From 'Punk Rock Rap' to Mook Nation". Spin. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
^ Popoff, Martin (2018). The Clash: All the Albums, All the Songs. Voyageur Press. p. 200. ISBN 978-0-76036-426-0.
^ Faulk, Dr Barry; Harrison, Professor Brady (28 April 2014). Punk Rock Warlord: the Life and Work of Joe Strummer. p. 154. ISBN 9781472410559. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
^ "The Clash – This Is Radio Clash". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
^ "The Clash – This Is Radio Clash". Top 40 Singles.
^ "The Clash – This Is Radio Clash". Singles Top 100.
^ ^a ^b The Clash > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles at AllMusic. Retrieved 20 December 2007.

References

Gilbert, Pat (2005) [2004]. Passion Is a Fashion: The Real Story of The Clash (4th ed.). London: Aurum Press. ISBN 1-84513-113-4. OCLC 61177239.
Gray, Marcus (2005) [1995]. The Clash: Return of the Last Gang in Town (5th revised ed.). London: Helter Skelter. ISBN 1-905139-10-1. OCLC 60668626.
Green, Johnny; Garry Barker (2003) [1997]. A Riot of Our Own: Night and Day with The Clash (3rd ed.). London: Orion. ISBN 0-7528-5843-2. OCLC 52990890.
Gruen, Bob; Chris Salewicz (2004) [2001]. The Clash (3rd ed.). London: Omnibus. ISBN 1-903399-34-3. OCLC 69241279.
Needs, Kris (25 January 2005). Joe Strummer and the Legend of the Clash. London: Plexus. ISBN 0-85965-348-X. OCLC 53155325.
Topping, Keith (2004) [2003]. The Complete Clash (2nd ed.). Richmond: Reynolds & Hearn. ISBN 1-903111-70-6. OCLC 63129186.

External links

This Is Radio Clash at MySpace (streamed copy where licensed)
Radio Clash at MySpace (streamed copy where licensed)

[1] Aaron, Charles (11 February 2014). "Rap-Rock: From 'Punk Rock Rap' to Mook Nation". Spin. Retrieved 13 July 2019.

[2] Popoff, Martin (2018). The Clash: All the Albums, All the Songs. Voyageur Press. p. 200. ISBN 978-0-76036-426-0.

[3] Faulk, Dr Barry; Harrison, Professor Brady (28 April 2014). Punk Rock Warlord: the Life and Work of Joe Strummer. p. 154. ISBN 9781472410559. Retrieved 25 October 2016.

[sc_Australia_The_Clash-4] "The Clash – This Is Radio Clash". ARIA Top 50 Singles.

[sc_New_Zealand_The_Clash-5] "The Clash – This Is Radio Clash". Top 40 Singles.

[sc_Sweden_The_Clash-6] "The Clash – This Is Radio Clash". Singles Top 100.

[BillboardSingles-7] The Clash > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles at AllMusic. Retrieved 20 December 2007.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{More footnotes needed|date=February 2022}}
 {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
 {{Use British English|date=December 2012}}
@@ Line 15: / Line 16: @@
 | genre      = {{hlist|[[Rap rock]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/2014/02/rap-rock-mook-nation-charles-aaron-september-2005/|title=Rap-Rock: From 'Punk Rock Rap' to Mook Nation|last=Aaron|first=Charles|date=11 February 2014|website=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|access-date=13 July 2019}}</ref>|[[funk]]<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H1FiDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA200|title=The Clash: All the Albums, All the Songs|last=Popoff|first=Martin|date=2018|publisher=Voyageur Press|isbn=978-0-76036-426-0|page=200|author-link=Martin Popoff}}</ref>}}
 | length     = 4:10
-| label      = [[Columbia Records|CBS]] <small>1797</small>
+| label      = [[Columbia Records|CBS]]
-| writer     = Strummer/Jones/Simonon/Headon
+| writer     = [[Joe Strummer]], [[Mick Jones (The Clash guitarist)|Mick Jones]], [[Paul Simonon]], [[Topper Headon]]
 | producer   = The Clash
 | prev_title = [[The Magnificent Seven (song)|The Magnificent Seven]]
@@ Line 25: / Line 26: @@
 | next_year  = 1982
 }}
-"'''This Is Radio Clash'''" is a song by the English [[punk rock]] band [[the Clash]]. The 1981 [[Single (music)|single]] was issued in 7-inch format and also in [[Twelve-inch single|12-inch]] format and cassette tape with additional tracks.
+"'''This Is Radio Clash'''" is a song by the English [[punk rock]] band [[the Clash]]. It was released as a single in November 1981 on various formats. The song was performed live before its release, beginning with the Impossible Mission Tour of April and May 1981.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}} A live performance was also televised on [[Tom Snyder]]'s ''[[The Tomorrow Show|Tomorrow]]'' show on 5 June 1981.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}
-The first public performance of the song was on [[Tom Snyder]]'s ''[[The Tomorrow Show|Tomorrow]]'' show on 5 June 1981.<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Clash-The-Tomorrow-Show/release/3932958 Discogs - ''The Tomorrow Show'' 7-inch vinyl bootleg]</ref>
+The song received mixed reviews from critics, who were hoping The Clash would return to its anarchic punk roots. Despite the mixed reviews, the song received some praise for its experimental nature and the Clash's signature [[Anti-authoritarianism|anti-authoritarian]] political lyrics. As well as the previous Clash single ([[The Magnificent Seven (song)|The Magnificent Seven]]), "This is Radio Clash" also continued the Clash's genre experiments with [[Rap rock]] and [[funk]], which had broken through the American markets.
-The song is not featured on any of the Clash's original studio albums, but is included in their compilations: ''[[The Singles (1991 The Clash album)|The Singles]]'' (1991), ''[[The Story of the Clash, Volume 1]]'', ''[[Sound System (album)|Sound System]]'', ''[[Singles Box]]'', ''[[The Singles (2007 The Clash album)|The Singles]]'' (2007) and ''[[Clash on Broadway]]''.
+==Release==
-American critic Eric Schafer said this of the song - "it is a magnificent, daring, challenging record that was years ahead of its time; one of the great rock records of the 1980s, it has never been given its just credit.  Twenty-eight years after its debut, were it released today it would still burn up the radio."<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bLujBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA154 |title=Punk Rock Warlord: the Life and Work of Joe Strummer |page=154 |date=2014-04-28 |isbn=9781472410559 |access-date=2016-10-25|last1=Faulk |first1=Dr Barry |last2=Harrison |first2=Professor Brady }}</ref>
+===7-inch single===
+The 7-inch single also contains a B-side titled simply "Radio Clash", which is a [[remix]] of the title track with additional lyrics. The Clash stated at the time that they intended the songs to be heard as a single entity.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}} The two recordings have the same playing time.
-The song is included on the experimental compilation album called ''[[Disco Not Disco 2]]'' (2002) as well as the radio soundtrack in ''[[Battlefield Hardline]]''. The song was also briefly featured in season 2 of ''[[Stranger Things]]'' in episode 4.
-==7-inch release==
-The 7-inch single also contains a B-side titled simply "Radio Clash," which is a [[remix]] of the title track with additional lyrics.  The Clash stated at the time that they intended the songs to be heard as a single entity. The two recordings have the same playing time.
 "This Is Radio Clash" begins with the lyric:
@@ Line 42: / Line 38: @@
 <blockquote> "''This is Radio Clash on pirate satellite<br>Orbiting your living room, cashing in the bill of rights.''"</blockquote>
-And "Radio Clash" begins with:
+"Radio Clash" begins with:
 <blockquote>"''This is Radio Clash resuming all transmissions<br>Beaming from the mountain tops, using aural ammunition."</blockquote>
-The similarities of the A and B-side recordings has led to much confusion not only by fans but also by the record company. On some versions of the ''[[Super Black Market Clash]]'' CD, the B-side "Radio Clash" is included, but incorrectly listed as "This Is Radio Clash". The same error was repeated on the US version of the 2003 collection ''[[The Essential Clash]]''.
+On some versions of the ''[[Super Black Market Clash]]'' CD, the B-side "Radio Clash" is included, but incorrectly listed as "This Is Radio Clash". The same error was repeated on the US version of the 2003 collection ''[[The Essential Clash]]''.
-==12-inch release==
+===12-inch single===
+On side one of the 12-inch single, "This Is Radio Clash" is followed by "Radio Clash". Side two contains two additional remixes of the title track: "Outside Broadcast" and "Radio Five". In 2006, a CD compilation called ''[[Singles Box]]'' was released which collected all four versions in the same order with original cover art.
+==Legacy==
-On side one of the 12-inch single, "This Is Radio Clash" is followed by "Radio Clash".  Side two contains two additional remixes of the title track(s): "Outside Broadcast" and "Radio Five".  In 2006 a CD compilation called  ''[[Singles Box]]'' was released which collected all four versions in the same order with original cover art. This was the first time all four tracks were released together since the original 1981 release.
+American critic Eric Schafer described the song as "a magnificent, daring, challenging record that was years ahead of its time; one of the great rock records of the 1980s, it has never been given its just credit. Twenty-eight years after its debut, were it released today it would still burn up the radio."<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bLujBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA154 |title=Punk Rock Warlord: the Life and Work of Joe Strummer |page=154 |date=2014-04-28 |isbn=9781472410559 |access-date=2016-10-25|last1=Faulk |first1=Dr Barry |last2=Harrison |first2=Professor Brady }}</ref>
+The song is not featured on any of the Clash's original studio albums, but is included on their compilations ''[[The Story of the Clash, Volume 1]]'' (1988), ''[[Clash on Broadway]]'' (1991), ''[[The Singles (1991 The Clash album)|The Singles]]'' (1991),  ''[[Sound System (album)|Sound System]]'' (2013), ''[[Singles Box]]'' (2006) and ''[[The Singles (2007 The Clash album)|The Singles]]'' (2007). The song is included on the experimental compilation album called ''[[Disco Not Disco 2]]'' (2002), as well as the radio soundtrack in the video game ''[[Battlefield Hardline]]'' (2015). The song was also briefly featured in season 2, episode 4 of ''[[Stranger Things]]''.
 ==Track listing==
+All tracks written and composed by The Clash ([[Joe Strummer]], [[Mick Jones (The Clash guitarist)|Mick Jones]], [[Paul Simonon]], [[Topper Headon]]).
+;7" vinyl
-===7-inch===
+# "This Is Radio Clash" – 4:12
-Released in UK with picture sleeve.
+# "Radio Clash" – 4:12
+;12" vinyl / Cassette
-;Side one
-# "This Is Radio Clash" — 4:10
+# "This Is Radio Clash" – 4:12
+# "Radio Clash" – 4:12
+# "Outside Broadcast" – 7:23
+# "Radio 5" – 3:38
+==Personnel==
-;Side two
-# "Radio Clash" — 4:10
+;The Clash
+*[[Joe Strummer]] – vocal, rhythm guitar
+*[[Mick Jones (The Clash guitarist)|Mick Jones]] – vocal, lead guitar
+*[[Paul Simonon]] – bass guitar
+*[[Topper Headon]] – drums
+;Additional musician
-===12-inch===
+*[[Gary Barnacle]] – saxophones
-Released in UK with picture sleeve. Released in Canada with a cover sticker (12EXP 02622).
-;Side one
-# "This Is Radio Clash" — 4:10
-# "Radio Clash" — 4:10
-;Side two
-# "Outside Broadcast" — 7:23
-# "Radio Five" — 3:38
-==Personnel==
-* [[Joe Strummer]] - [[vocal]], [[rhythm guitar]]
-* [[Mick Jones (The Clash)|Mick Jones]] - [[vocal]], [[lead guitar]]
-* [[Paul Simonon]] - [[bass guitar]]
-* [[Topper Headon]] - [[drums]]
-with:
-* [[Gary Barnacle]] - [[saxophones]]
 ==Charts==

v t e The Clash
Joe Strummer Mick Jones Paul Simonon Topper Headon Terry Chimes Keith Levene Rob Harper Pete Howard Nick Sheppard Vince White
Studio albums	The Clash Give 'Em Enough Rope London Calling Sandinista! Combat Rock Cut the Crap
Live albums	From Here to Eternity: Live Live at Shea Stadium
Compilations	Black Market Clash The Story of the Clash, Volume 1 1977 Revisited Clash on Broadway The Singles (1991) Super Black Market Clash The Essential Clash Singles Box The Singles (2007) Sound System The Clash Hits Back 5 Album Studio Set
Extended plays	Capital Radio The Cost of Living
Singles	"White Riot" "Remote Control" "Complete Control" "Clash City Rockers" "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" "Tommy Gun" "English Civil War" "I Fought the Law" "Groovy Times" "London Calling" "Clampdown" "Train in Vain" "Bankrobber" "The Call Up" "Hitsville U.K." "The Magnificent Seven" "This Is Radio Clash" "Know Your Rights" "Should I Stay or Should I Go" "Rock the Casbah" "Straight to Hell" "This Is England" "Return to Brixton"
Other songs	"Career Opportunities" "Capital Radio One" "Garageland" "I'm So Bored with the USA" "Janie Jones" "London's Burning" "Police and Thieves" "Jail Guitar Doors" "Brand New Cadillac" "Death or Glory" "Lost in the Supermarket" "Revolution Rock" "Rudie Can't Fail" "Spanish Bombs" "Junco Partner" "Washington Bullets" "Overpowered by Funk"
Films	Rude Boy Concert for Kampuchea Westway to the World Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten London Town
Related articles	Discography Songs Band members The 101ers London SS Public Image Ltd Big Audio Dynamite Havana 3am The Latino Rockabilly War The Pogues The Mescaleros Carbon/Silicon The Good, the Bad & the Queen Gorillaz Spirit of St. Louis Rock Against Racism The Joe Strummer Foundation Bernard Rhodes Don Letts Alex Michon Caroline Coon Sandy Pearlman Guy Stevens Kosmo Vinyl Mick Gallagher Norman Watt-Roy Tymon Dogg Mikey Dread Ellen Foley Futura 2000
Category