This was the second CBS single, and I've read that they released it without the Clash's permission.
The song failed to hit the chart after the minor chart success of White Riot.
A - Remote Control
B - London's Burning (Live)
Friday Night Music Club Vol 103
2 hours ago
4 comments:
They said release 'Remote Control'
But we didn't want it on the label
They said, "Fly to Amsterdam"
The people laughed but the press went mad
Ooh ooh ooh someone's really smart
Ooh ooh ooh complete control, that's a laugh
On the last tour my mates couldn't get in
I'd open up the back door but they'd get run out again
At every hotel we was met by the Law
Come for the party - come to make sure!
Ooh ooh ooh have we done something wrong?
Ooh ooh ooh complete control, even over this song
They said we'd be artistically free
When we signed that bit of paper
They meant let's make a lotsa mon-ee
An' worry about it later
Ooh ooh ooh I'll never understand
Ooh ooh ooh complete control - lemme see your other hand!
All over the news spread fast
They're dirty, they're filthy
They ain't gonna last!
This is Joe Public speaking
I'm controlled in the body, controlled in the mind
Total
C-o-n control - that means you!
The Clash/Complete Control
Says It all really.
:)
This is gonna sound dumb :)
Despite having played Complete control a thousand times (at least) and it being my favourite Clash track, I've never read the lyrics before and I'm amazed how many lines I thought were something else.
Then again I could probably say the same about most of my fave tracks!! great music seems to overcome a lack of understanding of the lyrics.
Although I think I know every Billy Bragg lyric off by heart (he sings slowly with my accent) :)
Hi asbo,
If you've not read it, I really got to recomend Pat Gilbert's 'Passion Is A Fashion' brilliant book on The Clash & probably one of the best books i've read on any band.
My fave bit in the book is his alternate track list for what he thinks the second Clash LP should have been, as he puts it 'creating a natural bridge between The Clash & London Calling' & it goes,
Safe European Home
White Man
Groovy Times
Gates Of The West
One Emotion
Tommy Gun
Stay Free
Juile's Been Working
Last Gang In Town
All The Young Punks
Pressure Drop
If only he'd produced.
I've done a similar thing with Sandista. Which works a treat. I'll have to post some day. :)
J
Sandinista was great in parts but as a teenager at the time 3 LP's were too much for the attention span so I mainly played disc 1 as it had my favourite tracks on :)
By the time I finally bought "the Clash LP" (had been listening to a taped copy) it came with a free single with Groovy times and Gates of the West on it, so always think of those as being part of the original.
Not a bad choice though for the 2nd album, although I really like English Civil War so I'd still include that over One Emotion.
Will have a look for that book, don't do enough reading ;)
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