The Clash - London Calling

The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly. For most of their recording career, The Clash consisted of Joe Strummer (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Mick Jones (lead guitar, vocals), Paul Simonon (bass guitar, backing vocals, occasional lead vocals) and Nicky "Topper" Headon (drums, percussion). Headon left the group in 1982, and internal friction led to Jones's departure the following year. The group continued with new members, but finally disbanded in early 1986.

The Clash achieved commercial success in the United Kingdom with the release of their debut album, The Clash, in 1977. Their third album, London Calling, released in the UK in December 1979, brought them popularity in the United States when it came out there the following month. Critically acclaimed, it was declared the best album of the 1980s a decade later by Rolling Stone magazine.

The Clash's politicized lyrics, musical experimentation and rebellious attitude had a far-reaching influence on rock, alternative rock in particular. They became widely referred to as "The Only Band That Matters", originally a promotional slogan introduced by the group's record label, CBS. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked The Clash number 30 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

In August and September 1979, The Clash recorded the double album London Calling. It was a mix of punk rock, reggae, ska, rockabilly, traditional rock and roll and other elements possessed of an energy that had hardly flagged since the band's early days and more polished production.
It is regarded as one of the greatest rock albums ever recorded. The cover of the album, based on the cover of Elvis Presley's self-titled 1956 debut LP, became one of the best known in the history of rock. Its image of Simonon smashing his bass guitar was later cited as the "best rock 'n roll photograph of all time" by Q magazine.
London Calling, 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 ...", that 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" to the incident at Three Mile Island, which occurred earlier in 1979 in Pennsylvania.
Strummer's lyrics also discuss the problems of rising unemployment, racial conflict and drug use in Britain. It reached number 11 on the UK Singles Chart.The song's music video, directed by Letts, featured the band performing the song on a boat in the pouring rain with the River Thames behind them. In the US, "Train in Vain" backed with "London Calling" was released as a single in February 1980. It reached number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
Over the years, "London Calling" has become regarded by many critics as the band's finest. In 2004, Rolling Stone rated the song as #15 in its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, the highest position of the band and of any punk rock song.