Previous Clash Compilations

[Flex]

Since we're embarking on some new endeavor, thought it might be worth refreshing folks memory on the track listings of those old "Greatest Hits" comps. There are three main GH collections that The Clash released, excluding stuff like Sound System (just about everything), Clash on Broadway (3 disc collection of GHs and Rarities), The Singles (what it says on the tin), (S)BMC (rarities), and stuff like 1977 Revisited (era specific focus). So, here's what we end up with:

The Story of The Clash, vol. 1 (1988)

Disc 1

"The Magnificent Seven" - 4:27 (12" version; original version from Sandinista!, 1980)
"Rock the Casbah" - 3:42 (US single mix; original version from Combat Rock, 1982)
"This Is Radio Clash" - 4:10 (A-side of non-album single, 1981)
"Should I Stay or Should I Go" - 3:06 (from Combat Rock, 1982)
"Straight to Hell" - 5:30 (from Combat Rock, 1982)
"Armagideon Time" - 3:50 (B-side of "London Calling" single, 1979)
"Clampdown" - 3:50 (from London Calling, 1979)
"Train in Vain" - 3:10 (from London Calling, 1979)
"The Guns of Brixton" - 3:12 (from London Calling, 1979)
"I Fought the Law" - 2:35 (from The Cost of Living EP, 1979)
"Somebody Got Murdered" - 3:34 (from Sandinista!, 1980)
"Lost in the Supermarket" - 3:47 (from London Calling, 1979)
"Bankrobber" - 4:31 (A-side of non-album single, 1980)

Disc 2

"(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" - 3:58 (non-album single, 1978)
"London's Burning" - 2:09 (from The Clash, 1977)
"Janie Jones" - 2:04 (from The Clash, 1977)
"Tommy Gun" - 3:14 (from Give 'Em Enough Rope, 1978)
"Complete Control" - 3:12 (non-album single, 1977)
"Capital Radio One" (preceded by Circle Line interview part 2) - 5:18 (from Capital Radio EP, 1977)
"White Riot" - 1:59 (single version, 18 March 1977)
"Career Opportunities" - 1:51 (from The Clash, 1977)
"Clash City Rockers" - 3:57 (non-album single, 1978)
"Safe European Home" - 3:49 (from Give 'Em Enough Rope, 1978)
"Stay Free" - 3:37 (from Give 'Em Enough Rope, 1978)
"London Calling" - 3:19 (from London Calling, 1979)
"Spanish Bombs" - 3:18 (from London Calling, 1979)
"English Civil War" - 2:34 (from Give 'Em Enough Rope, 1978)
"Police & Thieves" - 6:00 (from The Clash, 1977)

The Essential Clash (2003)

Disc 1

"White Riot" – 1:59 (single version, 18 March 1977)
"London's Burning" – 2:10 (from The Clash, 1977)
"Complete Control" – 3:13 (non-album single, 1977)
"Clash City Rockers" (original version) – 3:56 (non-album single, 1978)
"I'm So Bored with the U.S.A." – 2:25 (from The Clash, 1977)
"Career Opportunities" – 1:52 (from The Clash, 1977)
"Hate & War" – 2:05 (from The Clash, 1977)
"Cheat" – 2:06 (from The Clash, 1977)
"Police & Thieves" - 6:00 (from The Clash, 1977)
"Janie Jones" – 2:05 (from The Clash, 1977)
"Garageland" – 3:13 (from The Clash, 1977)
"Capital Radio One" – 2:09 (from Capital Radio EP, 1977)
"(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" – 4:01 (non-album single, 1978)
"English Civil War" - 2:36 (from Give 'Em Enough Rope, 1978)
"Tommy Gun" – 3:17 (from Give 'Em Enough Rope, 1978)
"Safe European Home" – 3:51 (from Give 'Em Enough Rope, 1978)
"Julie's Been Working for the Drug Squad" - 3:04 (from Give 'Em Enough Rope, 1978)
"Stay Free" – 3:40 (from Give 'Em Enough Rope, 1978)
"Groovy Times" – 3:30 (from The Cost of Living EP, 1979)
"I Fought the Law" - 2:39 (from The Cost of Living EP, 1979)

UK version adds "1977" – 1:41 as track 2.

Disc 2

"London Calling" - 3:20 (from London Calling, 1979)
"The Guns of Brixton" - 3:10 (from London Calling, 1979)
"Clampdown" – 3:50 (from London Calling, 1979)
"Rudie Can't Fail" – 3:29 (from London Calling, 1979)
"Lost in the Supermarket" – 3:47 (from London Calling, 1979)
"Jimmy Jazz" – 3:55 (from London Calling, 1979)
"Train in Vain (Stand by Me)" – 3:11 (from London Calling, 1979)
"Bankrobber" – 4:35 (A-side of non-album single, 1980)
"The Magnificent Seven" – 5:33 (from Sandinista!, 1980)
"Ivan Meets G.I. Joe" – 3:07 (from Sandinista!, 1980)
"Police on My Back" - 3:17 (from Sandinista!, 1980) (UK release replaces this recording with "Broadway" – 4:56, between "The Street Parade" and "This is Radio Clash")
"Stop the World" – 2:33 (B-side of non-album single, 1980)
"Somebody Got Murdered" – 3:34 (from Sandinista!, 1980)
"The Street Parade" – 3:29 (from Sandinista!, 1980)
"This Is Radio Clash" (A-side of non-album single, 1981) (on US release this recording is the B-side "Radio Clash", not the A-side "This is Radio Clash") – 4:10
"Ghetto Defendant" – 4:44 (from Combat Rock, 1982)
"Rock the Casbah" – 3:42 (from Combat Rock, 1982)
"Straight to Hell" – 5:30 (from Combat Rock, 1982)
"Should I Stay or Should I Go" – 3:08 (from Combat Rock, 1982)
"This Is England" - 3:50 (from Cut The Crap, 1985)

The Clash Hits Back (2013)

Disc 1

"London Calling" – 3:20 (from London Calling, 1979) (on the US red vinyl release and on digital high-definition releases, this is the 2012 mix)
"Safe European Home" – 3:51 (from Give 'Em Enough Rope, 1978)
"Know Your Rights" – 3:39 (from Combat Rock, 1982)
"(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" – 4:01 (non-album single, 1978)
"Janie Jones" – 2:05 (from The Clash, 1977)
"The Guns of Brixton" – 3:10 (from London Calling, 1979)
"Train in Vain" – 3:11 (from London Calling, 1979)
"Bankrobber" – 4:35 (A-side of non-album single, 1980)
"Wrong 'Em Boyo" – 3:10 (from London Calling, 1979)
"The Magnificent Seven" – 5:33 (from Sandinista!, 1980)
"Police on My Back" – 3:17 (from Sandinista!, 1980)
"Rock the Casbah" – 3:42 (from Combat Rock, 1982)
"Career Opportunities" – 1:52 (from The Clash, 1977)
"Police & Thieves" – 6:00 (from The Clash, 1977)
"Somebody Got Murdered" – 3:34 (from Sandinista!, 1980)
"Brand New Cadillac" – 2:09 (from London Calling, 1979)
"Clampdown" – 3:50 (from London Calling, 1979)

Disc 2

"Ghetto Defendant" – 4:44 (from Combat Rock, 1982)
"Armagideon Time" – 3:50 (B-side of "London Calling" single, 1979)
"Stay Free" – 3:40 (from Give 'Em Enough Rope, 1978)
"I Fought the Law" – 2:39 (from The Cost of Living EP, 1979)
"Straight to Hell" – 5:30 (from Combat Rock, 1982)
"Should I Stay or Should I Go" – 3:08 (from Combat Rock, 1982)
"Garageland" – 3:13 (from The Clash, 1977)
"White Riot" – 1:59 (single version, 18 March 1977)
"Complete Control" – 3:13 (non-album single, 1977)
"Clash City Rockers" – 3:56 (non-album single, 1978)
"Tommy Gun" – 3:17 (from Give 'Em Enough Rope, 1978)
"English Civil War" – 2:36 (from Give 'Em Enough Rope, 1978)
"The Call Up" – 5:25 (from Sandinista!, 1980)
"Hitsville U.K." – 4:20 (from Sandinista!, 1980)
"This Is Radio Clash" – 4:11 (A-side of non-album single, 1981)

I'll leave it to others to slice and dice what's been unfairly excluded/how previous comps have succeeded or failed, but this is what we've gotten from Sony so far.

[BitterTom]

Essential Clash fucked up Sandinista! then.

[deny]

The Essential Clash had some dreadful choices of songs on it IMHO.

[BitterTom]

The Essential Clash had some dreadful choices of songs on it IMHO.

Oh yeah

[Red Angel]

This version of "The Singles" (2007) has a great track-list that is very pleasant to listen to (and is not in chronological order):

https://www.discogs.com/it/The-Clash-Th ... se/1931121

[Marky Dread]

So Flex et all.

I was listening to the Hits Back comp this morning and there is an odd anomaly on ''White Riot'' I've never heard on any other version released before. The track starts with 16 seconds of studio background noise before the siren kicks in.

Have a listen.
https://mega.nz/#!ut9mTSSJ!fLmmIZVNxxrD ... fN9zroCh3w

[Red Angel]

I quote the words from Punky Gibbon about Hits Back: This record is based on Joe's setlist from The Casbah Club UK Tour, Brixton Fairdeal, 10 July 1982. ---> CD1 + CD2 (1-7).
White Riot is the first of the extra tracks outside the setlist (CD2 8-15), I always thought that those extra seconds were put as a separation.

[Marky Dread]

I quote the words from Punky Gibbon about Hits Back: This record is based on Joe's setlist from The Casbah Club UK Tour, Brixton Fairdeal, 10 July 1982. ---> CD1 + CD2 (1-7).
White Riot is the first of the extra tracks outside the setlist (CD2 8-15), I always thought that those extra seconds were put as a separation.

That would make sense if those seconds were separate. They are completely merged with the start of the track as if that's how the master was made before it was edited.

[Inder]

There's similar "extra" stuff on some tracks on one of the newer releases (can't remember if it's one of the singles comps or Sound System) — The Prisoner has a count-in not found in previously released versions etc.

[Marky Dread]

There's similar "extra" stuff on some tracks on one of the newer releases (can't remember if it's one of the singles comps or Sound System) — The Prisoner has a count-in not found in previously released versions etc.

Yes I've just checked and it's on the SS box that The Prisoner has the count-in. Interesting as the alt-take is the version with the count-in.

[Heston]

There's similar "extra" stuff on some tracks on one of the newer releases (can't remember if it's one of the singles comps or Sound System) — The Prisoner has a count-in not found in previously released versions etc.

Yes I've just checked and it's on the SS box that The Prisoner has the count-in. Interesting as the alt-take is the version with the count-in.

I'm pretty sure the alt-take is actually just a different mix.

[Marky Dread]

There's similar "extra" stuff on some tracks on one of the newer releases (can't remember if it's one of the singles comps or Sound System) — The Prisoner has a count-in not found in previously released versions etc.

Yes I've just checked and it's on the SS box that The Prisoner has the count-in. Interesting as the alt-take is the version with the count-in.

I'm pretty sure the alt-take is actually just a different mix.

Apologies that should have read as alt. mix not alt. take.

[Heston]

There's similar "extra" stuff on some tracks on one of the newer releases (can't remember if it's one of the singles comps or Sound System) — The Prisoner has a count-in not found in previously released versions etc.

Yes I've just checked and it's on the SS box that The Prisoner has the count-in. Interesting as the alt-take is the version with the count-in.

I'm pretty sure the alt-take is actually just a different mix.

Apologies that should have read as alt. mix not alt. take.

Gotcha. I'm assuming they had the master reel with the undedited songs on and decided to go with the count in.

[Marky Dread]

There's similar "extra" stuff on some tracks on one of the newer releases (can't remember if it's one of the singles comps or Sound System) — The Prisoner has a count-in not found in previously released versions etc.

Yes I've just checked and it's on the SS box that The Prisoner has the count-in. Interesting as the alt-take is the version with the count-in.

I'm pretty sure the alt-take is actually just a different mix.

Apologies that should have read as alt. mix not alt. take.

Gotcha. I'm assuming they had the master reel with the undedited songs on and decided to go with the count in.

Yes that's it mate. Which leads me to believe that studio sound is on the master reel of White Riot. It also makes me wonder wether this master reel was one of those that was briefly up for sale on Ebay a while back. I also wonder if that's where those different fuller mixes of the Polydor demos came from that appeared after all these years on the SS box.