If Music Could Talk

I know this has been done to death a bit on here but I've been off work this week with flu and was bored shitless so I made my own "Glyn Johns Hatchet Job Mix."

I took my starting point as 6 songs per side. I lost the dubs and alternate versions straight away. This meant losing One More Dub, Mensforth Hill, Silicone On Sapphire, Version Pardner and Shepherds Delight. The next thing to go was everything the Clash never sang on so Career Opportunities, Living In Fame and Lose This Skin got the boot. This left four "proper" songs to get rid of so I ejected Look Here, The Crooked Beat, Lightning Strikes and Junkie Slip.

I then got rid of all the links between the tracks, the faux radio show stuff, the kids singing, the carnival bloke etc and resequenced it as just a bunch of songs. I also made a few edits to some songs. I used the superior single mix of Mag 7 but added the acapella intro from Mag Dance. Up In Heaven loses that screeching train sample that always got on my nerves a bit. The Equaliser loses its dub intro. There's a few other things edited here and there to try and make the whole album sound a bit more commercial, I was kind of putting myself in Glyn Johns' shoes when he heard Rat Patrol.

Sandinista is my favourite Clash album and I'm happy with it as it is, but if anyone harks to hear it in double album form, this may be for you. I've put it on Soundcloud in four parts as if it were four sides of vinyl. Link here...



My tracklisting...

Side One
The Magnificent Seven (edit)
Up In Heaven (Not Only Here) (edit)
Corner Soul
The Leader
One More Time
Charlie Don't Surf

Side Two
Somebody Got Murdered
The Call Up
Hitsville UK
The Equaliser (edit)
Let's Go Crazy (edit)
Something About England

Side Three
Police On My Back
Kingston Advice
The Sound of the Sinners (edit)
Ivan Meets G.I. Joe
Version City (edit)
Broadway (edit)

Side Four
Washington Bullets
Midnight Log
Junco Partner
Rebel Waltz
If Music Could Talk (Left Channel)
The Street Parade

I often wonder if they'd actually released it exactly like that what the critical reception would have been? Nothing could have followed LC, i think, but i dont see how the critics couldnt at least have praised that.

Only quibble would be omission of Lightning Strikes. I love it. Swap it for, um, Midnight Log,say, and I'm all in.

Low Down Low wrote: ↑

27 Feb 2020, 5:00pm

I often wonder if they'd actually released it exactly like that what the critical reception would have been? Nothing could have followed LC, i think, but i dont see how the critics couldnt at least have praised that.

It would have been better, there's no doubt about that. But the press had turned on them in the UK by then, even London Calling got a frosty reception in many parts.

Low Down Low wrote: ↑

27 Feb 2020, 5:02pm

Only quibble would be omission of Lightning Strikes. I love it. Swap it for, um, Midnight Log,say, and I'm all in.

It's the vocal that ruins it for me. Joe is as fantastic on Mag 7 as he is poor on Lightning Strikes. The two songs are so similar but the vocals are streets apart. I wonder if he was having dental trouble at the time because it's just a saliva fest.

Heston wrote: ↑

27 Feb 2020, 5:08pm

Low Down Low wrote: ↑

27 Feb 2020, 5:02pm

Only quibble would be omission of Lightning Strikes. I love it. Swap it for, um, Midnight Log,say, and I'm all in.

It's the vocal that ruins it for me. Joe is as fantastic on Mag 7 as he is poor on Lightning Strikes. The two songs are so similar but the vocals are streets apart. I wonder if he was having dental trouble at the time because it's just a saliva fest.

Funny you mention that because it wasnt until i heard a live version of the song, forget where exactly, that it really clicked for me and thats an instrumental! I still like it well enough but can see vocal is a bit rough.

Heston wrote: ↑

27 Feb 2020, 5:05pm

Low Down Low wrote: ↑

27 Feb 2020, 5:00pm

I often wonder if they'd actually released it exactly like that what the critical reception would have been? Nothing could have followed LC, i think, but i dont see how the critics couldnt at least have praised that.

It would have been better, there's no doubt about that. But the press had turned on them in the UK by then, even London Calling got a frosty reception in many parts.

True and I'm all for the madness of S! anyway so I'm glad it didnt happen. Part of me wishes we got rat patrol as the follow up but maybe that'd have been too much. Anyway going to have a listen to the mix later tonight, great excuse to play the album after a sustained break!

Awesome, will give it a spin this weekend

Well side 1 was awesome. Great to see Charlie moved up to a more prominent position. Side 2 starting now ...

Dig the tracklist and the edits. Nice work!

Sandinista is the gift that keeps on giving.

msza2 wrote: ↑

21 Mar 2020, 11:54am

Dig the tracklist and the edits. Nice work!

Sandinista is the gift that keeps on giving.

Thanks mate.

I missed this first time around and have just listened to it for the first time. A belated thanks John, especially the edits which make sense. Any chance of posting this as individual tracks as a download?

dave202 wrote: ↑

03 May 2021, 1:39pm

I missed this first time around and have just listened to it for the first time. A belated thanks John, especially the edits which make sense. Any chance of posting this as individual tracks as a download?

I have some time through the week and I will try mate. I sequenced it on my digital recorder and have since deleted it to free up space. But I can have a go at splitting the tracks from the Soundcloud files.

Heston wrote: ↑

03 May 2021, 2:05pm

dave202 wrote: ↑

03 May 2021, 1:39pm

I missed this first time around and have just listened to it for the first time. A belated thanks John, especially the edits which make sense. Any chance of posting this as individual tracks as a download?

I have some time through the week and I will try mate. I sequenced it on my digital recorder and have since deleted it to free up space. But I can have a go at splitting the tracks from the Soundcloud files.

Thanks, that would be great, but don't go out of your way.

dave202 wrote: ↑

03 May 2021, 2:12pm

Heston wrote: ↑

03 May 2021, 2:05pm

dave202 wrote: ↑

03 May 2021, 1:39pm

I missed this first time around and have just listened to it for the first time. A belated thanks John, especially the edits which make sense. Any chance of posting this as individual tracks as a download?

I have some time through the week and I will try mate. I sequenced it on my digital recorder and have since deleted it to free up space. But I can have a go at splitting the tracks from the Soundcloud files.

Thanks, that would be great, but don't go out of your way.

No trouble at all Dave, I wouldn't mind it myself for the car. If I can do it I will upload.