THE 50(ISH) GREATEST ALBUMS OF ALL TIME
London, or The Past, Calling
Album #34 : The Clash — London Calling
This album is chock full of great, catchy, snappy, punch, punky tunes. But, after every listen, one song always sticks with me. That song is Jimmy Jazz, it probably isn’t the best song on the album, and it wasn’t even one of the singles. But it stays with me every time because it reminds me of being in the back of my dad’s car, listening along at a young age.
There are several other songs that do the same — Muse’s Time Is Running Out reminds me of my little sister singing along. Oasis’ Don’t Look Back in Anger reminds me of my brother and me making up a back story about ‘Sally’ for our lego men. Holly Johnson’s Americanos is a song I probably would have lived a long and happy life without hearing were it not for my dad and his (extremely hi-tech) 6 CD-changer.
Growing up, and now, many a car journey was improved by music. But it isn’t just car journeys — Dancing Queen always reminds me of mum (it’s her ringtone, and her phone is always on loud), Looking for Signs by Leif Erikson is my brother’s stag do. Cemetery Gates by The Smiths instantly takes me back to a friend’s wedding in Malta.
Another example from this same record; the title track London Calling for me means the London marathon and my running playlist. I listened to that playlist so many times on so many long training runs that after London Calling finishes, even on this week’s listen through, Dirty Harry by Gorillaz immediately starts in my head. It is such a natural progression, but only for me and my playlist.
Probably, from now on every time I listen to this album I will think about writing this. Meta.
Music has an incredible ability to take you back to a specific moment in time — stamped in the memory. It says, ‘this song means that experience, and it always will’. I think that’s great — I love the idea that I can be blindsided by a song and taken back years and years to something I haven’t thought of for an age. And, even more, I love that I am still making those connections — as I write this, we are 50 days out from my wedding, who knows what musical memories I will make? The first dance and church entrance music, sure, but what else?
In the more immediate future, I am actually about to do a long car journey with my family this weekend. At the age of 32, I’ll be sat in the back of my dad’s car again. I might ask him to play The Clash, for old time’s sake.
Thanks for reading — over the course of 2021, I’ll be reviewing 50(ish) of the greatest albums ever recorded. You can see the list here:
There is also a playlist featuring the best song from each album here.
