I think that Sandinista! is way under appreciated. Unlike Steve B, I didn't get it the day it came out, but I did pick it up shortly thereafter and loved it at first listen. Radio airplay sold me on "The Magnificient Seven," but when I first heard "Hitsville UK," I was sold hook, line and sinker. I learned to play drums by playing along with Topper Headon on that album. Talk about an education in musical styles!

I got sandinista the day it was released, 28 years ago. to start with i was baffled by it, i remember spending hours skiping from track to track trying to find something i liked !!!! yes its too long yes its not produced to well yes theres some duff tracks but 28 years later i'm still playing it!!! The segue between crooked beat & somebody got murdered blows me away everytime!!! We're still discussing this truly great record, that says it all.

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steveb

i think most people don't "get" sandanista! because it has so many different musical styles on it. it's not just straight ahead rock or punk, like most people assume that was all the clash could do. not only does the music stretch boundaries (esp for the time, early 1980s) but the lyrics are some of their best ever. listen to "the leader", "washington bullets", "charlie don't surf", "ivan meets g.i. joe" and you'll see what i mean. i also love the mikey dread.

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"go easy, step lightly, stay free"

i agree that sandanista has some great tracks on it but the mark of a great album is being able to put it on and not have to skip tracks but everyone likes certain tracks for their own reasons hence the reason we have forums for great bands like the clash

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billy-goat =:0)-

I used to think this album had a bunch of crap on it, mixed w/ some of the best tracks ever. But now I wish it was a 5 album set 'cause w/ Joe's death we'll never get anything more and I can take all I can get. I've been "re-discovering" all of the songs I used to skip past, so it's like getting some long lost tracks for me. Same is true for Cut the Crap. I wish someone would release the second half of what was to be Combat Rock. I want it all.
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Cut the Crap

I think they lacked a bit of disapline at the time. It would have made a brilliant single LP or a good double but they decided to put everything out. I remember Joe Strummer saying something like it was an album for everyone and you should pick the tracks you like and make your own LP. Most of the good stuff is on the Clash on Broadway. Combat Rock was going to be a double album but the producer cut it down to a single and judging from Sandinista it was a good thing.

"Sandinista!" is great. It's true that is very, very underrated. I think that is the best album of this fantastic band. Better than London Calling I think. Many people don't think that Sandinista!

Ok Sandinista is a great disc. Different from the others of course like they used to . the problem was that everybody thinks that are able to said if its good or not Without understandig it !!!.f*** them !!! They do a great disc and of course you must be high too relax and listen the 2 hours sessions of Grass. jejej Es bastante limado y la re flashearon tomemoslo como es y punto . Basta de Bardearlo !!! Alto disco para ocasiones de lime al igual que todas las versiones dub que aparecen en Super Black Market Clash.

I think they got carried away with finally having some clout with the record label. They successfully had London Calling released as a double lp and sold at the same price as a single lp so they decided to push again. It was fantastic value for your money , especially when you consider that lps were usually half an hour to 40 mins long. Even still there are some fantastic tunes on this album!

I was actually a bit disappointed when I first listened to Sandinista! It just sounded so different from most of their other stuff.. I thought it sounded a little like the weird stuff The Beatles made at one point, you know, adding weird animal sounds and signal sounds and stuff, but.. I have to say that The Clash can't really make stuff that's too bad, I still think it's brilliant. But I just don't like it as much as their first album or London Calling!

charlie dont surf is a classic

Police On My Back is one of the best Clash songs, and it has some of the best Clash material...but it's definitely a mood album, unlike all the others.

http://whereispunk.blogspot.com

I also quite like Sandanista!.. Definitely not their best album, but it has some really good songs on it, like all the ones you said, and The Equaliser, The Street Parade and Police on my Back.

Every time I hear Hitsville UK I think it sounds like a Christmas carol, though..

I agree that it isn't given the credit it deserves but I am not sure if it would be rated as highly as London Calling because as you mentioned some songs are not good at all.Anyway I like it-not as much as I like London Calling and Combat Rock-especially its title!