Death or Glory Trivia Quiz

Answer: Three Mile Island

Recorded in the second half of 1979, 'London Calling' was released in the UK in December of the same year, with the US release the following January. While it may not have reached number one at the time, it has become one of the most enduring and influential albums of all time.

The band's reference to the incident at Three Mile Island shows their concern about some of the big issues of the day. The song also makes reference to the problem of police brutality, and the worry that London could be flooded if the Thames were to burst its banks.

Answer: Cadillac

Written by Vince Taylor, 'Brand New Cadillac' was first released as a B-side by his band Vince Taylor and his Playboys. Before The Clash cover from 1979, the song had seen several different recordings, including those by the British group Downliners Sect and the Swedish band Hep Stars in the mid-1960s. There was a struggle for Vince Taylor to get due credit for having written the song with several of the artists that covered it claiming that they were unaware that he was the original artist.

'Brand New Cadillac' was the first song recorded by The Clash when they were starting to put 'London Calling' together.

Answer: Rudie

The term 'Rudie' is in reference to the rude boys of Jamaican culture, an idea that began in the 1960s when younger Jamaicans were rejecting some of the ideas of the older generations. The song is about a man whose family are not happy with the way he is behaving, to which he replies "I know that my life make you nervous, but I tell you I can't live in service".

Answer: Spanish

'Spanish Bombs' makes extensive reference to the Spanish Civil War, and has been thought by some to be bringing the history of Spain to the attention of British tourists who flocked to the country during the time that the song was written. It was supposedly inspired by Joe Strummer hearing a radio report of bombings by the Basque separatist group Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) when on his way home from the recording studio.

Answer: A guaranteed personality

'Lost in the Supermarket' is not a subtle denouncement of an increasingly consumerist and commercialised culture, but it certainly gets the point across. The song features several bleak lines such as the search for a "guaranteed personality" or the need to "empty a bottle and...feel a bit free".

The song also discusses the separation of life in the suburbs, with lyrics such as "we had a hedge back home in the suburbs, over which I never could see". Despite the melancholic lyrics the song is surprisingly poppy and upbeat.

Answer: Clampdown

The song 'Clampdown' provides a criticism of capitalism, conformism, and the establishment in general. Lyrics such as "you grow up and you calm down and you're working for the clampdown" suggest that as people get older they lose the will to resist and eventually just become a part of the system. 'Clampdown' was one of only three singles from 'London Calling', though it was only released in Australia and not in the UK or elsewhere.

Answer: Brixton

'The Guns of Brixton' is the only song on 'London Calling' written by the band's bassist Paul Simonon, who was born and bred in that area of London. The song uses the phrase "the harder they come" in the lyrics, a reference to the 1972 Jamaican film of the same name.

The film stars Jimmy Cliff, and is often credited as having been a major influence in the export of reggae from the Caribbean to the rest of the world.

Answer: Revolution Rock

'Revolution Rock' was written by reggae singer Danny Ray, who sampled 'Get Up' by Jackie Edwards to such an extent that he is credited as a co-writer. When preparing their own version of the song not long after Ray's release, The Clash changed several of the lyrics to give it a more punky feel.

Answer: Train in Vain

The reason why 'Train in Vain' was not listed on the original album sleeve is that it was added to the track listing at such late notice that the sleeves had already been printed. It was thus something of a hidden track on the original vinyl copies of the album.

The song was released as 'Train in Vain (Stand by Me)' in the United States as the song's title never features in the lyrics, and the phrase "stand by me" is very prominent in the chorus.

Answer: Mick Jones

Mick Jones was the lead guitarist of The Clash from their foundation in 1976 until his departure in 1983. Jones and Strummer were the primary songwriting duo for the band, though Strummer sang lead vocals on the majority of their songs. Several songs, such as 'Rudie Can't Fail', 'Clampdown' and 'Spanish Bombs' features both vocalists singing a duet, but only four have Jones as the lead vocalist.

In addition to the three songs mentioned in the question, he also sings lead vocals on 'Train in Vain', which he managed to write one night and record with the band the following day.