Follow on TwitterMusic Video: The Clash Perform “Charlie Don’t Surf”
Here’s a video of an amazing Clash song, “Charlie Don’t Surf,” from the Sandinista album.
The footage of the video was apparently pulled from a 1982 live performance in Tokyo, Japan, laced w/ scenes from Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, which had been the inspiration for the song.
In the movie, Robert Duvall’s character, Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore, justifies his orders to reclaim a dangerous beach from the Vietcong so his men could do some surfing, with the phrase “Charlie Don’t Surf.” (Charlie, of course, was the American troops’ slang for the Vietcong).
The chorus:
Charlie don’t surf, and we think he should
Charlie don’t surf, and you know that it ain’t no good
Charlie don’t surf for his hamburger momma
Charlie’s gonna be a napalm star
My interpretation of this, though others may disagree, goes to how the U.S. forces western consumerism down the world’s throats. And for those who dare to resist its Capitalist imperatives, it is napalm for you.
ENJOY!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h788GoKMT-4&feature=colike[/youtube]
LISTEN: New Paul Weller Single ‘Starlite’ Evokes The Spirit of The Style Council
Last Tuesday, Paul Weller released a new standalone single, Starlite, which will surely delight his longstanding Style Council fans.
For the first time in 20 years, Weller recaptures that soulful dance spirit that made The Style Council stand apart from both his earlier The Jam material as well as his later solo work.
Here’s how Weller describes the new track:
Here’s a brand new track called ‘Starlite’ in time for the Summer. It’s not from the forthcoming album, it’s just for NOW! It’s part Balearic beat, poetry and psychedelic music. I hope you like it. ~PWx
Personally, I love it and have been playing it all week long, as I’m sure my Twitter followers can attest.
The track will be available for purchase on iTunes on August 7. I’ll provide an update with the iTunes link at that time.
Here is Starlite. Enjoy!
FREE 12-Song Download: Carbon/Silicon (Ex-Clash Mick Jones) New LP, ‘Carbon Bubble’
Great news for all impoverished music lovers out there!
Carbon/Silicon, featuring — one of my all-time favorite songwriters — Mick Jones (formerly of The Clash and Big Audio Dynamite) and Tony James (formerly of Generation X), have just released their new 12-Song LP entitled The Carbon Bubble. It is available at the Carbon/Silicon site as a free download. THAT’S RIGHT, FREE DOWNLOAD! Get over there, and get it!
Also, for those of you who don’t have it yet, be sure to download their fabulous two-song EP, Maybe That’s The Meaning of Life, as well — co-written and recorded with Gary Kemp (formerly of Spandau Ballet).
I’m playing The Carbon Bubble LP right now as I type, and it is awesome! The tracks “What’s Up Doc” and “The Best Man” — a favorite of mine so far — both have an authentic late 70s punk sound — and could easily pass as early Clash tunes. “Reach For the Sky” is great as well — sort of has that now-familiar Carbon/Silicon sound. “Make it Alright” has an early 60s, garage sound — just fantastic!
Carbon/Silicon have written an awesome album! — definitely, one of the best releases of 2009! Mick Jones has still got it. And now he’s giving it away.
Once you’ve downloaded and had a chance to give it a spin, let us know what you think. Enjoy!
Watch: Curtis Mayfield Performs ‘Move On Up’ Live @ The Hague, 1987
‘Move On Up’ is one of the best songs ever written. Curtis Mayfield was the master of socially-aware, inspirational music, and his live performances were as tight and emotional as his studio recordings. His music was and still is loved and covered by artists from all over the world. Here he was in 1987 playing […]
Watch: Paul Weller Performs One Of His Best Hits, “Wild Wood,” Live
Paul Weller does an incredible live version of his amazing single, “Wild Wood.” Enjoy!:
Watch: Iggy Pop Does “The Passenger” Live in 1977
Iggy Pop’s contribution to punk is sometimes discounted in the annals of music history, but just for the record: Iggy Pop was MOST DEFINITELY the first punk, at least in the way the music and style of the genre was defined in the 1970s. Generally, that honor gets bestowed upon bands like The Ramones, The […]
Watch: From 1980 — Boomtown Rats Perform Hit ‘Banana Republic’
Here’s a fabulous song by Bob Geldof’s old band — from Dublin, Ireland — The Boomtown Rats. For those unfamiliar with this track, it’s got a great reggae-infused melody that will leave you humming it over and over again, all day and night. Songs like these make me miss the 80s something terrible: Enjoy!: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2IwOemnjbI[/youtube] […]
Watch: Paul Weller Covers Sister Sledge’s “Thinking of You”
Probably no artist has left as big a mark on my adolescent years as Paul Weller. From huge Jam fan / Style Council fan — to playing in bands heavily influenced by his writing. There’s probably millions of those who share similar stories as mine across the Atlantic, but over here in America, I’d guess […]
Watch: Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros “Tony Adams”
In the name of disclosure, I’ll just say that The Clash are one of my all-time favorite bands. I sense that quite a few out there have shied away from Joe Strummer’s post-Clash efforts. For those of you who loved The Clash, but haven’t yet delved into this part of Strummer’s career, a word to […]
Follow AlterPolitics on Twitter
