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Lily Allen cover’s The Clash’s Straight to Hell.

I think she did an amazing job.  Even more amazing is that Mick Jones is singing backup on the track.  Still more amazing [via Wikipedia] is that Lily is Joe Strummer‘s goddaughter.  Full circle, man.  Full circle.

Now, if youve been cranking up the radio for Paper Planes and don’t know who or what I’m talking about right now, please get familiar.

Here it is live.  This is also the last time Mick Jones performed with the band.

This song is easily my favorite by The Clash.  I was just discussing it with a cohort of mine who described it thusly:

I mean, they have a lot of songs that are favorites of mine, but if I were to make any of their songs into a piece of art, it would be that one.

I think he’s absolutely right.  It’s like a timestamp, a discussion on alienation, racism, war, and a whole lot more swirled into the sounds of Coke bottles beating on drums and one of the most famous riffs ever.  It’s totally art, yo.

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