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The Sandinista! "Project" - Side 3

Posted at 5:54 PM on August 31, 2007 by Mac Wilson (1 Comments)

I must say straight out that I am gaining an appreciation for Sandinista! that I never had before. Maybe that's because on CD or iTunes, it's clumped into 18 or 36 tracks (respectively) and then yes, it really does seem like a muddled mess. But going back to take a look at the record as it was originally conceived and presented -- six separate sets of music -- casts the music in a new light (at least for a listener like me, who was born around the same time as CDs). With that, on to Side 3!

"Lightning Strikes (Not Once but Twice)" -- The other white rap, slap bass-driven New York chronicle on Sandinista!. Not bad, it's just that "Magnificent Seven" is a whole lot better.
"Up in Heaven (Not Only Here)" -- A dark yet uptempo rocker about the projects of London. Superb drumming and one of the most memorable guitar riffs on the album.
"Corner Soul" -- From the projects to the jungles, where guerrillas wield machetes and consider the revolutionary potential of the music. The female backing vocals are a weird yet distinctive touch.
"Let's Go Crazy" -- I was really surprised at how phenomenal this song is. It always seemed buried at the end of CD1 before, but now, I was able to hear it for the success it is! Mixing elements of calypso with more sentiments of disillusionment, this time in Central Americans. I feel that tracks like this had a direct influence on artists like Michael Franti -- melding loud, almost celebratory music with intensely political lyrics.
"If Music Could Talk" -- Maybe it's just that the other material on Side 3 is so constantly fresh, but this one's slow saxophone shuffle drags a little to my ears.
"The Sound of the Sinners" -- As was so often with the Clash, their gospel song is every bit as good as the real thing. My favorite part comes at the very end, after Strummer's final, breathless declaration that he will never be as clean as Jesus -- the song fades, then the organ and choir slowly fade back up, as a preacher's voice pops up, saying, "I'd like to thank you all for coming this week...", pointing out the collection boxes, and inviting everyone to return again the following Sunday, wrapping up Side 3 as one would conclude a church service. On iTunes, the effect is lost, because "Police on My Back" starts up right away, but a moment like this reminds us of the era when a band fully intended that between vinyl sides, the listener sit back and take a little time to contemplate what they've just experienced. For me, that closing preacher's voice only reiterates that each side of Sandinista! is its own separate entity, each to be absorbed in its own fashion.

Whew. Spoken word? Check. False endings? Check. More Topper Headon drum fills than you can shake a stick at? It's all there. Be sure to check back for the rest of the album (we're only halfway through!) including a recap of Side 4 (arguably the heart of the album) later tonight. And if you missed a side, you can check out the recaps to Side 1 and Side 2 as well.

Comments (1)

Hey Mac,

Just catching up on your Sandinista project. It's a fun read and gave me a good reason to give the album another listen.

I remember being disappointed when the album came out. Like a lot of Clash fans who thought London Calling was a perfect mess of brilliance, Sandinista just felt like a mess at first. But I also remember giving the album a listen in the late 80s or early 90s and realizing it wasn't as far behind its predecessor as I thought.

So it wasn't a chore to pull it up on the playlist tonight, but I thank you for the reminder that I don't need to feel intimidated by size of this epic (6 sides, fer crissakes! Has anyone done that since? I mean, Sufjan Stevens may be prolific, but he's dishing it on us 1/50th at a time.)

Posted by Bill Wareham | August 31, 2007 10:30 PM

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