London Calling is a song by the English punk rock band the Clash. It was released as a single from the band's 1979 double album of the same name.
5 Part Pops for Brass is part of a new collection of Pop inspired arrangements for Brass Quintet arranged by Chris Wilcox.
We hope this repertoire will prompt a growing inquisitiveness for young brass players, and was created with a brass club or gathering in mind.
All transposed parts are included.
This apocalyptic, politically charged rant features the band's post-punk sound, electric guitar and vocals. The song was written by Joe Strummer and Mick Jones. The title alludes to the BBC World Service's station identification: "This is London calling..." which was used during World War II, often in broadcasts to occupied countries. The lyrics reflect the concern felt by Strummer about world events with the reference to a nuclear error – the incident at Three Mile Island, in Pennsylvania which occurred earlier in 1979. The line London is drowning / And I live by the river comes from concerns that if the River Thames flooded, most of central London would drown, something that led to the construction of the Thames Barrier which came into operation three years after the song.The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976. Billed as The Only Band That Matters, they are considered one of the most influential acts in the original wave of British punk rock, with their music fusing elements of reggae, dub, funk, ska and rockabilly. The band also contributed to the post-punk and new wave movements that followed. For most of their recording career, the Clash consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Joe Strummer, lead guitarist and vocalist Mick Jones, bassist Paul Simonon and drummer Nicky Topper Headon.
The Clash achieved critical and commercial success in the UK with the release of their debut album The Clash (1977) and their second album Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978). Their third album London Calling, which was released in the UK in December 1979, earned them popularity in the USA. Rolling Stone magazine named London Calling the best album of the 1980s. Following continued musical experimentation on their fourth album Sandinista! (1980), the band achieved further commercial success with the release of Combat Rock (1982), which includes the US top 10 hit Rock the Casbah, which went double platinum.
