Give 'Em Enough Rope

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Professional reviews
Give 'Em Enough Rope

Studio album by The Clash
Released	November 10, 1978
Recorded	Summer 1978
Genre	Punk rock Rock
Length	36:57
Label	Epic
Producer(s)	Sandy Pearlman
All Music Guide link Rolling Stone link
The Clash chronology
The Clash [UK] (1977)	Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978)	London Calling (1979)

Give 'Em Enough Rope was The Clash's second album. It was released by CBS Records in November 1978 in the UK, and April 1979 in the US.

Upon its release the album was well received, peaking at #2 in the UK chart, and with this being The Clash's US debut, a moderate #128 Stateside.

"Give Em Enough Rope" was voted album of the year in 1978 by 'Rolling Stone' and 'Time' magazines, and the popular UK music weekly, 'Sounds'. 'Sounds' had previously given the album a glowing review, with writer David Mculloch calling it "swash-buckled-heavy-metal" and claiming it to be "The best LP since the last Clash LP, both, I personally feel, transcending anything ever recorded".

The cover was designed by Gene Greif.

"Tommy Gun" and "English Civil War" were released as the album's singles, either side of Christmas 1978. They entered the UK charts at #19 and #25 respectively.

"Guns On The Roof", the opening track of the album's B-side, was inspired by an air-gun related incident that resulted in the Metropolitan Police's armed anti-terrorist squad raiding The Clash's Camden Market base. Paul Simonon and Topper Headon were arrested and charged with criminal damage (and later and fined £750) for shooting valuable racing pigeons from the roof of their rehearsal building.