Not keen on Weller's solo stuff. I've given it numerous tries but just can't take to it. The Jam, on the other hand, were fantastic imho.
With the Jam, as others have said, down at the tube station, Lisa radley, some proper classic songs. But to go off kilter, I really like Beat Surrender as a last single. Kind of like when the Doors did The Soft Parade and went into overblown, fluffy and weird versions of themselves. Beat Surrender has that kind of cinematic Bowie Absolute Beginners melodrama to it. I dig it. Especially that it has a word invented in the chorus which is the only perfect rhyme with 'cucumber'. Don't know the clash much, I always mix them up with the stranglers, so to play it safe I'll go Golden Brown.
I still listen to both these bands quite regularly and my favourites from each change month on month, year on year. However, as the thread has got to this length and neither of my current top picks have had a mention, I thought I'd contribute
Clash - White Man In Hammersmith Palais The Jam - The Carter USM cover of Down In The Tube Station At Midnight
Obviously my avatar shows my bias. To name a favourite Clash song is impossible , The Jam I tapped a foot to most when heard but overall it was...meh. Honourable exception though, Start. I reckon either Jones or Strummer would have been proud to pen that.
And I look to my left, and I look to my right... I lost a lifetime thinking of it... (If I'm being really honest, although I love the above two tracks, on any average day my favourite Clash song is (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais and my favourite from The Jam is Going Underground, but they always get air time and these two see very little. The Jam were good, the fact that they managed to become such a huge chart act with the kind of music they produced at a time when you had to sell hundreds of thousands of singles to get in the top 10 is amazing. Well ******* done. But The Clash are different gravy. Exceptional. And this song needs to be included in this thread And a big up to Jimmy Jazz. Never forgotten. Every friend and family member I have has a carbon monoxide detector.
Very different to a lot of their other songs but so good. I do like their more famous songs but this one really stands out for me.
Hate these threads, too many to choose from! Jam: Down in the Tube Station, That’s Entertainment, Bitterest Pill, David Watts, Strange Town Clash: I Fought The Law, White Man in Hammersmith Palais, White Riot, Death or Glory, Bankrobber