This was a great cover by The Clash. It was on the London Calling album released in 1979. They started off as a punk band but The Clash, unlike some other Punk bands, could really play and sing well…, especially Mick Jones. He was probably the best pure musician in the band.
The song was originally by Vince Taylor and released in 1959. It was the B side to a song called Pledging My Love. Taylor wrote the song but Tony Sheridan is credited with the cool guitar riff running through the song. The song’s riff reminds me of the original Batman riff…or really the other way around.
The Clash’s version of the song is the best-known. They did it in one take. It was the B side to the single London Calling. The single peaked at #46 in the UK in 1988 re-release. It also peaked at #64 with another UK re-release in 1991.
Rolling Stone magazine named London Calling the best album of the ’80s. It should be noted that it was first released in the UK in December 1979. In the US, it was released two weeks into January 1980, meaning that from a US perspective, it’s a 1980s album.
I like Vince’s version just as well… a good rock song through and through.
Brand New Cadillac
DriveDrive
My baby drove up in a brand new CadillacYes, she didMy baby drove up in a brand new CadillacShe said, “Hey, come here, daddy”I ain’t never comin’ back
Baby, baby, won’t you hear my plea?Yeah, come on, sugar, just come on back to meShe said, “Balls to you, big daddy”
Baby, baby, won’t you hear my plea?Oh, oh, come on, just hear my pleaShe said, “Balls to you, daddy”She ain’t comin’ back to me
Oh GodBaby, baby, drove up in a CadillacI said, “Jesus Christ, where’d you get that Cadillac?”She said, “Balls to you, daddy”She ain’t never comin’ backShe ain’t, she ain’t comin’ backShe ain’t never comin’ backShe ain’t never comin’ backShe ain’t never comin’ back
…
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Fab track, great band
Good track. I need to add more Clash to my collection but you never really see there stuff used. Combat Rock I grabbed used about 5 years ago but thats about it.
I like 3 albums by them…London Calling, Combat Rock, and the triple album set Sandinista!.
Super guitar in these songs, amazing one take version. Both have that raw rock and roll feel.
From Guy to this. Why I love music. This is one of the first car songs I thought of when you did the “car” post. I was butchering this song while I was driving the other day. A few good Cadillac songs floating around.
I almost did put it on there but I wanted to use an entire post.
That IS why we love music. Something for everyone.
Especially when everyone is us. Im not crazy about music labels ( A CB rub) I guess it helps people to market and target, I dont know. What I do know is this so called punk band knows how to rock n roll.
I did hear the original Batman riff, and this is a real rocker.
Yep…I guess the Batman riff came from this or maybe it influenced it.
Using the phone in the car was a bit different back then. Wonder if the phone had BatNav?
I know that bats are not blind, but they usually rely on their ears to tell them where they are going by using echolocation which is supposed to be more reliable.
Another good car song for your list! Always liked this one
Like I told CB…I had it on there but I wanted to do an entire post of them…it will probably show up on one in the future.
I don’t think I knew this was only a b-side. It was good enough to have been an a-side
I agree totally…I was shocked as well….and it wasn’t released at the time but after.
I’m thinking hard of another Cadillac song Max. Sending vibes.
I’m going to give you one…………Pink!
In the loop but not the one. Think Hank.
Lone White Cadillac!
So glad you brought that up…it will be on the next one!
Bingo!
Thanks Dude! Once again
I found the original vastly superior. The live Clash version sounded like he forgot all the lyrics and like they’d taken too much speed before the show. The album version wasn’t bad.
You could do a whole post of Cadillac songs. A local hit here around 1970 was “Black Cadillac” but that was about the drug (speaking of taking too much speed), not the car.
There is another Black Cadillac that I’m including on the next Car songs….my favorite. A very rare one.
Yea the original here I may like more also.
Great vocal from Strummer here. Headon’s a really good drummer as well.
You are right…I should have mentioned that…he really is.
I like the earlier one too. More spare, but hey, at least we’re spoiled for choice!
It was a good base to build on…that riff by Sheridan helped…too bad he didn’t get a writers credit.
Good tune and I like both versions.
That’s one cool-sounding song. Even though I previously checked out the “London Calling” album, I didn’t remember “Brand New Cadillac”. The Clash maintain the original’s neat late ’50s/early ’60s sound.
I just listened to London Calling a few days ago – for the first time in a while.Great album from The Clash. They should have stayed together and made more albums.
I totally agree with that. They should have had a longer shelf life.
As a teenager we only played one “Cadillac”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1RtV20zLK8
That…is really cool. I never heard it before. I may use it on my next Car songs post…thanks!
The Renegades were a British garage rock band, well known in Finland for their cover of “Brand New Cadillac” (1964) and the monster garage hit “Thirteen Women” from 1966. You can hear the Renegades always in films by Aki Kaurismäki.
Thanks Fox I appreciate it.
Cool!