My 100 Favorite Charted Pop Songs: Train in Vain (Stand By Me)

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What can I say. I go from an unabashed country song to The Only Band That Matters. For the newcomers, yes, I have both of these artists on the iPod. Yes, I listen to both frequently. And yes, I’ll argue with you about the talent of both. So with that in mind, here’s today’s song from the Billboard Hot 100. Train in Vain (Stand By Me) - The Clash I’ll go you one further: I’d list this as one of those albums “everybody” should give a listen to. I’m not saying you’re going to be blown away by it the way I was; however, I’m not alone. This has consistently been on Rolling Stone’s top ten list of “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” They update it every so often, but this album never leaves the top ten. And yes, I will also tell you that Joe Strummer’s voice can hurt your ears just as badly as Ray Price’s can. No accounting for taste in this world, is there? Fortunately, it’s not Strummer but Mick Jones doing the vocals here (he also sang “Should I Stay or Should I Go,” so he was responsible for 2/3 of The Clash’s “big hits” in the US). This was a last-second addition to the end of London Calling, so it was not listed on the label on side 4. I may not take this song to a deserted island, but I’d definitely take the album! Train in Vain (Stand By Me) Written by Mick Jones and Joe Strummer Recorded by The Clash From London Calling, 1979 Peak chart position: #23 Today’s country song: “A Way to Survive” I’ve got a job but it don’t pay: