Album · Compilation
Hits Back
Hits Back is a career-spanning best-of from The Clash, issued by Sony Music UK in September 2013. It comes as a two-CD set, with a three-LP edition for vinyl buyers. The band's studio run stretches from The Clash in 1977 through London Calling, Sandinista! and Combat Rock, and this compilation gathers highlights from that career in one place.
It arrived alongside two larger releases: Sound System, an eleven-disc box set, and 5 Album Studio Set, which collects the band's first five studio albums. Of the three, Hits Back is the easiest way in for anyone who wants the essentials without the full deep dive. Mick Jones said at the time that he wasn't thinking about any more Clash releases, adding "This is it for me", so the campaign stands as a deliberate closing statement on the catalogue.
Hits Back: tracklist, credits and charts
32 tracks · 1:56:58Tracklist
- Disc 1
- 1London Calling (2012 mix)Mick Jones and Joe Strummer3:20
- 2Safe European HomeMick Jones and Joe Strummer3:50
- 3Know Your RightsMick Jones and Joe Strummer3:40
- 4(White Man) In Hammersmith PalaisMick Jones and Joe Strummer4:01
- 5Janie JonesMick Jones and Joe Strummer2:06
- 6The Guns of BrixtonPaul Simonon3:10
- 7Train in VainMick Jones and Joe Strummer3:10
- 8BankrobberJones, Strummer, Pint, Headon, Simonon4:34
- 9Wrong ’Em BoyoClive Alphanso3:11
- 10The Magnificent SevenGallagher, Headon, Jones, Watt-Roy, Strummer5:33
- 11Police on My BackEddy Grant3:16
- 12Rock the Casbah (Bob Clearmountain mix)Headon, Jones, Strummer3:43
- 13Career OpportunitiesHeadon, Jones, Simonon, Strummer1:53
- 14Police & ThievesJunior Murvin and Lee “Scratch” Perry6:00
- 15Somebody Got MurderedHeadon, Jones, Simonon, Strummer3:34
- 16Brand New CadillacVince Taylor2:08
- 17ClampdownMick Jones and Joe Strummer3:50
- 18Ghetto DefendantJones, Simonon, Strummer4:43
- 19Armagideon TimeClement “Coxsone” Dodd and Willi Williams3:52
- 20Stay FreeMick Jones and Joe Strummer3:39
- 21I Fought the LawSonny Curtis2:43
- 22Straight to HellHeadon, Jones, Simonon, Strummer5:29
- 23Should I Stay or Should I GoMick Jones and Joe Strummer3:08
- 24GaragelandMick Jones and Joe Strummer3:15
- Disc 2
- 1White RiotMick Jones and Joe Strummer2:13
- 2Complete ControlMick Jones and Joe Strummer3:13
- 3Clash City RockersMick Jones and Joe Strummer3:56
- 4Tommy GunMick Jones and Joe Strummer3:14
- 5English Civil War[traditional] and The Clash2:35
- 6The Call UpHeadon, Jones, Simonon, Strummer5:26
- 7Hitsville U.K.Headon, Jones, Simonon, Strummer4:21
- 8This Is Radio ClashHeadon, Jones, Simonon, Strummer4:12
- Produced by
- Sandy Pearlman, The Clash, Mickey Foote, Guy Stevens, Mikey Dread, Mick Jones, Bill Price, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Micky Foote, Jose Unidos
- Recorded at
- Wessex Sound Studios, Electric Lady Studios, 中野サンプラザ, Lyceum Theatre
- Recorded
- 1977–1982
- Mixed by
- Corky Stasiak, Glyn Johns
- Engineered by
- Corky Stasiak, Bill Price, Bob Clearmountain
- Labels
- Sony Music UK, Sony Legacy
- Length
- 1:56:58
Line-up
- Topper Headon · drums (drum set), percussion, background vocals
- Mick Jones · guitar, vocals, guitar family, effects, background vocals, lead vocals, electric guitar
- Paul Simonon · bass guitar, electric bass guitar, background vocals
- Joe Strummer · guitar, vocals, electric piano, lead vocals, background vocals, electric guitar
- Mick Gallagher · organ, synthesizer · guest
- Norman Watt-Roy · bass guitar · guest
- Allen Ginsberg · spoken vocals · guest
- Joe Ely · vocals · guest
- Ellen Foley · lead vocals · guest
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart · 2013 | 13 |
| Scottish Albums · 2013 | 12 |
| New Zealand Albums · 2013 | 27 |
| Belgian Albums (Flanders) · 2013 | 120 |
| Belgian Albums (Wallonia) · 2013 | 129 |
| French Albums · 2013 | 174 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom · 2019 | Gold |
From MusicBrainz and Wikipedia. Only what the sources record is shown.
37.1
Popularity (0–100, vs the whole vault)
6
ListenBrainz listeners
7.2k
Wikipedia views, last 12 months
28k
Deezer fans (all editions)
Released the same week
Also released on 9 September
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5 Studio Album CD Set
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Intergalactic Sonic 7″s
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More from The Clash
Full discography →
The Clash
1977
Give ’Em Enough Rope
1978
The Cost of Living E.P.
1979
London Calling
1979
Black Market Clash
1980
Sandinista!
1980
Combat Rock
1982
Cut the Crap
1985
The Story of The Clash, Volume 1
1988
1977 Revisited
1990
The Singles
1991
Clash on Broadway
1991
From Here to Eternity: Live
1999
The Essential Clash
2003
The Singles
2006
The Singles
2007
Live at Shea Stadium
2008
Sound System
2013
5 Studio Album CD Set
2013
The best of 2013
All of 2013 →
Pin-Ups Radio Show
David Bowie · 2013
…Like Clockwork
Queens of the Stone Age · 2013
Maiden England ’88
Iron Maiden · 2013
Hail to the King
Avenged Sevenfold · 2013
13
Black Sabbath · 2013
Live in Greensboro
R.E.M. · 2013
Lightning Bolt
Pearl Jam · 2013
The Next Day
David Bowie · 2013
Above and Beyond
Deep Purple · 2013
Recharged
Linkin Park · 2013
The Paradigm Shift
Korn · 2013
Super Collider
Megadeth · 2013
More on Sony Music UK
The label →
Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia 2013-09-09 vs 2013-08-26 (musicbrainz)
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 26 August 2013 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 9 September 2013 (GB) | |
| Wikidata | 2013 | |
| Wikipedia (other date) | 10 September 2013 (US) | |
| Deezer | 23 August 2013 | |
| US release | 10 September 2013 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 9 September 2013 | earliest UK or European date |
4 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 August 2013 | XW | Sony Music UK | 886443878709 | original |
| 26 August 2013 | XW | Sony Music UK | 886443878709 | original |
| 9 September 2013 | XE | Columbia | 887254423621 | other |
| 9 September 2013 | US | Epic | 887254423621 | other |
Cover art sources
deezer · upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| deezer ✓ | 1200×1200 | upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25) |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |
| coverartarchive | 640×640 | upscaled |