Songs For Isaac 4

As well as a 7" of North Country Boy by The Charlatans my friend Neil bought Isaac a copy of Train In Vain by The Clash (Dutch import release if you're interested). Mick's 1979 love song, famously attached to the end of London Calling after the sleeves had gone to print, has become a Clash classic even if at the time some people thought it was a bit corny. These songs outlive their birth though and the subject of song, Viv Albertine, has since said it's one of her favourite Clash songs. When their relationship was on the rocks Mick would get the train over from his flat to Viv's and she'd refuse to let him in. Hence, he was getting the train in vain. 

Train In Vain

Isaac loved trains and trams. He was quite happy to get the Metrolink or the train for the sole purpose of getting on and enjoying the ride, so the song is appropriate for that reason. The song rides in on Topper's chugging drums and when Lou was pregnant and people asked us if we'd thought of any names, I'd often say (only half jokingly) that he or she was going to be called Topper. I used to have a t-shirt with the cover of the first album on it, the photo Joe, Mick and Paul standing on the steps by Camden Roundhouse, and after a while I taught him to point to the members of the band and say 'Mick, Joe, Paul'.