The Cost of Living (EP)

Infobox Album
Name = The Cost of Living E.P.
Type = ep
Artist = The Clash


Released = Start date|1979|5|11
Recorded = Highbury New Park N.5, London, England, 1979
Genre = Punk rock
Length = 13:01
Label = CBS Records
Producer = Bill Price
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:azfixqw5ldke Review]
Last album = "Give 'Em Enough Rope"
(1978)
This album = "The Cost of Living (EP)"
(1979)
Next album = "London Calling"
(1979) "The Cost of Living E.P." is a 7" EP by The Clash released in 1979 in a gatefold sleeve. Produced by the band and Bill Price, it marked a transition in musical styles for the band, bridging the intensity of their earlier, punky albums with the broader, more American influenced rock and roll yet to come on "London Calling", most evident on the folk-rocking "Groovy Times" and "Gates of the West".

The Clash's cover of the Bobby Fuller Four's "I Fought the Law" became one of the definitive recordings of the song, and remained in the band's live set list for much of the rest of their career. Joe Strummer also performed it with his later bands, including during his stint with the Pogues. The early single "Capital Radio" was re-recorded because the group learnt that copies of the original "Capital Radio EP" were selling for high prices. "Capital Radio", later listed as "Capital Radio Two", is much longer, mainly because of a protracted outro.

It was recorded in Highbury, London, and features "extra high vocal" credited to Dennis Ferranti and harmonica credited to Bob Jones.

Track listing

All songs written by Strummer/Jones except where noted.

Side A
# "I Fought the Law" (Sonny Curtis) — (2:40)
# "Groovy Times" — (3:25)

Side B
# "Gates of the West" — (3:25)
# "Capital Radio" — (4:05)

Charts