Give 'Em Enough Rope

Before the sessions CBS asked the Clash for a cleaner sound than their debut, to reach American audiences, and Sandy Pearlman, known for his work with Blue Öyster Cult, was hired. Simonon later said that recording was boring and nitpicking in contrast to the first album, and that it ruined any spontaneity. Strummer said it was not their easiest session. Strummer played a hired Gibson ES-345 for most of it while his Fender Telecaster was repaired. Safe European Home came out of Strummer and Jones's uneasy trip to Jamaica, and Tommy Gun deals with terrorism and aircraft hijacking.

It was the first album to feature Topper Headon. Tommy Gun reached number 19 in the UK as the first single and English Civil War reached 25. The album itself reached number 2 in the UK and 128 in the US. Some British reviewers disliked its mainstream production, but Greil Marcus wrote in Rolling Stone that it was a rocker's assault on the real world. NME readers voted it second-best album of 1978, and Sounds named it the year's best record.