In 1979, the Sandinista National Liberation Front in Nicaragua overthrew the Somoza dynasty and replaced it with a revolutionary new government. Meanwhile, Thatcher and Reagan aided counterrevolutionary terrorists to suppress the rise of socialism. Thatcher even attempted to ban the word “Sandinista.” The Clash responded by aligning themselves with the socialist revolutionaries and named their fourth album after the Nicaraguan rebels.

Sandinista! consists of 36 songs divided on six sides of vinyl, delivering their message through genres ranging from hip hop, reggae, dub, jazz, gospel, calypso, and punk. The result is exceptional piece of socialist art unlike any other, but despite being counted among the greatest albums of all-time, critics and fans have spent over 40 years debating whether the album would be better as a 12-track LP. This book entertains that idea, then considers what is lost or gained in the process. Apart from the other 24 tracks, you lose the story of a band sacrificing their royalties to have a politically subversive triple LP available to their listeners for the price of one to tell them what the news, their schools, and their governments will not.