See Dave Grohl and Greg Kurstin Cover the Clash’s ‘Train in Vain’ for Hanukkah Sessions

Dave Grohl and Greg Kurstin performed a rendition of the Clash’s “Train in Vain” for the seventh night of the pair’s Hanukkah Sessions 2021.

The duo went down the family tree for their latest cover celebrating Jewish artists for the Festival of Lights, with the Foo Fighters frontman noting that “Michael Geoffrey Jones, born to Russian Jewish mother Renee Zagansky, would come to be known as punk rock legend Mick Jones, co-founder of The Clash. It’s London Calling Jerusalem as we take a ‘Train In Vain.’”

While the rocker and the producer have delivered playful cover versions during previous nights of the Festival of Lights — including a kazoo and xylophone take on Billy Joel’s “Big Shot” — their rendition of the London Calling classic originally sung by Jones is fairly straightforward, even though Grohl and Kurstin only play drums and piano for the track.

This year’s sessions have also so far included renditions of Barry Manilow’s “Copacabana,” Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop,” Lisa Loeb’s “Stay (I Missed You)” and a keytar-happy version of Van Halen’s “Jump” — to honor “Diamond Dreidel” David Lee Roth.

The duo will gift fans with an eighth and final Hanukkah Sessions song Sunday before closing out the 2021 Festival of Lights. Next year, the Foo Fighters will embark their 2022 North American stadium tour. However, after announcing the trek, the group said they were canceling their show at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis due to the venue not agreeing to the band’s Covid safety measures.