The Jam. Last of Paul for me.

Paul Weller was strongly influenced by 1960s bands such as The Kinks, The Small Faces and The Who, all three great favourites of his and whose influence can be heard in much of The Jam's material. However, that did not mean that he was averse to finding inspiration in the works of many other artists: the Jam's second number one single, "Start!" borrows heavily from The Beatles' "Taxman", for example. The group's third chart topper, "Town Called Malice", which recently found renewed fame on the Billy Elliot soundtrack (2001), has a driving bass line reminiscent of The Supremes' "You Can't Hurry Love" or Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life".

A Town Called Malice.

A Town Called Malice.



Better stop dreaming of the quiet life -

cos it's the one we'll never know

And quit running for that runaway bus -

cos those rosey days are few

And - stop apologising for the things you've never done,

Cos time is short and life is cruel -

but it's up to us to change

This town called malice.

Rows and rows of disused milk floats

stand dying in the dairy yard

And a hundred lonely housewives clutch empty milk

bottles to their hearts

Hanging out their old love letters on the line to dry

It's enough to make you stop believing when tears come

fast and furious

In a town called malice.



Struggle after struggle - year after year

The atmosphere's a fine blend of ice -

I'm almost stone cold dead

In a town called malice.



A whole street's belief in Sunday's roast beef

gets dashed against the Co-op

To either cut down on beer or the kids new gear

It's a big decision in a town called malice.



The ghost of a steam train - echoes down my track

It's at the moment bound for nowhere -

just going round and round

Playground kids and creaking swings -

lost laughter in the breeze

I could go on for hours and I probably will -

but I'd sooner put some joy back

In this town called malice.

Start.

Start.



It's not important for you to know my name -

Nor I to know yours

If we communicate for two minutes only

It will be enough

For knowing that someone in this world

Feels as desperate as me -

And what you give is what you get.



It doesn't matter if we never meet again,

What we have said will always remain.

If we get through for two minutes only,

It will be a start!

For knowing that someone in this life,

Loves with a passion called hate

And what you give is what you get.



If I never ever see you -

If I never ever see you -

If I never ever see you - again.



And what you give is what you get!

In The City" took The Jam into the UK Top 40 for the first time in May 1977, and although every subsequent single had a placing within the Top 40, it would take another two years and eight singles before they were sufficiently engrained in the British national consciousness for "The Eton Rifles" to break the Top 10, hitting the No. 3 spot in November 1979.

In the City.

In the City.

In the city there's a thousand things I want to say to you

But whenever I approach you, you make me look a fool

I wanna say, I wanna tell you

About the young ideas

But you turn them into fears

In the city there's a thousand faces all shining bright

And those golden faces are under 25

They wanna say, they gonna tell ya

About the young idea

You better listen now you've said your bit-a



And I know what you're thinking

You still think I am crap

But you'd better listen man

Because the kids know where it's at



In the city there's a thousand men in uniforms

And I've heard they now have the right to kill a man

We wanna say, we gonna tell ya

About the young idea

And if it don't work, at least we said we've tried



In the city, in the city

In the city there's a thousand things I want to say to you

The Eton Rifles.

The Eton Rifles.

Sup up your beer and collect your fags -

There's a row going on down near Slough.

Get out your mat and pray to the West.

I'll get out mine and pray for myself.



Thought you were smart when you took them on,

But you didn't take a peep in their artillery room.

All that rugby puts hairs on your chest.

What chance have you got against a tie and a crest?



Hello-Hurrah - what a nice day for the Eton Rifles.

Hello-Hurrah - I hope rain stops play for the Eton Rifles.



Thought you were clever when you lit the fuse,

Tore down the house of commons in your brand new shoes,

Composed a revolutionary symphony,

Then went to bed with a charming young thing.



Hello-Hurrah - cheers then, mate. It's the Eton Rifles.

Hello-Hurrah - an extremist scrape with the Eton Rifles.



What a catalyst you turned out to be:

Loaded the guns, then you run off home for your tea -

Left me standing like a guilty schoolboy...



What a catalyst you turned out to be:

Loaded the guns, then you run off home for your tea -

Left me standing like a naughty schoolboy...



We came out of it naturally the worst:

Beaten and bloody, and I was sick down my shirt.

We were no match for their untamed wit,

Though some of the lads said they'd be back next week.



Hello-Hurrah - it's the price to price to pay to the Eton Rifles.

Hello-Hurrah - I'd prefer the plague to the Eton Rifles.



Hello-Hurrah - it's the price to pay to the Eton Rifles.

Hello-Hurrah - I'd prefer the plague to the Eton Rifles.

In 1980 they hit number one for the first time with what many believe to be the definitive Paul Weller song, "Going Underground", which was to become in effect the band's signature tune. A popular story has it that hitting the charts at all was in fact an accident for "Going Underground": it was supposed to be a double A side with "Dreams of Children", a less-remembered song, but a mistake at a French pressing plant meant "Going Underground" was given 'A' status on the label. Whether this is true or apocryphal is not known, but whatever the case, after "Going Underground", The Jam - and Weller in particular - were UK superstars.

Going Underground.

Going Underground.





Some people might say my life is in a rut,

But I'm quite happy with what I got

People might say that I should strive for more,

But I'm so happy I can't see the point.

Somethings happening here today

A show of strength with your boy's brigade and,

I'm so happy and you're so kind

You want more money - of course I don't mind

To buy nuclear textbooks for atomic crimes



And the public gets what the public wants

But I want nothing this society's got -

I'm going underground, (going underground)

Well the brass bands play and feet start to pound

Going underground, (going underground)

Well let the boys all sing and the boys all shout for tomorrow



Some people might get some pleasure out of hate

Me, I've enough already on my plate

People might need some tension to relax

[Me?] I'm too busy dodging between the flak



What you see is what you get

You've made your bed, you better lie in it

You choose your leaders and place your trust

As their lies wash you down and their promises rust

You'll see kidney machines replaced by rockets and guns



And the public wants what the public gets

But I don't get what this society wants

I'm going underground, (going underground)

Well the brass bands play and feet start to pound

Going underground, (going underground)

[So] let the boys all sing and the boys all shout for tomorrow



We talk and talk until my head explodes

I turn on the news and my body froze

The braying sheep on my TV screen

Make this boy shout, make this boy scream!



Going underground, I'm going underground!