The Jam

Gregor Samsa

I straighten up, and my position is one of hope.
As far as I know, we don’t have a thread about The Jam, one of greatest British bands of all time. The Jam were active between 77-83, and then handed over the proverbial baton to The Smiths. I’ve always found that very interesting, seeing as both are considered extremely English and both bands are known for crafting acutely authentic portrayals of English (working class) culture.

Anyway. Let’s discuss The Jam.

In my book, these are their ten best songs:
1. Private Hell
2. Down in the Tube Station at Midnight
3. That’s Entertainment
4. Tales from the Riverbank
5. Eton Rifles
6. Strange Town
7. The Bitterest Pill
8. Burning Sky
9. Town Called Malice
10. English Rose
 
Was never a huge fan although they obviously had some great singles, and that’s my piss poor effort with the Jam really. Never really listened to a full album.... so I could be missing out here.
Always preferred the style council
Anyhow 😬
 
Was never a huge fan although they obviously had some great singles, and that’s my piss poor effort with the Jam really. Never really listened to a full album.... so I could be missing out here.
Always preferred the style council
Anyhow 😬
Man, you should definitely give Setting Sons a spin!
 
Some of the guitars on track 3 private hell, sound a bit like moz song... it’s hard to walk tall when your small.
 
Some of the guitars on track 3 private hell, sound a bit like moz song... it’s hard to walk tall when your small.
Sweet and Tender Hooligan!! Basically the exact same riff!
 
I listened to the first 5 songs and most of the guitars were at the same pace for each song, and I can never hear what Weller is going on about.
I’ll say no more 😩
 
I've never really understood The Jam... But I haven't really tried either... I'll give Setting Sons a listen tonight... (y)
 
Sound Effects
 
As far as I know, we don’t have a thread about The Jam, one of greatest British bands of all time. The Jam were active between 77-83, and then handed over the proverbial baton to The Smiths. I’ve always found that very interesting, seeing as both are considered extremely English and both bands are known for crafting acutely authentic portrayals of English (working class) culture.

Anyway. Let’s discuss The Jam.

In my book, these are their ten best songs:
1. Private Hell
2. Down in the Tube Station at Midnight
3. That’s Entertainment
4. Tales from the Riverbank
5. Eton Rifles
6. Strange Town
7. The Bitterest Pill
8. Burning Sky
9. Town Called Malice
10. English Rose
No “Ghosts” or “Carnation”?
Two of my favourite Jam songs.
“Life from a Window” is great too.
 
No “Ghosts” or “Carnation”?
Two of my favourite Jam songs.
“Life from a Window” is great too.
Carnation especially was close. What do you feel about The Jam?
 
Carnation especially was close. What do you feel about The Jam?
I like them, but not as much as some people. When their songs are good, they’re amazing, but sometimes I can get a bit tired of them. I enjoy some of Weller’s solo work too, although I find it a tad overrated. All in all, they’re a good band (and they’ve written many fantastic songs) but I wouldn’t call them one of my favourites.
 
God, I love The Jam. Will never ever forget having Radio 1 on in the car with my mum, in March 1980, and hearing that "Going Underground" had gone straight in at #1, which was almost unheard of in those days! They were about as big as a cult band could possibly be and I loved how they just did everything on their own terms.
 
God, I love The Jam. Will never ever forget having Radio 1 on in the car with my mum, in March 1980, and hearing that "Going Underground" had gone straight in at #1, which was almost unheard of in those days! They were about as big as a cult band could possibly be and I loved how they just did everything on their own terms.
If you were to compare them to The Smiths…what would you say are the biggest similarities? Would you agree that there is a kinship between them? And were their fan bases similar in the eighties?
 
If you were to compare them to The Smiths…what would you say are the biggest similarities? Would you agree that there is a kinship between them? And were their fan bases similar in the eighties?
I'm not sure there was that much of a kinship, to be honest! The Jam came straight out of the punk scene and then split up pretty much exactly as The Smiths were starting out. Both bands had incredibly passionate fans but The Jam's audience was at least five times as big as the audience for The Smiths. I guess the similarities were that both came across as very, very English and very uncompromising - but Weller always seemed to me more mainstream than Morrissey, less of a genuine outsider, and much more expansive in his musical tastes.

Maybe this quote from Weller in 2008 conveys some of it:

"I'd never really got them [The Smiths] before, but when I saw them live I thought, 'f***ing hell!' When they hit hit the stage it made me think of the Jam days; there was an explosion when they hit the boards...but I never listened to any of their records to tell you the truth."
 
I'm not sure there was that much of a kinship, to be honest! The Jam came straight out of the punk scene and then split up pretty much exactly as The Smiths were starting out. Both bands had incredibly passionate fans but The Jam's audience was at least five times as big as the audience for The Smiths. I guess the similarities were that both came across as very, very English and very uncompromising - but Weller always seemed to me more mainstream than Morrissey, less of a genuine outsider, and much more expansive in his musical tastes.

Maybe this quote from Weller in 2008 conveys some of it:

"I'd never really got them [The Smiths] before, but when I saw them live I thought, 'f***ing hell!' When they hit hit the stage it made me think of the Jam days; there was an explosion when they hit the boards...but I never listened to any of their records to tell you the truth."
Interesting! Thank you for sharing. I always imagined (romantically) that there was a bit of overlapping fan-wise between the Jam and the Smiths. I guess The Smiths audience was a bit more student-y, maybe?
 
Definitely one of there best and a good example on how to tell a story in a song:



The distant echo -
of faraway voices boarding faraway trains
To take them home to
the ones that they love and who love them forever
The glazed, dirty steps - repeat my own and reflect my thoughts
Cold and uninviting, partially naked
Except for toffee wrapers and this morning's paper
Mr. Jones got run down
Headlines of death and sorrow - they tell of tomorrow
Madmen on the rampage
And I'm down in the tube station at midnight
I fumble for change - and pull out the Queen
Smiling, beguiling
I put in the money and pull out a plum
Behind me
Whispers in the shadows - gruff blazing voices
Hating, waiting
"Hey boy" they shout - "have you got any money?"
And I said - "I've a little money and a take away curry,
I'm on my way home to my wife.
She'll be lining up the cutlery,
You know she's expecting me
Polishing the glasses and pulling out the cork"
And I'm down in the tube station at midnight
I first felt a fist, and then a kick
I could now smell their breath
They smelt of pubs and Wormwood Scrubs
And too many right wing meetings
My life swam around me
It took a look and drowned me in its own existence
It blended in with the weather
It filled my eyes, ears, nose and mouth
It blocked all my senses
Couldn't see, hear, speak any longer
And I'm down in the tube station at midnight
I said I was down in the tube station at midnight
The last thing that I saw
As I lay there on the floor
Was "Jesus Saves" painted by an atheist nutter
And a British Rail poster read "Have an Awayday - a cheap holiday -
Do it today!"
I glanced back on my life
And thought about my wife
'Cause they took the keys - and she'll think it's me
And I'm down in the tube station at midnight
The wine will be flat and the curry's gone cold
I'm down in the tube station at midnight
Don't want to go down in a tube station at midnight
 
Definitely one of there best and a good example on how to tell a story in a song:



The distant echo -
of faraway voices boarding faraway trains
To take them home to
the ones that they love and who love them forever
The glazed, dirty steps - repeat my own and reflect my thoughts
Cold and uninviting, partially naked
Except for toffee wrapers and this morning's paper
Mr. Jones got run down
Headlines of death and sorrow - they tell of tomorrow
Madmen on the rampage
And I'm down in the tube station at midnight
I fumble for change - and pull out the Queen
Smiling, beguiling
I put in the money and pull out a plum
Behind me
Whispers in the shadows - gruff blazing voices
Hating, waiting
"Hey boy" they shout - "have you got any money?"
And I said - "I've a little money and a take away curry,
I'm on my way home to my wife.
She'll be lining up the cutlery,
You know she's expecting me
Polishing the glasses and pulling out the cork"
And I'm down in the tube station at midnight
I first felt a fist, and then a kick
I could now smell their breath
They smelt of pubs and Wormwood Scrubs
And too many right wing meetings
My life swam around me
It took a look and drowned me in its own existence
It blended in with the weather
It filled my eyes, ears, nose and mouth
It blocked all my senses
Couldn't see, hear, speak any longer
And I'm down in the tube station at midnight
I said I was down in the tube station at midnight
The last thing that I saw
As I lay there on the floor
Was "Jesus Saves" painted by an atheist nutter
And a British Rail poster read "Have an Awayday - a cheap holiday -
Do it today!"
I glanced back on my life
And thought about my wife
'Cause they took the keys - and she'll think it's me
And I'm down in the tube station at midnight
The wine will be flat and the curry's gone cold
I'm down in the tube station at midnight
Don't want to go down in a tube station at midnight
Masterpiece. The lyrics this guy wrote at 20 years old is mind blowing.
 
is this the same paul weller who wouldnt speak to you if you were scottish when they were doing top of the pops and thats coming from jim kerr of simple minds.good songwriter but not much of a singer.
 
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