Weller Wednesday

It’s been a while since Weller Wednesday happened here at lyriquediscorde. I think Weller and I needed a break. Sometimes space is needed to redefine music that once held significance in a relationship that is no longer. Though I was a fan before, it was definitely a shared thing, and I needed to find a way to unlink it, and put the memories away. I needed to find my way back to the music of Weller on my own.

Thanks, Paul Weller, for choosing a Weller Wednesday to release the second single, “Movin On”, from the upcoming album, True Meanings, coming out this September. It’s just what I needed to get back into your music. Lyrically, too, this song feels timely and relevant, and also just what I needed, for me, today.

“Movin On” by Paul Weller
from the upcoming album, True Meanings (coming September 2018)
Weller Wednesday

“Thru’ the heartaches and pain,
thru’ the darkness again,
til you find yourself back,
in the light once again.
To show –
you’re movin on.”

True Meanings to be released on September 14, 2018. Pre-order your copy here.

“Movin On” features English folk singer and guitarist Martin Carthy, as well as Villagers’ members, and songwriters, Conor O’Brien and Erland Cooper. Exceptional strings, something Weller is stellar at, add a bit of a jazz to this breezy summer folk-ish song. Something in the arrangement and lyrics reminds me of the mid-90’s.

Though I prefer Weller’s earlier single from True Meanings, “Aspects”, this new track feels like a grower. I know I’ll be hitting play many times in the near future…starting right now.

I do love the sentiment of moving on from pain and hurt, from things that hold you back, and perhaps even from yourself. Its hopeful, and I do love hopeful. I think we could all use some hopeful today. Thanks, PW.

It’s that day again. Wednesday. Weller Wednesday. The day of the week set aside to celebrate, listen to, and learn about all things Paul Weller. This week let’s travel back to 1977 and have a listen to my favorite track from This Is the Modern World. Reminiscent of The Kinks’ “Waterloo Sunset” and “Liza Radley”, from later album, 1980’s Setting Sons, “Life From a Window” showcases the songwriting talents of Weller, as it captures the wistfulness of watching a world from a window that you are not yet a part of, but want to be.

“Life From a Window” by The Jam
from the album, This Is the Modern World (1977)
Weller Wednesday

“Looking from a hill top, watching from a lighthouse.
Just dreaming
Up here I can see the world.”

Haven’t we all looked out windows in our lives and dreamed of something different? Perhaps as a child, definitely as an adolescent, and even as adults. “Life From a Window” is not just my favorite from This Is the Modern World, but it is in my Top 10 of favorite Jam tracks. A lot of that love for it comes from the relatability of it – that sentiment. I know I’ve looked out of so many windows dreaming and wishing.

Haven’t you?

Welcome back to Weller Wednesday. Today is the last Wednesday of May. So to mark an “ending” in a month that seems full of them I thought we’d start a new recurring Weller theme for the last Wednesday’s of the month called “The Covers”. Paul Weller has recorded and performed many covers. There are so many out there to listen to that I knew this would make a great monthly Weller-treat. So, sit back, get comfortable, turn up the volume, and get ready to hear Paul Weller do some fantastic versions of songs for this week’s Weller Wednesday – The Covers, Part 1.

Weller Wednesday – The Covers, Part 1
Weller Wednesday

1. “Wishing On a Star”
originally by Rose Royce

2. “Needles and Pins”
originally by The Searchers

3. “Don’t Go to Strangers” (live), featuring Amy Winehouse
originally by Etta Jones

4. “Bang, Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” (live)
originally by Cher

5. “Instant Karma” (live)
originally by John Lennon

What is your favorite Paul Weller cover?

Weller Wednesday – The Playlist, Part 1
Weller Wednesday

Listen on Spotify and YouTube

“My Ever Changing Moods” by The Style Council
“Carnation” by The Jam
“Foot of the Mountain” by Paul Weller
“English Rose” by The Jam
“The Paris Match” by The Style Council, with Tracey Thorn
“Sunflower” by Paul Weller
“Life From a Window” by The Jam
“Above the Clouds” by Paul Weller
“Have You Ever Had It Blue?” by The Style Council
“Pretty Green” by The Jam
“Green” by Paul Weller
“The Changingman” by Paul Weller
“Private Hell” by The Jam
“Money-Go-Round (Parts 1 & 2) ” by The Style Council
“From the Floorboards Up” by Paul Weller
“Strange Town” by The Jam
“Shout To the Top” by The Style Council
“Friday Street” by Paul Weller
“Art School” by The Jam
“The Cranes are Back” by Paul Weller
“You’re the Best Thing” by The Style Council
“Wishing On a Star” by Paul Weller
“Wild Wood” by Paul Weller
“The Butterfly Collector” by The Jam
“Down In the Tube Station at Midnight” by The Jam
“Wake Up the Nation” by Paul Weller
“Woo Se Mama” by Paul Weller
“Come On/Let’s Go” by Paul Weller
“Up In Suzes’ Room” by Paul Weller
“Frightened” by Paul Weller

Weller Wednesday – The Playlist, Part 1

“Have You Ever Had It Blue?” (live at Sydney Opera House) by Paul Weller

Happy Weller Wednesday, that special day of the week where we celebrate, listen to and learn about All Things Paul Weller. This week we turn our eyes and ears to a Live Performance from the Sydney Opera House. Paul Weller performing a Song originally by The Style Council, and featured in the Film Absolute Beginners – “Have You Ever Had It Blue?”

“Have You Ever Had It Blue?” was The Style Council’s contribution to Julien Temple’s 1986 musical version of Colin MacInnes’ novel Absolute Beginners (earlier the inspiration for a classic Jam single) was their last truly interesting single, and even it has undeniable echoes of a few songs from the previous year’s Internationalists, particularly “With Everything To Lose” and “All Gone Away.” A horn arrangement by Gil Evans opens the song with an authentically cool jazz nod to the novel’s time period, but the song itself has more of a bossa nova feel, with its subtle Latin percussion and Dee C. Lee’s Astrud Gilberto-like wordless backing vocals. Still, it’s a richly melodic tune and the end of Paul Weller’s continental jazz-pop persona. From here it was the miserable genre-exploitation of the last few Style Council records and a diminishing-returns solo career. (from Stewart Mason at All Music)

“Have You Ever Had It Blue?” by The Style Council

Though Weller tends to disregard Absolute Beginners as a Film, often saying disparaging things about it before performing “Have You Ever Had It Blue?”, its Soundtrack is stellar. The Style Council shares Musical space with David Bowie, Ray Davies, Sade, among others.

Absolute Beginners was released in 1986 and was adapted from Colin MacInnes’ book of the same name. It is about life in late 1950’s London and was directed by Julien Temple. It stars Patsy Kensit, David Bowie, and Sade.

Although the Movie received heavy Media coverage and promotion, it was essentially a box office flop. So, I guess Weller has a point when he talks it down. The Music was what made the Film memorable, especially Bowie’s “Absolute Beginners” Single, and “Have You Ever Had It Blue?” by The Style Council.

Absolute Beginners (1986)
End of Video features “Have You Ever Had It Blue?”

The Song lives on well past the unfortunately low-rated Film. It also seems to have lived past The Style Council itself. Weller still plays it often during Solo shows, breathing new life, and an Acoustic update to the Song, keeping it relevant and quite lovely to hear.

“Have You Ever Had It Blue?” (live, KEXP Radio) by Paul Weller

What do you think of the Song? Do you prefer the Absolute Beginners/Style Council Version or Weller’s Live Acoustic stylings?

“Don’t Go To Strangers” (live at Jools Holland) by Paul Weller and Amy Winehouse
Originally from the Album, The Golden Age Of Song by Jools Holland

It’s Wednesday again. Weller Wednesday. The day of the week where we celebrate, listen to and learn about All Things Paul Weller. This week we turn our eyes and ears to a Live Performance from Jools Holland featuring Paul Weller with the late, great Amy Winehouse, and their rendition of “Don’t Go To Strangers”.

“Don’t Go To Strangers” was originally recorded in 1954, by The Orioles. The Song was written by Arthur Kent and David Mann (Music) and Redd Evans (Lyrics). It has been Recorded and Performed by many Artists, such as Etta Jones, Joni Mitchell, Rufus and Chaka Khan, Paul Weller and Amy Winehouse, and others, putting the Track into a “Standards” category.

“Don’t Go To Strangers” by The Orioles

The Golden Age of Song by Jools Holland is a collaborative effort on Album which is largely pairings up with Artists and Bands, with Jools. Other Artists features are Paloma Faith, Rumer, Cee Lo Green, Paolo Nutini, and Weller and Winehouse.

Jools Holland told the NME this about Amy Winehouse, and specifically her performance on his show with Paul Weller:

“The likes of her and Adele’s performances will have a very long shelf life because of YouTube – their views go into the millions. Essentially because it’s artists doing something that’s real. Amy did a duet with Paul Weller with my big band, they did (jazz standard) ‘Don’t Go To Strangers’ – he did the first verse, she did the second and we were both like ‘What??!!’ It was like Dinah Washington, or Bessie Smith or Edith Piaf, the biggies. The awful thing is she would have gone on to be one of those people.”

Jools has also said this about Paul and Amy:

“Amy Winehouse and Paul Weller are examples of poets, I think.”

Paul has this to say on working Amy Winehouse, and on Amy herself:

“One of my favourite all-time singers is Amy Winehouse, I’ve been lucky enough to work with her. She is an amazing, great talent and despite what all the papers say she is a great role model for people. I don’t think the drugs and the drink and all that make a scrap of difference, really. I think you should judge people on their talent and on that level she’s up there, a major talent.”

“Don’t Go To Strangers” (live at BBC Electric Proms) by Paul Weller and Amy Winehouse

What do you think of  Paul and Amy’s version of “Don’t Go To Strangers”?

Hope you enjoy this Week’s Weller Wednesday feature and that you come back next week to see what’s up next from Paul Weller. Feel free to share your thoughts, and Weller requests in the comments below.

“7&3 is the Strikers Name” by Paul Weller
from the Album, Wake Up the Nation (2010)

Welcome back to Weller Wednesday, where we celebrate, listen to, and learn about All Things Paul Weller. This week we are tuning in to a Track off of Weller’s 10th Solo Studio Album, Wake Up the Nation, with the Song “7&3 is the Strikers Name”.

The Album Wake Up the Nation was released in April of 2010. It was nominated for the 2010 Mercury Music Prize. The Album was dedicated to “absent friends” – John Weller (Paul’s Dad), Pat Foxton (Bruce Foxton, of The Jam, late wife) and Robert Kirby (string arranger famous for his work with Nick Drake, Elvis Costello, and Weller).

It was the first of Weller’s Albums since 1982 to feature contributions from Bruce Foxton (from The Jam). (from Wikipedia)

Paul Weller: Sounds from the Studio by Ian Snowball states that “7&3 is the Strikers Name” evolve from Wake Up the Nation’s previous Track (“Whatever Next”). They go on to say:

“It’s a vibrant and quirky track and worked when it was issued as a single-sided record. Kevin Shields [of My Bloody Valentine] is back to play more guitar and so are Hannah [Weller] and Laura Rees for backing vocals. The track presses on like a hungry army, relentless, chaotic, attacking – ‘Curse those fuckers in the castle, they’re all bastards too’. ‘7&3 is the Strikers Name’ is a force to be reckoned with.”

One could say that about Weller himself. A force to be reckoned with after years and years in the Music Business, never failing to surprise listeners, always taking chances and changing directions, and sometimes really angry at the “fuckers in the castle” (or maybe the Government, or the Music Business?)

In the Guardian’s Review of the Album, Wake Up the Nation, they commented on the Song “7&3 is the Strikers Name”:

“Here, he [Paul Weller] explores how republicanism would advance the egalitarian cause of a meritocratic democracy thus: “Them fuckers in the castles, they’re all bastards, too.” This clearly isn’t going to win the Johan Skytte Prize in political science, but there’s something about the gusto of it – not to mention the fathomless layers of feedback beneath it – that’s hugely exciting.”

The Village Voice’s Neil Ferguson selected his choice of Top 10 Songs that show Weller at his finest (as of July 24, 2013):

“7&3 is the Strikers Name”:

“If there were anything designed to alienate the more conservative of Weller’s audience (i.e. aging, overweight Fred Perry-clad white blokes demanding endless reruns of Weller’s meat and potatoes blue-eyed soul…), then it’s this slice of sonic chicanery. A queasy, swirling helping of lysergic-soaked oddness. A class war call to arms, replete with MBV’s Kevin Shields giving it full on, guitar army white noise craziness. Those demanding “proper tunes” hate it. But you know what? Fuck them. Fuck them all.”

“7&3 is the Strikers Name” (live) by Paul Weller

What do you think of “7&3 is the Strikers Name”? Do you have a Favorite Track off of “Wake Up the Nation”?

Hope you enjoy this Week’s Weller Wednesday feature and that you come back next week to see what’s up next from Paul Weller. Feel free to share your thoughts, and Weller requests in the comments below.

“Tin Soldier” (live, 1991) by The Paul Weller Movement
originally from the Small Faces Album, Small Faces (1967)

We had a bit of a hiatus for a few weeks, but we’re back with Weller Wednesday. This is where we celebrate, listen to, and learn about All Things Paul Weller. This week we turn our ears and eyes to a live Small Faces Cover from 1991, with Paul Weller’s Live Version of “Tin Soldier”.

“Tin Soldier” was originally released by Small Faces in December of 1967. It was written by Steve Marriott (credited to Marriott/Lane). The Single reached #9 on the UK Singles Chart and reached #38 in Canada. (from Wikipedia)

“Tin Soldier” by Small Faces

“Tin Soldier” was originally written by Steve Marriott for singer P.P. Arnold, but Marriott liked it so much he kept it himself. It was a song that he wrote to his first wife, Jenny Rylance. P.P. Arnold can be heard singing backing vocals on the song. The song signaled a return to the band’s R&B roots whilst continuing their forays into psychedelic rock and other musical experiments.

When “Tin Soldier” was released the BBC informed the band that the last line of the song had to be removed from all TV and radio broadcasts, mistakenly believing that Marriott sang “sleep with you”, when in fact the lyric is “sit with you”. Marriott explained that the song was about getting into someone’s mind—not their body.

The Song reached #9 on the UK Singles Chart and remains one of Small Faces’ best-known songs.

Steve and Jenny

Talking about the song, and the influence of his wife Jenny, Marriott stated:

The meaning of the song is about getting into somebody’s mind—not their body. It refers to a girl I used to talk to all the time and she really gave me a buzz. The single was to give her a buzz in return and maybe other people as well. I dig it. There’s no great message really and no physical scenes.

“Tin Soldier” has been covered by many other notable Musicians, including Paul Weller.

Paul Weller played Small Faces’ “Tin Soldier” (see Video above) live during his Movement tour at Brixton Academy. taken from the VHS Paul Weller Movement Live 1991

Paul Weller (as The Paul Weller Movement) also performed his Cover Version of “Tin Soldier” on the Jonathan Ross Show the same year.

“Tin Soldier” (live, 1991) by The Paul Weller Movement

Hope you enjoy this Week’s Weller Wednesday feature and that you come back next week to see what’s up next from Paul Weller. Feel free to share your thoughts, and Weller requests in the comments below.

“Soul Deep” (live) by The Style Council
originally from the Album, Our Favourite Shop (1985)

Welcome back to Weller Wednesday – where we celebrate, listen to, and learn about All Things Weller. This week we turn our attention to The Style Council, or for this performance, The Council Collective, and the live track to “Soul Deep”.

In December 1984, Weller put together a charity ensemble called the Council Collective to make a record, “Soul Deep”, initially to raise money for striking miners and subsequently also for the family of David Wilkie. In spite of the song’s political content, it picked up BBC Radio 1 airplay and was performed on Top of the Pops. (from Wikipedia)

The Council Collective was a Charity spin-off Group who performed the extended version of “Soul Deep” live on Channel 4’s “The Tube”, in December of 1984. It was recorded and released to raise funds and awareness for the striking miners of 1984.

The Single featured Paul Weller, Mick Talbot, Dee C. Lee, Jimmy Ruffin, Junior Giscombe, Dizzy Hites, and Vaughan Toulouse. These were Artists from The Style Council, as well as from Animal Nightlife and Heaven 17.

The Single was described, as follows:

“The Aim of this record was to raise money for the Striking Miners and their families before Xmas but obviously in the light of the tragic and disgusting event in South Wales resulting in the murder of a Cab driver, some of the monies will also go now, to the widow of the man. We do support the miners’ strike but we do not support violence. It helps no one and only creates further division amongst people. This record is about Solidarity or more to the point – getting it back! If the miners lose the strike, the consequence will be felt by all the working classes. That is why it is so important to support it. But violence will only lead to defeat – as all violence ultimately does.”

The Miners’ Strike of 1984-1985 in the UK was a major industrial action to shut down the British coal industry in an attempt to prevent colliery closures. It was led by Arthur Scargill of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) against the National Coal Board (NCB), a government agency. Opposition to the strike was led by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who called Scargill “the enemy within.”[1] The NUM was divided over the action and many mineworkers, especially in the English Midlands, worked through the dispute. Few major trade unions supported the NUM, primarily because of the absence of a vote at a national level. Violent confrontations between flying pickets and police characterized the year-long strike, which ended in a decisive victory for the Conservative government and led to the closure of most of Britain’s collieries. (from Wikipedia)

 “Soul Deep” (12″ Version) by The Council Collective

Hope you enjoy this Week’s Weller Wednesday feature and that you come back next week to see what’s up next from Paul Weller. Feel free to share your thoughts, and Weller requests in the comments below.

“Above the Clouds” (live) by Paul Weller
originally from the Album, Paul Weller (1992)

A special Valentine’s Day edition of Weller Wednesday is upon us with a beautiful live rendition of “Above the Clouds”, one of my personal Weller-favorites. The Song is Track 6 off of Weller’s debut solo Album which is Self-Titled and was released in 1992.

Paul Weller’s Self-Titled debut Album came along after the break-up of The Style Council, in 1989. Shortly after the band break-up, Weller formed The Paul Weller Movement, in 1990, on his own label, Freedom High. His first Single from the “Movement” went to #36 on the UK Charts, and at that Go! Discs offered him a Record Deal. Paul Weller’s Self-Titled is the first solo release from Go! Discs, released in Septemeber of 1992. The Album reached #8 on the UK Album Chart. (from Wikipedia)

From Paul Weller: Sounds from the Studio (2017):

Enter one of Paul’s most well-loved songs, ‘Above the Clouds’, “Autumn blew its leaves at me”.” The Song unfolds like a rose kissed by the breeze whisked up by Steve White’s drumming and a hit of bongos. Paul patrols the groove that breaks into another swirling sax solo from Jacko Peake.

“Above the Clouds”, with “Everything has a Price to Pay” as the B-Side, was the third and final Single released from Paul Weller’s debut solo Album. It made it into the Top 50 and has continued to be a favorite of fans around the world.

The Song has also been released on Paul Weller Modern Classics: The Greatest Hits (1998), Paul Weller Hit Parade (2007), and Paul Weller Classic Albums Selection, Volume 1 (2014). It was also featured on the Compilation Album, Giant Steps, Volume 1 (1993), which also featured Vivienne McKone, Hed Rush, Cooly’s Hot Box, and others.

“Above the Clouds” (Album Version) by Paul Weller

Hope you have a Happy Valentine’s Day and that you come back next week to see what’s up next from Paul Weller. I hear rumors it may be something from The Style Council.