Some Songs Considered - Posts Tagged 'paul weller'

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Written by Brian Wall

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January 22, 2010

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

“That’s Entertainment” – The Jam
(Words/music: Paul Weller, available on Sound Affects, Polydor 1980)

Tonight marks the end of Conan O’Brien’s brief run as host of The Tonight Show after an extremely public bout with his network. I won’t add onto the pile of discussion of the way O’Brien left the network and instead will focus on wishing him a fond (and hopefully temporary) farewell. Of course, since music was one of the important parts of his show – from interacting with the characters in the Max Weinberg Seven to the terrific bands his staff booked for him – I thought I’d send Conan off with a song.

“That’s Entertainment” describes some of the sights and sounds of working class Britain. Paul Weller runs through the bleak sights, shrill sounds, and general humdrum details of everyday life. As a narrator, Weller stays generally detached, only tipping us to the unhappiness of the people living here in the “wishing you were far away” line (which, to be fair, could be any place at any time). It’s this general discontent that leads me to think that the “that’s entertainment” line isn’t necessarily meant as sarcastic. Rather, if it’s to suggest that working class life isn’t entertaining, it underscores the need for entertainment in our lives.

This is where O’Brien comes in. His show provided small doses of entertainment, be it bizarre comedy bits, an engaging interview, or a favorite band playing a new song. O’Brien’s show offered levity after an exhausting day and did so in a consistently clever and genuinely warm way. He combined the razor-sharp wit and flair for absurdity that many try to cultivate with an endearing and effortless charm that most of us dream of possessing. If Weller’s song focused on the need for tiny bits of escapism in our day-to-day lives, Conan O’Brien was one of my favorites. For the sake of entertainment, I hope he returns to television soon.

More on The Jam: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

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February 3, 2009

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

“My Ever Changing Moods” – The Style Council
(Words/music: Paul Weller, available on Café Bleu, Polydor 1984)

Many are quick to cite Pete Townshend’s undeniable influence on Paul Weller, an influence that goes beyond both of their bands’ mod roots and a terrific 2000 duet on “So Sad About Us.” Still, reading some old reviews of Jam albums might paint the band as Who disciples, Weller’s influences as a songwriter go beyond Townshend. Equally as important, especially towards the end of the band’s tenure, was the influence of soul and R&B on Weller’s compositions. These influences manifest themselves both in Weller’s own compositions (and expanding sonic pallet on the last few albums) and the variety of cover songs in The Jam’s catalog – “In the Midnight Hour,” “Move on Up,” and “I Got You (I Feel Good” among others. Once the band dissolved, Weller explored these influences deeper through The Style Council, his collaboration with keyboard player Mick Talbot.

“My Ever Changing Moods” pays homage to some of Weller’s soulful forebears, probably Curtis Mayfield in particular (the percussion reminds me of the excellent instrumental breakdown in “Move on Up” and Weller’s voice at times tries to mimic Mayfield’s inflection). The song’s biggest strength is the constant harmonies and the spotless arrangement – all of the different musical voices work together without overpowering each others. Weller adds in horns when needed, moves the organ up in the mix when it complements the vocal harmonies, and lets the electric guitar solo briefly just to change things up. While Weller was the creative center with The Jam, his work with the Style Council turned him into a band leader in the complete sense of the word – it could almost be The Paul Weller Orchestra if it was recorded in the 1950s rather than 1980s. Still, it’s not a complete retro piece as Weller imbibes the song with the energy of his previous group – it’s not a punk-like romp like some of the early songs, but it’s not a slow ballad by any means. Additionally, Weller’s command of language lets him (like Mayfield before him and many afterward) craft a song that sounds political without being preachy or partisan. Weller’s calling for change in a subtle way by describing the uncertain times through an idealistic lens – he hopes for an era of accountability and goodness while still acknowledging the implausibility of his desires. Still, you won’t even think about the lyrical themes for the first few listens because there are so many other engaging and enticing parts of the arrangement that will demand your attention the first couple of times through.

More on The Style Council: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

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