After the ambitious, harder-rocking Setting Sons, The Jam returned to the pop-oriented outlook of All Mod Cons, albeit with a noticeably different sound. The most salient influence on this album is '60s British psychedelic pop, such as The Beatles' Revolver, The Who's The Who Sell Out, and The Kinks' The Village Green Preservation Society. The psychedelic overtones run throughout the album: in the backwards guitar on "That's Entertainment"; in the swirling, gauzy feel of "Man in the Cornershop"; in the punchy British horns of "Boy About Town" and "Dream Time". Other obvious influences are post-punk groups such as Wire, Gang Of Four, and Joy Division and, particularly evident in Rick Buckler's drumming, Michael Jackson's Off the Wall album. Indeed, singer/guitarist/songwriter Paul Weller said at the time that he considered the album a cross between Off the Wall and Revolver.
The album's cover is a pastiche of the artwork used on the various "Sound Effects" records produced by BBC Records during the 1970s.
This album features the group's second UK number one single, "Start!", built around a bassline obviously inspired by The Beatles' "Taxman", the lead cut on Revolver. Incidentally, Polydor pushed for "Pretty Green" to get the single release instead, thinking it a surer bet, but Weller insisted on "Start!"
"Pretty Green" is perhaps the apotheosis of the Michael Jackson and Beatles fusion, melding a throbbing funk bassline and rhythm with melodic guitar breaks and psychedelic sound effects. The group would later explore the "Britfunk" sound in earnest on their next and final album, The Gift.
Perhaps The Jam's best known and most acclaimed song is the striking acoustic ballad "That's Entertainment"; it was recently named to the List of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time at #306, The Jam's lone entry.
Pretty Green
The Jam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm gonna put it in the fruit machine
I'm gonna put it in the jukebox
It's gonna play all the records in the hit parade
This is the pretty green, this is society
You can't do nothing, unless it's in the pocket
Oh no
I've got a pocket full of pretty green
I'm gonna give it to the man behind the counter
He's gonna give me food and water
I'm gonna eat that and look for more
And they didn't teach me that in school
It's something that I learnt on my own
That power is measured by the pound or the fist
It's as clear as this oh
I've got a pocket full of pretty green!
The Jam's "Pretty Green" is a protest song that captures the themes of money and power in society. In the first verse, the singer proudly boasts about his pocket full of money, which he is planning to use in a slot machine or jukebox, revealing how trivial and meaningless money can be reduced to. The line, "It's gonna play all the records in the hit parade," signifies how money can have far-reaching effects and how it can control the popular culture.
The chorus states, "This is the pretty green, this is society. You can't do nothing, unless it's in the pocket." The lyrics depict a society where power is defined by wealth and how it can silence the voices of those who don't have money. The singer conveys that pretty green, i.e., money, is the only tool that can enable social mobility and freedom of expression.
In the final verse, the singer comments on how he learned about the importance of money in society, something that wasn't taught in school. The line, "power is measured by the pound or the fist," demonstrates how the rich wield their power, and it is nearly impossible to challenge without money or physical strength. Thus the chorus, "I've got a pocket full of pretty green," seems to be an ironic take on the idea of freedom and liberty.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got a pocket full of pretty green
I have a lot of money in my pocket
I'm gonna put it in the fruit machine
I will use the money to try my luck in a gambling machine
I'm gonna put it in the jukebox
I will use the money to play some music on a jukebox
It's gonna play all the records in the hit parade
The jukebox will play all the popular songs
This is the pretty green, this is society
Money is power and influence in society
You can't do nothing, unless it's in the pocket
Without money, you have limited options and opportunities
Oh no
Expressing frustration and disappointment in the reality of this fact
I'm gonna give it to the man behind the counter
I will give my money to the shopkeeper
He's gonna give me food and water
In exchange for my money, I will receive basic necessities
I'm gonna eat that and look for more
I will use the basic necessities to survive and then try to make more money
And they didn't teach me that in school
School did not teach me the harsh realities of society and money
It's something that I learnt on my own
I had to learn this lesson through my own experiences, not through education
That power is measured by the pound or the fist
Power and influence can come from wealth or violence
It's as clear as this oh
This is a crystal clear truth of society that cannot be denied
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Paul Weller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind