Weller's eleventh studio album, Sonik Kicks, was released on 19 March 2012. The Green Songfacts reports that it was recorded in Weller’s own Black Barn Studios in Ripley, Surrey, with co-producer Simon Dine and engineer Charles Rees.
Born John William Weller in Stanley Road, Woking, he was also a central figure in the Mod revival. As the leader of the Jam, Paul Weller fronted the most popular British band of the punk era, influencing legions of English rockers that ranged from his mod-revival contemporaries to the Smiths in the '80s and Oasis in the '90s. During the final days of the Jam, he developed a fascination with Motown and soul, which led him to form the sophisti-pop group the Style Council in 1983. As the Style Council's career progressed, Weller's interest in soul developed into an infatuation with jazz-pop and house music, which eventually led to gradual erosion of his audience — by 1990, he couldn't get a record contract in the UK, where he had previously been worshipped as a demi-god. As a solo artist, Weller returned to soul music as an inspiration, cutting it with the progressive, hippie tendencies of Traffic. Weller's solo records were more organic and rootsier than the Style Council, which helped him regain his popularity within Britain. By the mid-'90s, he had released three successful albums which were both critically-acclaimed and massively popular in England, where contemporary bands like Ocean Colour Scene were citing him as an influence. Just as importantly, many observers, while occasionally criticizing the trad-rock nature of his music, acknowledged that Weller was one of the few rock veterans that had managed to stay vital within the second decade of his career.
A Town Called Malice
Paul Weller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cause it's one you'll never know
And quit running for that runaway bus,
Cos their rosey days are few
And, stop apologizing for the things you've never done;
Cause 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
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
That 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 kid's 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.
The lyrics of Paul Weller's A Town Called Malice paint a picture of a bleak and desolate town where dreams are shattered, hopes are dashed, and struggle is a way of life. Weller paints a vivid picture of the town where disused milk bottles stand among lonely housewives and old love letters are left to dry. The atmosphere is cold and the struggle seems never-ending as the town's people are constantly faced with tough decisions such as cutting down on beer or buying new clothes for their children. Weller sings about the profound sadness and hopelessness of those who live in the town, but he also calls for change: "But it's up to us to change this town called malice."
Weller's lyrics are a commentary on the state of Thatcher-era Britain, which was characterized by economic decline, rising unemployment, and social unrest. The song's critique of the government's policies and the way they impacted working-class communities was both powerful and timely. But the song also speaks to a broader human experience - the struggle to find meaning and hope in a world that often feels oppressive and unjust.
Line by Line Meaning
Better stop dreaming of the quiet life,
Cause it's one you'll never know
Stop wishing for a peaceful and easy life because it's not something you'll come across
And quit running for that runaway bus,
Cos their rosey days are few
Stop pursuing things that are out of reach, it won't be worth it in the end
And, stop apologizing for the things you've never done;
Cause time is short and life is cruel,
But it's up to us to change
This town called malice.
Don't keep on apologizing for doing nothing, because life is short and time is limited. We need to change the negativity that surrounds us.
Rows and rows of disused milk
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.
Empty and unused milk bottles line the dairy yard, while lonely housewives reminisce holding them near their hearts. Even letters of love have been discarded. When tears come swiftly and frequently in this town called malice, it's easy to lose faith.
Struggle after struggle, year after year
That atmosphere's a fine blend of ice,
I'm almost stone cold dead
In a town called malice
With each passing year, after so many struggles, the mood is icy and hostile. It's almost as if I'm numb and lifeless in this 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 kid's new gear
It's a big decision in a town called malice
The people in this town rely on Sunday's roast beef to get through the week, but when the local shop is out of stock, they're faced with a tough decision. It's either cut back on beer or not provide for their children. Life is never easy 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.
The haunting sound of a steam train travels down my path, going nowhere. Children play in a desolate playground as laughter echoes in the wind. Even though I could go on forever, I'd rather focus on injecting some joy back into this dismal town called malice.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL WELLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@asilentscotsman864
My dad put me on this man and his musical talent is unmatched legend
@davidjones6470
Yes !!!
Agree 👍
@HDIrwin
Some of the greatest lyrics ever written, there !
@ronsterronster2408
Weller is the real deal plain and simple .
@fieldfullofthistles
Magic. Takes me back to my college days in Shipley. I can literally taste and smell the fish and chips we had at dinner time and taste the beer the we had in the pub listening to this on the juke box. Then we'd go to Ray Smiths Musical Supplies across the road and I'd try to play a bit of Jam on one of the very old guitars he had hanging on the wall. Not very well I might add. I have the same Marshall amp Paul loves and had reissued with the mod logo on it. Great post. Weller I gotta go now.
@kerchingcash
The Modfather belts out a classic, awesome.
@aitchy62
Mo
@Ianjowett1
absofuckinlutley !!!!
@ovormotssetgetsiin6359
Modfather, I love it!
@marcelaoyarce5384
What a great effortless voice! Love him