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.
As You Lean Into the Light
Paul Weller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rattling 'round your window, threatening pain
Coming on like a friend but you know better than
Yesterday that held you by a different hand
Hail and stone and all that's gone
When everything that passes cuts to the bone
Turning like a wheel, dragging a heavy stone
Strange to see a paper smile on thee
When once you moved and light the room for us all to be
Now if I could be the sun I'd shine in your life
If I could be the rain I'd rain from your eyes
And I'd wash away the emptiness you feel inside
In Paul Weller's song "As You Lean Into the Light," he paints a picture of someone who is experiencing emotional pain and is trying to cope with it in different ways. The gentle rain described in the first verse can represent the new approach to the pain, and it appears to be comforting at first. However, the singer suggests that the person knows better than to trust it, implying a sense of cynicism or skepticism.
The second verse describes the weight of the emotional pain, with references to hail, stone, and a heavy wheel that draws the singer down. He suggests that this weight will never truly belong to the person, and they will carry it with them always.
The final verse is a message of hope from the singer to the person experiencing pain. He comments on their previous ability to light up a room but notes that they are now struggling. He says that if he could, he would be both the sun and the rain, and would try to wash away the person's emptiness. It's a touching reminder that even in the darkest moments, people can find solace in the love and support of others.
Overall, the song is a beautiful testament to the struggles of the human experience and the power of love to heal and uplift us.
Line by Line Meaning
Gentle rain, here it comes again
Mild rain, it's about to come
Rattling 'round your window, threatening pain
Making noise around your closed window and causing inconvenience
Coming on like a friend but you know better than
It appears friendly, but you have doubts
Yesterday that held you by a different hand
Refers to the past that was different from the current situation
Hail and stone and all that's gone
Refers to everything that has disappeared over time
When everything that passes cuts to the bone
Refers to the painful memories of the past
Turning like a wheel, dragging a heavy stone
Life is like a wheel that moves forward, but it feels heavy to carry
A weight that ties you down that you will never own
The burdens of life that will never be owned, but are always carried
Strange to see a paper smile on thee
It's unusual to see a fake smile on someone’s face
When once you moved and light the room for us all to be
Refers to the past when the person used to bring joy and light to other people's lives
Now if I could be the sun I'd shine in your life
Expresses the desire to bring sunshine to the person's life
If I could be the rain I'd rain from your eyes
Expresses the desire to bring comfort to the person's eyes with tears
And I'd wash away the emptiness you feel inside
Expresses the desire to wash away the person’s emptiness or loneliness
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL JOHN WELLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind