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.
Come To Milton Keynes
Paul Weller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On this fine and lovely night tonight
We'll walk past the luscious houses
Through rolling lawns and lovely flowers
Our nice new town where the curtains are drawn
Where hope is started and dreams can be borne
Go mad together in Community
Boys on the corner looking for their supper
Boys 'round the green looking for some slaughter
We used to chase dreams, now we chase the dragon
Mine is the semi with the Union Jack on
In our paradise lost we'll be finding our sanity
In this paradise found we'll be losing our way
For a brave new day
May I slash my wrists tonight?
This fine Conservative night
I was looking for a job so I came to town
I easily adopt when the chips are down
I read the ad about the private schemes
I liked the idea but now I'm not so Keyne
[Incomprehensible]
[Incomprehensible]
God bless you all, God bless
In the first verse of Paul Weller's song "Come To Milton Keynes", the singer expresses a desire to take a walk with a companion on a lovely night. They walk through a neatly organized, planned community with picturesque homes and gardens. The lyrics convey a sense of contentment and optimism regarding the promise of this "nice new town" where dreams can come true and hope can be realized.
The second verse, however, takes a slightly darker turn. The singer urges the listener to join him in embracing the madness and communal chaos that exist in this town. They observe groups of boys gathering, seemingly with violent intent, suggesting that there is a darker side to this seemingly idyllic community. The lyric "we used to chase dreams, now we chase the dragon" implies a shift from optimism to disillusionment and a sense of hopelessness.
The final verse has a more bitter edge, with the singer expressing a desire to end his life, jokingly referencing the Conservative party and the difficulty of finding work in what was promised to be a prosperous new town. The line "I liked the idea but now I'm not so Keyne" is a play on words with the town of Milton Keynes, using the term Keyne instead to express the disillusionment with the town's initial promise.
Overall, the song paints a complex picture of a planned community, one that promises hope and dreams but also has a darker underbelly of lost potential and societal pressures. It is an insightful critique of the culture of planned communities and the struggles of those who live within them.
Line by Line Meaning
May I walk you home tonight
Can I take this opportunity to walk with you?
On this fine and lovely night tonight
It's a beautiful night for a walk
We'll walk past the luscious houses
We'll pass luxurious homes
Through rolling lawns and lovely flowers
We'll traverse gardens with beautiful grounds and flowers
Our nice new town where the curtains are drawn
We're in a new town where privacy is important
Where hope is started and dreams can be borne
A place where aspirations are formed and realized
Let us share our insanity
Let's be crazy together
Go mad together in Community
Let's have fun with the people in our community
Boys on the corner looking for their supper
There are young men seeking food on street corners
Boys 'round the green looking for some slaughter
Others are hanging out around the green, looking for trouble
We used to chase dreams, now we chase the dragon
In the past, we had dreams, now we strive for material success
Mine is the semi with the Union Jack on
I'm proud to own a house with the Union Jack flag on it
In our paradise lost we'll be finding our sanity
We'll rediscover our sanity in the place where we lost ourselves
In this paradise found we'll be losing our way
In this new place of happiness, we may become directionless
For a brave new day
Looking forward to a better future
May I slash my wrists tonight?
Is tonight the time to end it all?
This fine Conservative night
On a typical Conservative evening
I was looking for a job so I came to town
I came to this town in search of work
I easily adopt when the chips are down
I am very adaptable when faced with difficulties
I read the ad about the private schemes
I saw the advertisement for private plans
I liked the idea but now I'm not so Keyne
I used to like the concept but now I'm not sure
God bless you all, God bless
A parting blessing to everyone
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL JOHN WELLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fabiocasa843
May I walk you home tonight
On this fine and lovely night tonight -
We'll walk past the luscious houses,
Through rolling lawns and lovely flowers -
Our nice new town where the curtains are drawn
Where hope is started and dreams can be borne.
Let us share our insanity
Go mad together in Community
Boys on the corner looking for their supper
Boys round the green looking for some slaughter -
We used to chase dreams now we chase the dragon
Mine is the semi with the Union Jack on.
In our paradise lost we'll be finding our sanity
In this paradise found we'll be losing our way -
For a brave new day.
May I slash my wrists tonight,
On this fine Conservative night tonight -
I was looking for a job so I came to town
I easily adopt when the chips are down -
I read the ad about the private schemes
I liked the idea but now I'm not so Keyne.
@ginacustodio7120
Love the entire album...
@alexsweeney5299
Imagine a group doing a video like this now!!!! Bloody hell I wish I could go back in time
@ChrisNeufeldMusic
2:49 “The songs we live by are beyond our means, but the sun never sets and we’re all safe and sound. God bless you all, God bless.”
@ChrisHaggarty
Can’t believe this is the first time I’ve actually seen this video. WTF !!!?? One of the best lines ever “you used to chase dreams - now you chase the dragon”.
@sirandrelefaedelinoge
This video was banned trom being broadcast...
@fabiocasa843
May I walk you home tonight
On this fine and lovely night tonight -
We'll walk past the luscious houses,
Through rolling lawns and lovely flowers -
Our nice new town where the curtains are drawn
Where hope is started and dreams can be borne.
Let us share our insanity
Go mad together in Community
Boys on the corner looking for their supper
Boys round the green looking for some slaughter -
We used to chase dreams now we chase the dragon
Mine is the semi with the Union Jack on.
In our paradise lost we'll be finding our sanity
In this paradise found we'll be losing our way -
For a brave new day.
May I slash my wrists tonight,
On this fine Conservative night tonight -
I was looking for a job so I came to town
I easily adopt when the chips are down -
I read the ad about the private schemes
I liked the idea but now I'm not so Keyne.
@tsayer6858
Only Weller could write songs like this! Such political lyrics set to a Brilliant pop tune! Amazing,
@wimbledan
The irony of a man born in Wimbledon writing a song about Milton Keynes years before the franchise. Mr Talbot you're a legend
@EM-yk1dw
Wimble Dan it was Paul who wrote it.
@collapsiblechair9112
lol