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.
Friday Street
Paul Weller Lyrics
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Summerfly's around my feet
And wee still stars
Are in my eyes
And mine's alive on Friday Street
A pulse goes on, on Friday Street
Time seems longer against its beat
And it's hard to forget
That mine's alive on Friday Street
Yeah! Mine's still alive on Friday Street
And I see myself
And it seems so clear
I can walk through the world
Like I'm not really here
And I really don't care
'Cause mine's still alive on Friday Street
Lives alive on Friday Street
You start to shine in a brand new heat
And the world is clear
Like you're not really here
And I see myself
And I'm really not scared
'Cause mine's still alive on Friday Street
Mine's still alive on Friday Street
It's like plugging back in on Friday Street
May it always come alive! on Friday Street
The lyrics of Paul Weller's "Friday Street" express a deep connection to a particular place and time that brings the singer's mind alive. The song seems to celebrate a sense of being fully present and alive, unburdened by worries or anxieties. The opening lines immediately set the mood with the image of a "Summerfly" buzzing around the singer's feet, suggesting a moment of leisure and joy.
As the song progresses, the repeated refrain of "mine's alive on Friday Street" becomes a kind of mantra, reinforcing the idea that this place is a source of vitality and energy for the singer. The line "you start to shine in a brand new heat" further emphasizes the transformative power of this place, as it seems to imbue the singer with confidence and radiance.
The overall effect of the lyrics is to convey a sense of deep contentment and connection that comes from being in a place that feels like home. Despite the pressures and uncertainties of life, the singer finds solace and renewal on Friday Street.
Line by Line Meaning
Minds alive! On Friday Street
My mind is active and thriving while on the street on Fridays.
Summerfly's around my feet
The sensation of summer is present and ambling by my feet.
And wee still stars
Small stars can still be seen sparkling in the sky.
Are in my eyes
I am able to see these stars with my own eyes.
And mine's alive on Friday Street
My mind continues to flourish on the same Friday Street.
A pulse goes on, on Friday Street
A lively rhythm persists on Friday Street.
Time seems longer against its beat
Time appears to take longer when measured against the rhythm of the street.
And it's easy to remember
It's effortless to recollect Friday Street.
And it's hard to forget
It's difficult to forget Friday Street.
Yeah! Mine's still alive on Friday Street
My mind is still active and flourishing on Friday Street.
And I see myself
I see myself clearly.
And it seems so clear
Everything becomes so clear on Friday Street.
I can walk through the world
I am able to walk through the world with ease.
Like I'm not really here
As if I don't actually exist in the world.
And I really don't care
I don't care about anything in that moment.
'Cause mine's still alive on Friday Street
My mind is still active and flourishing on Friday Street.
Lives alive on Friday Street
Many lives are thriving on Friday Street.
You start to shine in a brand new heat
You begin to glow in new, brilliant ways.
And the world is clear
The world becomes crystal clear.
Like you're not really here
As if you do not truly exist in the world.
And I see myself
I see myself clearly.
And I'm really not scared
I am not afraid of anything.
'Cause mine's still alive on Friday Street
My mind is still active and flourishing on Friday Street.
It's like plugging back in on Friday Street
It feels like plugging back into an energy source on Friday Street.
May it always come alive! on Friday Street
May the liveliness of Friday Street always persist.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL JOHN WELLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dom Peyote
LOVE this album. Scary to realize it is now 20 smeggin' years old. Thanks for posting.
Sam Sargent
Never ages..class 👌
Robbie Turner
One of my fav weller songs but tbh there all fuckin brill
D N
Surely a working class sentiment. Got no desire to be anything else.
Mod 66
Its a place in Surrey where he grew up.
Mod 66
Class can not be bought or sold