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.
He
Paul Weller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd feel ashamed
What would he think of us?
So cold and mean
And cold's not what he was
Nor full of bitter thoughts
None that I could see
Let a world go by
What a shame
Is there none left to try to save?
Oh, does nothing change?
Only objects alter
All those high class games at the altar
What's inside is nothing, what a waste
In a world full of pain
Why add to it?
When there's none left to blame
You gotta face up to it
Oh, does nothing change?
Only objects alter
All those high class games at the altar
What's inside is nothing, what a waste
Stumbling down a street
Tied at two left feet
Those days so far away
What would he say?
That we've no patience now
We've gone too far
And it only takes a spark
To start a war
The song "He" by Paul Weller is an introspective piece about the state of the world we live in. The lyrics suggest that the singer is addressing someone who has passed away and envisions how they would feel about the current state of humanity. The singer feels ashamed of the world's apathetic and cold nature and wonders how those who have passed on would perceive it.
The lyricist (Weller) believes that the world is going through a period of stagnation where nothing seems to change, and the only thing that alters is objects. The high-class games at the altar are pointless, and they do not add any real value to society. The singer suggests that a lot of what we value outside of ourselves is nothing but a waste.
The song suggests that we are living in a world full of pain, and we shouldn't add to it. The writer believes that it's time to face up to our problems, take responsibility for our actions and not wait for someone else to save us. We cannot afford to let things get any worse, or we might end up in a never-ending cycle of war and destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
If he is watching still
If he, presumably a departed loved one, is somehow still aware of what's going on in the world
I'd feel ashamed
The singer would be ashamed of how the world has turned out if the departed loved one is still aware of it
What would he think of us?
The singer wonders what kind of judgement the departed loved one would pass on the current state of the world
So cold and mean
The current state of the world is viewed as lacking compassion and kindness
And cold's not what he was
The departed loved one was not the kind of person that was cold or unfeeling
Nor full of bitter thoughts
The departed loved one was not consumed by negative or unpleasant thoughts
None that I could see
The singer didn't observe any signs of bitterness in the departed loved one
Nor kept from me
The departed loved one didn't hide anything from the artist
Let a world go by
The idea of letting the world pass by, without taking action or making changes
What a shame
The artist feels that it's a shame to allow the world to continue on its current course
Is there none left to try to save?
The singer wonders if there's anyone left who cares enough to try and make the world a better place
Oh, does nothing change?
The artist notes the lack of progress or change in spite of the passage of time
Only objects alter
The only thing that seems to change are objects, rather than people or society in general
All those high class games at the altar
People engage in meaningless rituals or activities that serve no real purpose or bring about any real change
What's inside is nothing, what a waste
The focus is on superficial appearances and not on what really matters, which the singer sees as a waste
In a world full of pain
The world is viewed as a place of suffering and hardship
Why add to it?
Rather than making things worse, why not try and make things better?
When there's none left to blame
There's no one to blame for the state of the world but ourselves
You gotta face up to it
We need to confront the problems and challenges of the world head on
Stumbling down a street
A description of someone who is having trouble navigating through life
Tied at two left feet
A vivid metaphor that suggests the person is clumsy or awkward
Those days so far away
A reference to a time in the past when things were simpler or more innocent
What would he say?
The singer wonders how the departed loved one would react to the current state of the world
That we've no patience now
The artist sees a lack of patience or long-term thinking in the current era
We've gone too far
We've crossed a line or reached a point of no return
And it only takes a spark
Small actions, seemingly insignificant, can lead to large or significant consequences
To start a war
A reminder of how quickly things can escalate into conflict or violence
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Paul John Weller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@automatic84a842
彼はリズムのセンスが抜群ですね＾＾
@rickpearson5817
love is on his wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
@rickpearson5817
20.20 vision wisdom
AGTG
@japannational-mb2563
R.L