Weller's eleventh studio album, Sonik Kicks, was released on 19 March 2012. The Green Songfacts reports that it was recorded in Wellerโs 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 โ 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.
Long Hot Summer
Paul Weller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why I've even been out walking
They tell me that it helps
But I know when I'm beaten
All those lonely films
And all those lonely parties
But now the feeling is off-screen
An' the tears for real not acted, anymore
I'm all mixed up inside
I want to run but I can't hide
And however much we try
We can't escape the truth and the fact is
Don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
'Cause I end up hurting you
One more covered sigh
And one more glance you know means goodbye
Can't you see that's why
We're dashing ourselves against the rocks of a lifetime
(In my mind different voices call)
What once was pleasure now's pain for us all
(In my heart only shadows fall)
I once stood proud now I feel so small
(I don't know whether to laugh or cry)
The long hot summer just passed me by
In "Long Hot Summer," Paul Weller captures the essence of the end of a relationship. He laments his failed attempts to fix things, as seen in the opening line, "I play out my role." He goes on to describe his efforts to distract himself from the pain, like going out for walks and attending parties, but ultimately, his emotions get the best of him. The line "An' the tears for real not acted, anymore" illustrates the shift from performing his emotions for the sake of closure to him actually feeling the anguish of the breakup.
The chorus emphasizes his feelings of being trapped: "Don't matter what I do, 'cause I end up hurting you." No matter what he tries, the end result is always the same, so it's easier to give up than to keep trying. He brings up the image of "dashing ourselves against the rocks of a lifetime," implying that the relationship was a struggle from the start, but they kept fighting for it until their perseverance led to their downfall. In the end, he's left feeling broken and small, a far cry from the confident man he was before.
Overall, "Long Hot Summer" speaks to the universal experience of heartbreak - the highs and lows of a relationship's end and the inevitable pain that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
I play out my role
I pretend to be someone I'm not
Why I've even been out walking
I've tried everything to distract myself from the pain
They tell me that it helps
People suggest different coping mechanisms for dealing with heartbreak
But I know when I'm beaten
I know it's over and I can't change it
All those lonely films
Watching movies alone
And all those lonely parties
Attending social events alone
But now the feeling is off-screen
The pain is real and cannot be hidden
An' the tears for real not acted, anymore
The tears I shed are genuine and not for show
I'm all mixed up inside
I'm confused and don't know what to do
I want to run but I can't hide
I want to escape the pain, but it's impossible
And however much we try
No matter what we do
We can't escape the truth and the fact is
We can't ignore the reality of the situation
Don't matter what I do
Regardless of my actions
It don't matter what I do
Nothing I do will change the outcome
Don't matter what I do
No matter how hard I try
Don't matter what I do
There's nothing that can be done
Don't matter what I do
No matter what I do, it won't work out
'Cause I end up hurting you
My actions inevitably cause you pain
One more covered sigh
One more attempt to hide my sadness
And one more glance you know means goodbye
A look that reveals the end of our relationship
Can't you see that's why
Can't you understand the reason for my pain
We're dashing ourselves against the rocks of a lifetime
Our relationship is doomed and will never work out
(In my mind different voices call)
Conflicting thoughts in my head
What once was pleasure now's pain for us all
What used to bring us joy, now causes us pain
(In my heart only shadows fall)
Emptiness where love used to reside
I once stood proud now I feel so small
I used to be confident, now I feel insignificant
(I don't know whether to laugh or cry)
Mixed emotions leave me unsure how to react
The long hot summer just passed me by
I missed out on the enjoyment of the season due to heartbreak
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PAUL JOHN WELLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Juliane Calegario
I play out my role
Why I've even been out walking
They tell me that it helps
But I know when I'm beaten
All those lonely films
And all those lonely parties
But now the feeling is off-screen
An' the tears for real not acted, anymore
I'm all mixed up inside
I want to run but I can't hide
And however much we try
We can't escape the truth and the fact is
Don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
'Cause I end up hurting you
One more covered sigh
And one more glance you know means goodbye
Can't you see that's why
We're dashing ourselves against the rocks of a lifetime
What once was pleasure now's pain for us all
(In my heart only shadows fall)
I once stood proud now I feel so small
(I don't know whether to laugh or cry)
The long hot summer just passed me by
Thach Ngoc
Here are your beautiful lyrics:
I play out my role
Why I've even been out walking
They tell me that it helps
But I know when I'm beaten
All those lonely films
And all those lonely parties
But now the feeling is off-screen
An' the tears for real not acted, anymore
I'm all mixed up inside
I want to run but I can't hide
And however much we try
We can't escape the truth and the fact is
Don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
'Cause I end up hurting you
One more covered sigh
And one more glance you know means goodbye
Can't you see that's why
We're dashing ourselves against the rocks of a lifetime
Don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
'Cause I end up hurting you
(In my mind different voices call)
What once was pleasure now's pain for us all
(In my heart only shadows fall)
I once stood proud now I feel so small
(I don't know whether to laugh or cry)
The long hot summer just passed me by
Don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
'Cause I end up hurting you
Om
This song is 40 years old. Unreal.
Still sounds amazing!
R. Nigel Wales
Such a change for Paul Weller from his days with The Jam! Some fans didn't like it but I think it shows the depth of his talent. Brilliant!
Ralex
Paul Weller and Richard Ashcroft both absolute geniuses
1957PLATO
I agree. You cannot put great talents into small boxes. They will break out.
Phil Ruane
I was heartbroke when The Jam split up, then thisโฆ.got me through n still listeing โค
Overwhelmed Octopus๐
Melting ๐ ๐
tabitha burston
I've been a fan of the Jam for many years. However, I love this song and other songs by this band ๐ถ
Catherine Prior
This song is so iconic ! You know who it is the moment it begins. A superb track that will never grow old or weary and will always remain popular!
ronda allen
sounds so 80s
Kahurangi Hippolite
love them :) โฅ