Paul Weller (born 25 May 1958) is an English singer / songwriter, leader of… Read Full Bio ↴Paul Weller (born 25 May 1958) is an English singer / songwriter, leader of two successful bands: The Jam and The Style Council. In England, he is recognised as something of a national institution yet, because much of his songwriting is rooted in English culture, he has remained essentially a national rather than an international star.

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.

Pity Poor Alfie
Paul Weller Lyrics

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The streets of pleasure took you to top
But every light was red and every sign said stop
I felt so confined, just like glued to this spot, oh
'Cause we were sleeping in the noon day sun
We escaped the test and the marathon run
And no one heard and these mournful cries of "Alfie!"
We put a stop to that
Whoa, but Alfie, I wish you'd please come back

So no one's hurt, we might have made it through
But now there's nothing left except the memories of you

With overflowing powerful woes
'Cause there's real and fright
To the top of the stairs to find poor Alfie
And blood stained letters don't count for change
And don't look for blame
'Cause it's a fair exchange
For the last adventure I have left

'Cause we were sleeping in the noon day sun
We escaped the test and the marathon run
And no one heard and these mournful cries of "Alfie!"
We put a stop to that
Oh, but Alfie, I wish you'd please come back

Now it's gonna be hard for me to make it through
When all that's left is the memories of
Nothing left except the memories of war and pain
Please pity poor Alfie

Poor Alfie put a stop to that
Poor Alfie I wish you'd please come back
Poor Alfie put a stop to that
Oh, but Alfie I wish you'd please come back
Poor Alfie!

You'll never know how much I love you
Never know how much I care
'Cause when you put your arms around me
I get a fever I can hardly bear
You give me fever
When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever through the daytime
I get a fever all through the night

Sun lights up the daytime
Moon lights up the night
I light up when you kiss me
And I know you're gonna treat me right
You give me fever
When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever through the daytime
I get a fever all through the night

Bless my soul I love you
Take me so far away
Take these arms I'll never use
Just believe what my words have to say
You give me fever
When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever through the daytime
I get a fever all through the night

You give me fever

Overall Meaning

The song "Pity Poor Alfie" by Paul Weller tells the story of a person named Alfie who was once on top of the world but eventually fell from grace, leaving behind only memories of his past glory. The first verse describes how Alfie was once successful, but now faced obstacles and setbacks represented metaphorically by every light being red and every sign saying stop. The second verse tells of how Alfie's friends tried to help him but he was beyond repair, and despite their efforts, he eventually fell to his end. The sadness and regret of Alfie's demise are expressed in the chorus, as the singer wishes Alfie could come back.

The line "We were sleeping in the noon day sun" can be interpreted in a few ways. It could mean that Alfie and his friends were resting and taking time off, or it could symbolize how they were living in a dream-like state where they were blind to the reality of their situation. The repetition of the phrase "poor Alfie" throughout the song emphasizes the tragedy and pity of his story.

Overall, "Pity Poor Alfie" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of success, pride, and ambition. It warns against becoming too attached to material possessions and temporary victories that can fade away, leaving nothing but regret and memories behind.

Pity Poor AlfiePaul Weller Lyrics

Pity Poor Alfie
Paul Weller Lyrics