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.

Woodcutter's Son
Paul Weller Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sugartown has turned so sour
Its people angry in their sleep
There's more small-town paranoia
Sweeping down its evil sheets

You better give me the chance
I'll cut you down with a glance
Yeh, with my small axe - so help me

And tho' I'm only one
And tho' weak I'm strong
And if it comes to the crunch
Then I'm the woodcutter's son

And I'm cutting down the wood for the good of everyone!

You can tell it's witching hour
You can feel the spirits rise
When the room goes very quiet
And there's hatred in your eyes

You better give me the chance
I'll cut you down with a glance
Yeh, with my small axe - so help me
And tho' I'm only one
And tho' weak I'm strong
And if it comes to the crunch
Then I'm the woodcutter's son

And I'm cutting down the wood for the good of everyone!

There's a silence when I enter
And a murmur when I leave
I can see their jealous faces
I can feel the ice they breathe

You better give me the chance
I'll cut you down with a glance
Yeh, with my small axe - so help me
And tho' I'm only one
And tho' weak I'm strong

And if it comes to the crunch
Then I'm the woodcutter's son

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Paul Weller's song Woodcutter's Son seem to be describing a small town that has turned sour, where people are angry in their sleep and there is paranoia sweeping down like evil sheets. In this context, the woodcutter's son has become something of a powerful presence. He is an outsider in the town who is seen as both weak and strong at the same time. He has the ability to cut people down with a glance, and he is the personification of small-town menace. The woodcutter's son seems to be a kind of warning that things are not as they seem in Sugartown, and that people should be careful not to cross him.

The woodcutter's son represents an underdog figure, someone who is not part of the establishment but who has the power to upset it. He embodies the idea that, even the weakest and most vulnerable among us, can find a way to make themselves heard and to stand up for what's right. Paul Weller's Woodcutter's Son is a song that is full of tension and unease, but also of defiance and hope in the face of adversity.

Line by Line Meaning

Sugartown has turned so sour
The once sweet and peaceful town of Sugartown has become bitter and unpleasant.

Its people angry in their sleep
The people of Sugartown are so consumed by anger that it affects them even in their sleep.

There's more small-town paranoia
The town is plagued by feelings of distrust and suspicion towards others.

Sweeping down its evil sheets
This negative energy and mistrust is spreading and affecting the entire town.

You better give me the chance
The artist is warning someone to not underestimate them.

I'll cut you down with a glance
The singer has the power to defeat someone just by looking at them.

Yeh, with my small axe - so help me
The singer has a figurative small axe with which they can take down their enemies.

And tho' I'm only one
Despite being alone, the artist is still a force to be reckoned with.

And tho' weak I'm strong
The artist may not appear physically strong, but they have inner strength to endure and overcome adversity.

And if it comes to the crunch
If push comes to shove, the artist will not hesitate to act.

Then I'm the woodcutter's son
The singer comes from a lineage of hard-working, resilient people who can overcome any obstacle.

And I'm cutting down the wood for the good of everyone!
The artist is willing to do what it takes to bring positive change to the town, even if it means cutting down its negativity and hatred.

You can tell it's witching hour
There is a supernatural feeling in the air that warns of danger and evil.

You can feel the spirits rise
The ominous energy in the town is only increasing.

When the room goes very quiet
Everything becomes still and uneasy, signifying impending danger.

And there's hatred in your eyes
The hatred and animosity in the town has become so intense that it is visible in people's eyes.

There's a silence when I enter
The artist is met with a foreboding silence when they enter a room, likely due to their reputation and power.

And a murmur when I leave
Whispers and gossip follow the singer's departure, highlighting their importance and impact on the town.

I can see their jealous faces
Others envy the singer's strength and influence.

I can feel the ice they breathe
There is an intense and cold negative energy emanating from those who oppose the artist.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL JOHN WELLER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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