The band drew upon a variety of stylistic influences over the course of their career, including 1960s beat music, soul, rhythm and blues and psychedelic rock, as well as 1970s punk and new wave. The trio was known for its melodic pop songs, its distinctly English flavour and its mod image. The band launched the career of Paul Weller, who went on to form The Style Council and later had a successful solo career. Weller wrote and sang most of The Jam’s original compositions, and he played lead guitar, using a Rickenbacker. Bruce Foxton provided backing vocals and prominent basslines, which were the foundation of many of the band’s songs, including the hits "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight", "The Eton Rifles", "Going Underground" and "Town Called Malice".
For artists called "Jam", please see http://www.last.fm/music/+noredirect/Jam.
05
The Jam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Though I've only been here for three weeks now
I've got blisters on my feet
Trying find a friend in Oxford Street
I bought an A to Z guide book
Trying to find the clubs and YMCAs
But when you ask in a strange town
They say don't know, don't care
They worry themselves about feeling low
They worry themselves about the dreadful snow
They all ignore me 'cause they don't know
I'm really a spaceman from those UFOs
You've got to move in a straight line
You've got to walk and talk in four four time
You can't be weird in a strange town
You'll be betrayed by your accent and manners
You've got to wear the right clothes
Be careful not to pick or scratch your nose
You can't be nice in a strange town
Cause we don't know, don't care
And we got to go, man
Rush my money to the record shops
I stop off in a back street
Buy myself a snort
We got our own manifesto
Be kind to queers
And I'm so glad the revolution's here
It's nice and warm now!
I've finished with clubs where the music's loud
Cause I don't see a face in a single crowd
There's no one there
I look in the mirror
But I can't be seen
Just a thin, clean layer of mister sheen
Looking back at me
Oh, oh
Found myself in a strange town
Though I've only been here for three weeks now
I've got blisters on my feet
Trying find a friend in Oxford Street
I bought an A to Z guide book
Trying to find the clubs and YMCAs
They say don't know, don't care
And I've got to go, mate
They worry themselves about feeling low
They worry themselves about the dreadful snow
They all ignore me 'cause they don't know
I'm really a spaceman from those UFOs
Strange town
Break it up
Burn it down, shake it up
Break it up
The Jam's "Strange Town" is a poignant meditation on the challenges and frustrations of being a stranger in a new place. The singer finds himself in a city that he doesn't know, haunted by blisters on his feet and the sense of isolation that comes from having nobody to turn to on Oxford Street. He buys an A to Z guidebook and sets out to find the clubs and YMCAs, hoping to make some connections, but he quickly realizes that nobody cares about him or his problems. He's a stranger in a strange town, and that means he's on his own.
The song's lyrics are full of vivid details that help to paint a picture of the singer's experience. He talks about the importance of walking in a straight line and talking in four-four time, and about the need to wear the right clothes and behave in a certain way in order to fit in. It's a powerful commentary on the ways in which we're all forced to conform to social norms in order to be accepted, and on the alienation that can come from failing to do so.
At its heart, "Strange Town" is a deeply human song about the difficulty of finding connection in a world that's often cruel and indifferent. The singer longs for a sense of belonging, but he can't seem to find it anywhere. He's searching for something that's always just out of reach, like a distant planet or a far-off dream. In the end, he's left with nothing but himself and his thoughts, alone in a strange town with nothing to do but keep walking and keep hoping for something more.
Line by Line Meaning
Found myself in a strange town
I ended up in an unfamiliar place
Though I've only been here for three weeks now
Despite being here for a relatively short period of time
I've got blisters on my feet
My feet hurt from walking so much
Trying to find a friend in Oxford Street
Attempting to make a connection with another person in a particular area
I bought an A to Z guide book
Purchased a book to help navigate the area
Trying to find the clubs and YMCAs
Looking for specific types of establishments
But when you ask in a strange town
When asking locals for help
They say don't know, don't care
They are indifferent and uninterested in assisting
And I've got to go, mate
I have to leave the area
They worry themselves about feeling low
The locals are concerned with their own negative emotions
They worry themselves about the dreadful snow
The weather is a source of their worry
They all ignore me 'cause they don't know
I am being disregarded due to being an outsider
I'm really a spaceman from those UFOs
A metaphorical statement about feeling different and misunderstood
You've got to move in a straight line
One must be direct in their actions
You've got to walk and talk in four four time
Conforming to societal norms and expectations
You can't be weird in a strange town
Standing out and being different is seen as a negative in an unfamiliar place
You'll be betrayed by your accent and manners
Your speech and behavior will give away that you're not from the area
You've got to wear the right clothes
Appropriate attire is necessary
Be careful not to pick or scratch your nose
Small actions can be interpreted negatively
You can't be nice in a strange town
Kindness may not be reciprocated
Cause we don't know, don't care
The locals are not invested in outsiders
And we got to go, man
Time is limited and there are other priorities
Rush my money to the record shops
Going quickly to purchase music
I stop off in a back street
Pausing in an alley or side street
Buy myself a snort
A drug reference
We got our own manifesto
A personal code or philosophy
Be kind to queers
Supporting the LGBTQ+ community
And I'm so glad the revolution's here
Excitement about change happening
It's nice and warm now!
Feeling content and satisfied
I've finished with clubs where the music's loud
No longer interested in loud, crowded places
Cause I don't see a face in a single crowd
Feeling disconnected from others
There's no one there
Feeling alone
I look in the mirror
Examining oneself
But I can't be seen
Feeling invisible, like no one truly sees or understands
Just a thin, clean layer of mister sheen
A metaphor comparing oneself to a cleaning product - superficially polished but not truly clean
Looking back at me
Reflecting on oneself
Break it up
Destruction of the current system or situation
Burn it down, shake it up
Intensifying the call for change
Break it up
Repeating the call for destruction
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL JOHN WELLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@filipporimondi7857
@@scottnever8732 Better stop dreaming of the quiet life
'Cause it's the one we'll never know
And quit running for that runaway bus
'Cause those rosy days are few
And stop apologizing for the things you've never done
'Cause time is short and life is cruel but it's up to us to change
This town called Malice
Rows and rows of disused milk floats
Stand dying in the dairy yard
And a hundred lonely housewives clutch empty milk
Bottles to their hearts
Hanging out their old love letters on the line to dry
It's enough to make you stop believing when tears come fast and furious
In a town called Malice, yeah
Struggle after struggle, year after year
The atmosphere's a fine blend of ice I'm almost stone cold dead
In a town called Malice, ooh yeah
A whole street's belief in Sunday's roast beef
Gets dashed against the Co-op
To either cut down on beer or the kids new gear
It's a big decision in a town called Malice, ooh yeah
The ghost of a steam train echoes down my track
It's at the moment bound for nowhere just going round and round
Playground kids and creaking swings
Lost laughter in the breeze
Could go on for hours and I probably will
But I'd sooner put some joy back in this town called Malice, yeah ooh
In this town called Malice, yeah
In this town called Malice, ooh yeah
@sammysouth8372
Foxton is history’s most underrated bass guitar player. Dude plays melodies with that thing.
@honeychurchgipsy6
Sammy South - so do many bass players - check out a young woman called Tal Wilkenfield - and what about the late, great Jacko Pastorius? None of which is mean't to denegrate Foxton by the way - oh, and who could forget Stanley Clarke - me obviously - lol!!
@Eysenbeiss
@@honeychurchgipsy6Nick Beggs
@honeychurchgipsy6
@@Eysenbeiss - Nick Beggs - will check him out
@3ld919
I liked the Jam as a kid when they were still together, but really didn't appreciate Foxton until I recently delved back into the Jam again. Foxton has made me appreciate bass for the first time in my life & now I make a point of actively listening to it. My God, the single bass intro note on "Ghosts" is unforgettable.
@4FYTfa8EjYHNXjChe8xs7xmC5pNEtz
Not only his technical facility, but his tone, intonation, and sheer musicality were rivaled by very few players. Truly one of the greats.
@jakeburns7331
Bruce Foxton is without doubt one of the great bass players. His work with The Jam and Stiff Little Fingers was immense.
@chrisolagrim3597
Amen brother. Very underrated musician.
@lauriemiller1690
Definitely is so…..
@kbeesmot9928
With a name like yours, no doubt a touch of bias about SLF.