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".
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Funeral Pyre
The Jam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Books will burn, people laugh and cry in their turmoil
(Turmoil turns rejoiceful)
Shed your fears and lose your guilt
Tonight we burn responsibility in the fire
We'll watch the flames grow higher
But if you get too burnt, you can't come back home
And as I was standing by the edge
(And the flames grew)
Their mad eyes bulged, their flushed faces said
The weak get crushed as the strong grow stronger
We feast on flesh and drink on blood
Live by fear and despise love in a crises
(What with today's high prices)
Bring some paper and bring some wood
Bring what's left of all your love for the fire
We'll watch the flames grow higher!
But if you get too burnt, you can't come back home
And as I was standing by the edge
I could see the faces of those who led pissing themselves laughing
(And the flames grew)
Their mad eyes bulged their flushed faces said
The weak get crushed as the strong grow stronger
In the funeral pyre
We'll watch the flames grow higher
But if you get too burnt, you can't come back home
In the funeral pyre
We'll watch the flames grow higher
But if you get too burnt, you can't come back home
In the funeral pyre
We'll watch the flames grow higher
But if you get too burnt, you can't come back home
In the funeral pyre
When I feel so young, well I just can't grow up to meet the demands
When I feel so old, when I feel so young
Well, I just can't grow up to meet their demands
Well, I just can't grow up to meet their demands
The Jam's song "Funeral Pyre" is a politically charged commentary on social unrest and rebellion. The song's opening verse sets the scene, describing the tumultuous environment of the streets where books are burned and people experience both laughter and tears. The turmoil is described as eventually turning to "rejoiceful," indicating that the violence and destruction that initially seem chaotic and negative are met with an underlying sense of satisfaction or release. The anthem-like chorus encourages shedding fears and guilt, burning responsibility in the fire and watching the flames grow higher.
The second verse describes a carnal and confrontational atmosphere where individuals feasting on flesh and drinking blood live by fear and despise love. The chorus repeats the lyrics of the first, emphasizing the idea of reaching a point of no return, where being "too burnt" or consumed by the fire's flames will prevent one from returning home. The final lines are addressed to the demands and expectations placed on individuals in this upheaval, where feeling too young or too old heightens the inability to meet those requirements.
Overall, "Funeral Pyre" is a highly charged and intense song, articulating a bleak view of society's excesses and contradictions, and offering an anthem of rebellion in response.
Line by Line Meaning
Down in amongst the streets tonight
Amidst the mayhem on the streets tonight
Books will burn, people laugh and cry in their turmoil
In the midst of chaos, books will be burned and people will experience mixed feelings
Shed your fears and lose your guilt
Let go of your fears and guilt
Tonight we burn responsibility in the fire
Tonight, we're burning our responsibilities in the flames
We'll watch the flames grow higher
As we burn, we'll observe the fire blazing
But if you get too burnt, you can't come back home
But if you go too far, you'll never return home
And as I was standing by the edge
As I stood on the edge
I could see the faces of those who led pissing themselves laughing
I observed the leaders' faces as they laughed hysterically
Their mad eyes bulged, their flushed faces said
Their insane eyes bulged, and their red faces spoke
The weak get crushed as the strong grow stronger
The strong get stronger as they overpower the weak
We feast on flesh and drink on blood
We consume flesh and drink blood
Live by fear and despise love in a crises
In a crisis, we live in fear and reject love
Bring some paper and bring some wood
Bring paper and wood to fuel the fire
Bring what's left of all your love for the fire
Bring the remaining love you have left to add to the flames
In the funeral pyre
In the flames of the funeral pyre
When I feel so young, well I just can't grow up to meet the demands
When I feel immature, I can't meet the expectations placed on me
When I feel so old, when I feel so young
At times, I feel old and young simultaneously
Well, I just can't grow up to meet their demands
I simply can't mature enough to satisfy their requirements
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL JOHN WELLER, RICK BUCKLER, BRUCE FOXTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind