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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Pity Poor Alfie/Fever
The Jam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
The Jam's song "Pity Poor Alfie/Fever" is a two-part song that explores the theme of love and loss. The first part, "Pity Poor Alfie," tells the story of a man named Alfie who has fallen from grace despite his success in the "streets of pleasure." Alfie, who was once on top, is now confined to a life where every light is red and every sign says "stop." The lyrics suggest that Alfie committed some dark and regrettable act, as there are "blood-stained letters" and mournful cries associated with his name. Despite the mess he's made, the singer still wishes Alfie would come back, highlighting the conflicted feelings of love and loss that pervade the song.
The second part of the song, "Fever," is a cover of a song made famous by Peggy Lee. The connection between the two parts of the song is unclear, but the lyrics continue exploring themes of love and desire. The lyrics describe the effect that the singer's lover has on them; their touch and kiss give the singer a fever and light them up. The lyrics suggest that this love is intense and all-consuming, with the singer feeling feverish day and night.
Overall, "Pity Poor Alfie/Fever" is a complex and emotionally charged song that explores different facets of love and the intense feelings that can come along with it.
Line by Line Meaning
The streets of pleasure took you to top
You succumbed to vice and indulgence and it took you to the top, but it was only temporary.
But every light was red and every sign said stop
However, you were constantly confronted with obstacles and warnings that were impossible to ignore.
I felt so confined, just like glued to this spot, oh
I felt trapped in this situation, unable to move on or make progress.
Cause we were sleeping in the noon day sun
We were living carefree, indulgent lives without concern for consequences.
We escaped the test and the marathon run
We avoided the tests and struggles that life inevitably throws our way.
And no one heard and these mournful cries of "Alfie!"
No one paid attention to the warning signs that something was wrong with Alfie, and now it's too late to help him.
We put a stop to that
We ended our indulgent lifestyle and realized the harm it was causing.
Whoa, but Alfie, I wish you'd please come back
Despite ending our destructive ways, we still miss Alfie and wish he were still with us.
So no one's hurt, we might have made it through
Thankfully, we managed to escape the consequences of our actions and avoid hurting anyone else.
But now there's nothing left except the memories of you
Our memories of Alfie are all that remain of him, and we must cherish them.
With overflowing powerful woes
We are overwhelmed with grief and regret for not helping Alfie sooner.
'Cause there's real and fright
We are facing the harsh reality of our actions and are afraid of the consequences.
To the top of the stairs to find poor Alfie
We went to great lengths to try and help Alfie, but it was too late.
And blood stained letters don't count for change
Even with evidence of Alfie's struggles, it doesn't undo the harm that was done.
And don't look for blame
We cannot blame anyone else for the outcome, as it was our own actions that led to it.
Cause it's a fair exchange
We must accept the consequences of our choices, even if they are harsh.
For the last adventure I have left
We must make the most of the time we have left and not repeat our mistakes.
Now it's gonna be hard for me to make it through
We must deal with the aftermath of what happened and the grief that comes with it.
When all that's left is the memories of
The past is gone, and all we have left are memories of happier times.
Nothing left except the memories of war and pain
All that remains is the pain and suffering caused by our actions.
Please pity poor Alfie
We must remember and have sympathy for Alfie's struggles, even if we couldn't help him.
You'll never know how much I love you
I can never fully express the depth of my love for you.
Never know how much I care
I care for you deeply, even if I don't always show it.
Cause when you put your arms around me
The feeling of your embrace is indescribable and overwhelming.
I get a fever I can hardly bear
The passion and intensity of my feelings for you are almost too much to handle.
You give me fever
Your love and affection ignite me with excitement and passion.
When you kiss me
The physical connection between us intensifies my feelings even more.
Fever when you hold me tight
The warmth and intimacy of our embrace fills me with an indescribable sensation.
Fever through the daytime
My love for you does not fade even in the daylight hours.
I get a fever all through the night
The power of my feelings for you persists even in my sleep.
Sun lights up the daytime
The sun shining in the day is a symbol of the warmth and light our love brings to my life.
Moon lights up the night
The moon shining at night is a reminder of the magic and romance of our love.
I light up when you kiss me
The feeling of your kiss is electrifying and fills me with joy and happiness.
And I know you're gonna treat me right
I have complete trust in you and know that you will always treat me with kindness and respect.
Take me so far away
I want to escape from the troubles of the world and be with you.
Take these arms I'll never use
I offer you my whole being, even the parts of me that I feel are unnecessary or unimportant.
Just believe what my words have to say
I mean every word I say to you and hope that you trust and believe in me.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Paul John Weller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind