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.
Private Hell
The Jam Lyrics
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A mirrored image of what you wanted to be.
As each day goes by a little more
You can't remember what it was you wanted anyway.
The fingers feel the lines they prod the space
Your ageing face the face that once was so beautiful,
is still there but unrecognizable
Private Hell.
The man who you once loved is bald and fat
And seldom in working late as usual.
Your interest has waned you feel the strain
The bed springs snap on the occasions he lies upon you
close your eyes and think of nothing but
Private Hell.
Think of Emma wonder what she's doing
Her husband Terry and your grandchildren.
Think of Edward who's still at college
You send him letters which he doesn't acknowledge.
'Cause he don't care,
They don't care.
'Cause they're all going through their own - Private Hell.
The morning slips away in a valium haze,
And catalogues and numerous cups of coffee.
In the afternoon the weekly food,
Is put in bags as you float off down the high street
The shop windows reflect - play a nameless host,
To a closet ghost - a picture of your fantasy
A victim of your misery - and Private Hell
Alone at 6 o'clock - you drop a cup
You see it smash - inside you crack
You can't go on - but you sweep it up
Safe at last inside your Private Hell.
Sanity at last inside your Private Hell.
The Jam's Private Hell is a poignant reflection of a woman's life that has lost its luster. The main theme of the song is the loneliness and isolation faced by the singer, leaving her living in her own ‘private hell.’ The opening lines set the stage for a life that is misconstrued: “Closer than close you see yourself – a mirrored image of what you wanted to be. As each day goes by a little more, you can't remember what it was you wanted anyway.” The lyrics suggest that as the singer gets closer to herself, she is further alienated from the world. Her life hasn't panned out as she had hoped, leading to the loss of her identity.
The song highlights the singer's deep-seated relationships and how they had changed over time. Her husband, who was once loved, is now “bald and fat” and “seldom in” leading to a loss of interest that shows the strain of their relationship. The singer's children and grandchildren also do not seem to reciprocate her love, and she wonders what they are doing in their lives. The singer is lost in a numbing haze of medication, coffee, and grocery shopping, further adding to her feeling of disconnect from the world.
Overall, the lyrics of The Jam's Private Hell are a reflection of societal norms and how they can lead to a life where individuality is compromised, leaving the individual living in their “private hell.”
Line by Line Meaning
Closer than close you see yourself -
You have become so self-involved that you only see yourself in everything.
A mirrored image of what you wanted to be.
You see a version of yourself that you thought you wanted to be.
As each day goes by a little more
With each passing day, you become more detached from your original goals.
You can't remember what it was you wanted anyway.
You have lost sight of what you originally wanted in life.
The fingers feel the lines they prod the space
You feel the lines and wrinkles on your aged face, which was once beautiful.
Your ageing face the face that once was so beautiful,
Your face has aged and changed so much that it's no longer recognizable.
is still there but unrecognizable
Your face is still there, but it's unrecognizable now.
Private Hell.
You are trapped in your own private world of misery.
The man who you once loved is bald and fat
The man you once loved has changed physically and is no longer attractive to you.
And seldom in working late as usual.
He's not as committed to his work as he used to be.
Your interest has waned you feel the strain
You are no longer interested in him and feel stressed in the relationship.
The bed springs snap on the occasions he lies upon you
You are no longer physically attracted to him, and his weight causes the bed springs to snap.
close your eyes and think of nothing but
To escape, you close your eyes and think of nothing but your private hell.
Think of Emma wonder what she's doing
You think of your daughter and wonder how she's doing.
Her husband Terry and your grandchildren.
You think of your daughter's husband and your grandchildren.
Think of Edward who's still at college
You think of your son who's still in college.
You send him letters which he doesn't acknowledge.
You try to reach out to your son, but he doesn't respond to your letters.
'Cause he don't care,
He doesn't care about you or your attempts to connect with him.
They don't care.
Your family members are all going through their own private hells and don't care about your struggles.
'Cause they're all going through their own - Private Hell.
Like you, your family members are also dealing with their own problems and difficulties.
The morning slips away in a valium haze,
You spend your mornings in a haze, medicating with Valium.
And catalogues and numerous cups of coffee.
You spend your afternoons flipping through catalogues and drinking coffee.
In the afternoon the weekly food,
You shop for weekly groceries in the afternoons.
Is put in bags as you float off down the high street
As you leave the store, you feel disconnected from the world around you.
The shop windows reflect - play a nameless host,
You see your reflection in the shop windows, and you feel like a ghost.
To a closet ghost - a picture of your fantasy
You see a version of yourself that is only a fantasy and no longer exists.
A victim of your misery - and Private Hell
You are a victim of your own misery and stuck in your private hell.
Alone at 6 o'clock - you drop a cup
You are alone at 6 o'clock and accidentally drop a cup.
You see it smash - inside you crack
The shattered cup triggers something inside you to break.
You can't go on - but you sweep it up
You feel like you can't go on, but you force yourself to clean up the mess.
Safe at last inside your Private Hell.
You find safety and sanity in your private hell because it's the only thing you know.
Sanity at last inside your Private Hell.
You find a sense of normalcy and control in your private hell.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Paul John Weller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind