The band showed a diversity of musical styles. Singles "Speak Like a Child" (with its loud soul-influenced style), the extended funk of "Money-Go-Round", and the haunting synth-ballad "Long Hot Summer" all featured Talbot on keyboards and organ. Near the end of 1983, these songs were compiled on Introducing The Style Council, a mini-album initially released in Japan, the Netherlands, and the United States only. The Dutch version was heavily imported to the United Kingdom.
In 1984, the single "My Ever-Changing Moods", backed with the Hammond organ instrumental "Mick's Company", reached #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. The song remains Weller's greatest success on the American charts (including his efforts in The Jam and as a solo artist), while the group reached the peak of its success in the United Kingdom with the 1985 album Our Favourite Shop.
To Weller's fans, the decision to split up The Jam at the height of their commercial success was met with considerable controversy[citation needed]. Weller deliberately distanced himself from The Jam's sound and style, with his use of new musical arrangements and instruments in a much slicker, more heavily produced style. In the place of the Bruce Foxton-Rick Buckler rhythm section were drum and bass parts done entirely on synthesisers.
Structurally, many of the band's early singles were not far removed from The Jam's latter-day soul-pop efforts such as "Town Called Malice" and "Beat Surrender", but they were often criticised as overproduced, despite Weller's impressive songwriting[citation needed]. Also, many observers saw even the early albums as indulgent and overly experimental; Trouser Press called Café Bleu "too schizophrenic to be a good album".
The Style Council took a more overtly political approach than The Jam in their lyrics, with tracks such as "Walls Come Tumbling Down", "The Lodgers", and "Come To Milton Keynes" being deliberate attacks on 'middle England' and Thatcherite principles prevalent in the Eighties. Weller was also instrumental in the formation of Red Wedge with Billy Bragg. However, he later said that this began to detract from the music: "We were involved with a lot of political things going on at that time. I think after a while that overshadowed the music a bit"
In 1986, the band released a live album, Home and Abroad, and, in 1987, the album The Cost of Loving was launched, followed later in the year by the upbeat non-album single "Wanted", which reached #20 in the United Kingdom. However, Confessions of a Pop Group, released a year later, sold poorly. This led to their record label Polydor rejecting their final album (Modernism: A New Decade), which was heavily influenced by the contemporary house scene. A greatest hits album, appropriately called The Singular Adventures of The Style Council, was released internationally in 1989; it included the non-album single "Promised Land", which had reached #27 in the United Kingdom earlier that year.
In 1989 members of The Style Council went under the name of King Truman to release a single on Acid Jazz titled "Like A Gun". This was unbeknown to Polydor and the single was pulled from the shops only 3 days prior to release. Acid Jazz founder Eddie Piller said "The pair offered to make a single for my new label, which I'd just started with Radio 1 DJ Gilles Peterson as a side project. Mick and Paul took pseudonyms Truman King and Elliott Arnold." [1]
The Style Council broke up in 1989. The cover of "Promised Land" (originally by Joe Smooth) was the only release which surfaced from the Modernism sessions at the time; however, the entire album was released in 1998, both independently and in a 5-CD box set, The Complete Adventures Of The Style Council. After the split, Weller embarked on a successful solo career (still featuring Steve White on drums, who had left The Style Council by the time Confessions of a Pop Group was released, having only played on a few of its tracks). Talbot and White released two albums as Talbot/White — United States of Mind (1995) and Off The Beaten Track (1996). More recently, Mick Talbot and Steve White have formed The Players with Damon Minchella and Aziz Ibrahim.
All of The Style Council's UK releases (including singles, 12" maxis, albums, compact discs and re-issues thereof) featured the work of graphic designer Simon Halfon, who often collaborated with Weller to hone his ideas into a graphic form. Weller and Halfon began working together at the end of The Jam's career, and continue to work together to this day on Weller's solo material.
Since 2007, the song "Walls Come Tumbling Down" has been used as the theme song for the German TV series Dr. Psycho – Die Bösen, die Bullen, meine Frau und ich.
Down In The Seine
The Style Council Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the reasons I had when the purpose was mine
Now I stumble so fast rolling into the night
Kiss me quick before I land and am broken in two
Keep me on the right track, hold my dreams in tact too -
I get lost in this place - I get lost, yes its true
Quand on n'a plus rien en soi - Quand on n'a plus de refuge -
Noir comme la nuit - Oui, noir comme mon ame -
Noir comme les eaux - Dans lesquels je sombre
Help me I'm sinking so fast into waters unplanned
That I once held onto but have got out of hand
Now the things that I loved are the things I can't stand
Squeeze me slow before I come to that part of the ground
It's a million miles up and a million miles down
I get lost in between and I wait to be found
Quand on n'a plus rien en soi - Quand on n'a plus de refuge -
Quand on ne peut plus fuir - Quand on ne sais ou courrir -
Noir comme la nuit - Oui noir comme mon ame -
Noir comme les eaux - Dans lesquels je sombre
And in the waters I sink and in the waters I drink
Until I rise to the top which in truth is not
To make you feel your alright, to make you feel there's no fight -
The lyrics to The Style Council's song Down In The Seine describe a sense of loss of purpose and direction in life, as the singer struggles to find meaning and navigate through difficult times. The metaphor of sinking into dark waters represents the feeling of being overwhelmed and out of control, while the plea for someone to "catch" and "squeeze" them suggests a need for emotional support and guidance.
The French lyrics in the chorus add an extra layer of meaning, as they speak of having nothing left inside, nowhere to run, and sinking into darkness. This emphasizes the universal nature of the human experience, as these feelings of despair and hopelessness can transcend language and cultural barriers.
Overall, the song expresses a raw and vulnerable emotion as the singer opens up about their struggles, highlighting the importance of connection and empathy in times of crisis.
Line by Line Meaning
Catch me I'm falling so fast and I can't seem to find
I'm quickly spiraling downwards and losing my grip on my purpose.
All the reasons I had when the purpose was mine
I once had a clear vision and motivation, but now it's all unclear.
Now I stumble so fast rolling into the night
Now I'm moving towards darkness and failure more quickly than ever.
Kiss me quick before I land and am broken in two
Save me from my imminent downfall and breakage.
Keep me on the right track, hold my dreams in tact too -
Please guide me towards the right path and protect my dreams.
I get lost in this place - I get lost, yes its true
I feel hopeless and lost in this difficult situation.
Help me I'm sinking so fast into waters unplanned
I'm rapidly descending into chaos and uncertainty.
That I once held onto but have got out of hand
I used to have control over my life, but now things have gotten out of control.
Now the things that I loved are the things I can't stand
The things I once treasured are now a source of pain and suffering.
Squeeze me slow before I come to that part of the ground
Hold me tight before I hit rock bottom.
It's a million miles up and a million miles down
The journey back to success is long and arduous.
I get lost in between and I wait to be found
I'm stuck in limbo and waiting to be rescued.
And in the waters I sink and in the waters I drink
I'm drowning in my own despair and hopelessness.
Until I rise to the top which in truth is not
I'm struggling to resurface and it feels impossible.
To make you feel your alright, to make you feel there's no fight -
I'm not fighting for myself, but for the sake of others.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL JOHN WELLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TheGnomeCity
Thanks for all the positive comments. Any Paris-related anecdotes are always welcome.
As time goes on, the video gets more and more retro. I like that!
@brettmeares9716
It's 2022 and still a GREAT SONG...Thanks for the post!!
@muschikatze
Ich war in den 1980er mit meiner großen Liebe zu Ostern in Paris. Wunderschöne Erinnerungen kommen da auf und man wünscht sich in diese Zeit zurück. War schön das mal wieder zu hören 👏👏🖖
@mirandatarantella
I love how this video is also a visual time capsule of the era during which this song was recorded,brilliant!
@croydonable
this video was made in 2000 .....
@doubleredsx3
I remember strolling along Le Seine, eating a lemon sorbet with my ex boyfriend with this song on my iPhone, one bit of the headphone in each of our ears. Truly romantic, one of the best memories ever despite the fact we have split.
@francescochelini9420
I've been strolling along the Seine with this song on a "walkman" (it was 1987 !) as well....fantastic memory
@Marcel_Audubon
sounds creepy - no wonder he's your ex if you put him through that kind of nonsense
@williamdonnelly895
Aw, babe..... 😕💕
@mareejudd5992
I’ve just separated from my ex husband and am trying out different ways of describing it to others. I could highlight the failure aspect of it, as I thought I’d be married forever, or do I highlight the opportunity to start again. The truth is that it’s not easy accepting second place (from a conventional, conservative perspective.)