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 Cafรฉ 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 โ 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 โ Die Bรถsen, die Bullen, meine Frau und ich.
Long Hot Summer
The Style Council Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why I've even been out walking
They tell me that it helps
But I know when I'm beaten
All those lonely films
And all those lonely parties
But now the feeling is off-screen
I'm all mixed up inside
I want to run but I can't hide
And however much we try
We can't escape the truth and the fact is
Don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
'Cause I end up hurting you
One more covered sigh
And one more glance you know means goodbye
Can't you see that's why
We're dashing ourselves against the rocks of a lifetime
Don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
'Cause I end up hurting you
(In my mind different voices call)
What once was pleasure now's pain for us all
(In my heart only shadows fall)
I once stood proud now I feel so small
(I don't know whether to laugh or cry)
The long hot summer just passed me by
I want to run but I can't hide
Don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
'Cause I end up hurting
It don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
'Cause I end up hurting
It don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
'Cause I end up hurting
(In my mind different voices call)
What once was pleasure now's pain for us all
(In my heart only shadows fall)
I once stood proud now I feel so small
(I don't know whether to laugh or cry)
The long hot summer just passed me by
I play out my role
Why I've even been out walking
They tell me that it helps
But I know when I'm beaten
All those lonely films
And all those lonely parties
But now the feeling is off-screen
And the tears for real not acted, anymore
I'm all mixed up inside
In The Style Council's "Long Hot Summer," the singer is facing the harsh reality that his actions are hurting the person he loves. He expresses his confusion and desperation as he doesn't know how to stop causing pain. The lyrics depict the exhaustion and loss of control that comes with being trapped in a cycle of hurting someone despite trying not to. The singer feels defeated as he has been attempting to walk away from the situation and distract himself with other activities like "out walking," "lonely films," and "lonely parties." However, no matter what he does, the truth remains, and he can't escape it. Thus, the song seems to be an acknowledgment that sometimes, regardless of our efforts or intentions, we are incapable of changing our actions and must accept the consequences of them.
The lyrics of the song also touch on regret and the loss of pride. The singer feels small and insignificant, knowing that he is responsible for causing pain. The long hot summer in the lyrics is likely referring to a particular time in the singer's life where everything was bright and full of promise. The singer acknowledges that he wasn't mindful and might have missed out on this time of his life. The repetition of "don't matter what I do" emphasizes the futility of the singer's actions and amplifies the feeling of helplessness that he's experiencing.
Line by Line Meaning
I play out my role
I act the part that's expected of me
Why I've even been out walking
I've tried to find solutions or a way out of my problems by going on walks
They tell me that it helps
People suggest walking can help clear the mind and provide perspective
But I know when I'm beaten
I know when I've lost or when something is futile
All those lonely films
Watching movies that depict loneliness
And all those lonely parties
Attending social events that do not alleviate the feeling of loneliness
But now the feeling is off-screen
Feeling of loneliness can't be escaped and is now an everyday occurrence
And the tears for real not acted, anymore
Crying is no longer just a performance, it's real and genuine
I'm all mixed up inside
Feeling confused and overwhelmed by emotions
I want to run but I can't hide
I want to escape my situation but know that it's impossible to run away from my feelings
And however much we try
Regardless of how hard we attempt to conceal or deny our true thoughts, we can't escape them
We can't escape the truth and the fact is
We can't avoid the reality, and the truth is
Don't matter what I do
Nothing I do can change the outcome or my pain
Don't matter what I do
Regardless of what actions I take, it won't make a difference
Don't matter what I do
No matter what I try, it won't change anything
Don't matter what I do
No matter what attempt I make, it will end up hurting someone
Don't matter what I do
Regardless of what I do, the pain will persist
'Cause I end up hurting you
My actions will inevitably cause someone to experience pain
One more covered sigh
Another attempt to hide my emotions
And one more glance you know means goodbye
A farewell look that communicates the end of the relationship
Can't you see that's why
Can't you understand that this is the reason
We're dashing ourselves against the rocks of a lifetime
We're fighting a losing battle and enduring a lifetime of torment
What once was pleasure now's pain for us all
What once brought happiness now causes distress for everyone involved
I once stood proud now I feel so small
I used to be confident and brave, but now I feel inferior and insignificant
I don't know whether to laugh or cry
Uncertain if the situation should be viewed with humor or as a tragedy
The long hot summer just passed me by
The season of warmth, love, and growth was gone before I knew it
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PAUL JOHN WELLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Juliane Calegario
I play out my role
Why I've even been out walking
They tell me that it helps
But I know when I'm beaten
All those lonely films
And all those lonely parties
But now the feeling is off-screen
An' the tears for real not acted, anymore
I'm all mixed up inside
I want to run but I can't hide
And however much we try
We can't escape the truth and the fact is
Don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
'Cause I end up hurting you
One more covered sigh
And one more glance you know means goodbye
Can't you see that's why
We're dashing ourselves against the rocks of a lifetime
What once was pleasure now's pain for us all
(In my heart only shadows fall)
I once stood proud now I feel so small
(I don't know whether to laugh or cry)
The long hot summer just passed me by
Thach Ngoc
Here are your beautiful lyrics:
I play out my role
Why I've even been out walking
They tell me that it helps
But I know when I'm beaten
All those lonely films
And all those lonely parties
But now the feeling is off-screen
An' the tears for real not acted, anymore
I'm all mixed up inside
I want to run but I can't hide
And however much we try
We can't escape the truth and the fact is
Don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
'Cause I end up hurting you
One more covered sigh
And one more glance you know means goodbye
Can't you see that's why
We're dashing ourselves against the rocks of a lifetime
Don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
'Cause I end up hurting you
(In my mind different voices call)
What once was pleasure now's pain for us all
(In my heart only shadows fall)
I once stood proud now I feel so small
(I don't know whether to laugh or cry)
The long hot summer just passed me by
Don't matter what I do
It don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
Don't matter what I do
'Cause I end up hurting you
Om
This song is 40 years old. Unreal.
Still sounds amazing!
R. Nigel Wales
Such a change for Paul Weller from his days with The Jam! Some fans didn't like it but I think it shows the depth of his talent. Brilliant!
Ralex
Paul Weller and Richard Ashcroft both absolute geniuses
1957PLATO
I agree. You cannot put great talents into small boxes. They will break out.
Phil Ruane
I was heartbroke when The Jam split up, then thisโฆ.got me through n still listeing โค
Overwhelmed Octopus๐
Melting ๐ ๐
tabitha burston
I've been a fan of the Jam for many years. However, I love this song and other songs by this band ๐ถ
Catherine Prior
This song is so iconic ! You know who it is the moment it begins. A superb track that will never grow old or weary and will always remain popular!
ronda allen
sounds so 80s
Kahurangi Hippolite
love them :) โฅ