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.
Man of Great Promise
The Style Council Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I read of how you died in pain -
Well I just couldn't understand it
If I could of changed that, then Lord knows I'd do it now
But there is no going back -
And what's done is done forever
But you were always chained and shackled by the dirt -
And I think of what you might have been,
a man of such great promise
Oh but, you seem to forget the dream -
And the more you saw you hated
But let's not talk of blame, for what is only natural
Like a moth going to a flame -
You had a dangerous passion
But you were always chained and shackled by the dirt -
Of every small town institution and every big town flirt
All the things that you might have been - but who am I to say?
Still I wonder -
If it's in the cold earth you prefer to lay -
If it's in the cold earth - you prefer to stay
The Style Council's song "Man of Great Promise" is a tribute to someone who has passed away, who was once full of potential and promise. The lyrics express regret at the cause of the person's death and a sense of disappointment for what could have been. The first verse talks about the singer reading the obituary and feeling like he couldn't have done anything to prevent it. The chorus then reflects on the lost potential of the deceased, who was limited by their hometown and the temptations of a big city. The second verse recognizes the dangerous passion that the person had and how it ultimately led to their downfall. The final verse ends on a note of acceptance and wonderment, asking if the deceased would still prefer to lay in the cold earth.
The themes of the song are about potential and limitations, regrets, and acceptance. The lyrics are poetic in their description of the person's struggles and how they ultimately failed to live up to their potential. The instrumentation, which features a prominent piano and saxophone, adds an air of sadness to the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I bought the paper yesterday and I saw the obituary
I purchased yesterday's newspaper and I came across the death notice
And I read of how you died in pain
I read about your passing and how you suffered while leaving this world
Well I just couldn't understand it
I couldn't comprehend the reasons behind your pain and suffering
If I could of changed that, then Lord knows I'd do it now
If I had the power to turn back time and prevent your death, I would do it without hesitation
But there is no going back
Unfortunately, it's impossible to change what's already happened
And what's done is done forever
The past actions and events are irreversible and final
But you were always chained and shackled by the dirt - Of every small town institution and every big town flirt
You were always restrained and restrained by the oppressive norms and expectations of both small and big towns
And I think of what you might have been, a man of such great promise
I can't help but ponder about the amazing potential that you had
Oh but, you seem to forget the dream - And the more you saw you hated
However, it seems like you lost sight of your aspirations and became disillusioned with what you encountered on your journey
But let's not talk of blame, for what is only natural - Like a moth going to a flame - You had a dangerous passion
Let's avoid attributing fault to anyone since it's only human nature to pursue our interests, even when they might be ultimately harmful
All the things that you might have been - but who am I to say?
I can only imagine the potential outcomes that you might have achieved - I don't have the right to determine what could have been best for you
Still I wonder - If it's in the cold earth you prefer to lay - If it's in the cold earth - you prefer to stay
I can't shake the thought of whether your final resting place is what you would have wanted or if there was more to what you hoped for.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL JOHN WELLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Immaculate Heart
Those were mine and Paul Wellers wedding bells. Decades later I'm still in love with this whole album.
Robert Johnson
It's hard to choose between Cafe Bleu and Our Favourite Shop from where this wonderful nostalgic song is from. Takes me back to when the world seemed less complicated. Essential to your music collection.
Chris Davies
An absolute beauty of a song .
Sakusakura
私は英語を話せないから
歌詞の意味を知ったのは最近だけど
人生で一番好きな曲。
Great song!
Nigel Gibson
Again i love the juxtaposition of the sombre, tragic story of this song with its uplifting, bouncy beat. Very very very good songwriting!
Themanwhocameback2
Inspired by the Kinks song. ''Did You See His Name?"
eddiecouncil
Under rated??? This is their best album from far
Hans Tun
This is one massively under rated and under played song.....
Nigel McDonald
quality I presume and very much HOPE!
Kevin Harkens
underrated by whom exactly?. Or do you just mean you think it's quality...