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.
Shout to the Top!
The Style Council Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And as the rain came down I dropped to my knees and prayed
I said "oh Heavenly thing please cleanse my soul,
I've seen all on offer and I'm not impressed at all".
I was halfway home I was half insane,
And every shop window I looked in just looked the same
I said send me a sign to save my life
'Cause at this moment in time there is nothing certain in
Why'see it's a frightening thing when it dawns upon you
That I know as much as the day I was born
And though I wasn't asked (I might as well stay)
And promise myself each and every day that is
When you're knocked on your back an' your life's a flop
And when you're down on the bottom there's nothing else
But to shout to the top shout!
The song "Shout to the Top!" by The Style Council is about the singer's journey of self-discovery and self-improvement. The singer is introspective and aware of their own limitations and shortcomings. They admit to being "half in mind, half in need" and feeling unimpressed with what life has to offer. The rain falling could be interpreted as a metaphor for the difficulties they are facing. The singer pleads to a "heavenly thing" to help them cleanse their soul, a representation of their desire to find meaning and purpose in their life.
As they walk home, the singer realizes that they are "halfway home, half insane" and everything they see in shop windows looks the same. This line represents the emptiness and lack of individuality in consumer culture. The singer is searching for something unique and authentic to hold on to. They finally ask for a sign to save their life because they feel uncertain about what the future holds. They acknowledge the frightening realization that they know as much as they did the day they were born.
The chorus, "When you're knocked on your back and your life's a flop and when you're down on the bottom there's nothing else, but to shout to the top," emphasizes the idea that even when life is tough and circumstances seem hopeless, one must strive to climb up and shout to the top, or reach for their potential. The song's message is about the importance of perseverance, self-awareness, and self-improvement.
Line by Line Meaning
I was half in mind I was half in need,
I was feeling lost and unsure about what I wanted or needed.
And as the rain came down I dropped to my knees and prayed
I felt so helpless that I turned to a higher power for guidance and help.
I said 'oh Heavenly thing please cleanse my soul,
I hoped that a divine force could help me find clarity and inner peace.
I've seen all on offer and I'm not impressed at all'.
I have explored all my options, but I haven't found anything that truly satisfies me.
I was halfway home I was half insane,
I felt like I was losing my mind as I struggled to find my way.
And every shop window I looked in just looked the same
I couldn't find any unique or meaningful experiences in the mundane aspects of everyday life.
I said send me a sign to save my life
I pleaded for a clear signal or message that would steer me in the right direction and save me from my confusion.
'Cause at this moment in time there is nothing certain in
These day's of mine
I felt that my life was full of uncertainty and I didn't know what the future held.
Why'see it's a frightening thing when it dawns upon you
That I know as much as the day I was born
It can be scary to realize that despite all my experiences, I still feel fundamentally clueless and unprepared for life.
And though I wasn't asked (I might as well stay)
Even though I haven't been told what to do or where to go, I might as well keep living and trying.
And promise myself each and every day that is
I make a commitment to myself every day to keep going, even when it feels tough and hopeless.
When you're knocked on your back an' your life's a flop
When you're feeling devastated and like everything is falling apart,
And when you're down on the bottom there's nothing else
When you hit rock-bottom, there's nothing left to lose or fear.
But to shout to the top shout!
The only thing left to do is to shout out for help or direction, to try and find a way back up to something better.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL JOHN WELLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@macaix
I was half in mind, I was half in need
And as the rain came down
I dropped to my knees and I prayed
I said, "Oh heavenly thing, please cleanse my soul
I've seen all on offer and I'm not impressed at all"
I was halfway home, I was half insane
And every shop window I looked in just looked the same
I said, "Now send me a sign to save my life
'Cause at this moment in time there is nothing certain in
These days of mine"
You see it's a frightening thing when it dawns upon you
That I know as much as the day I was born
And though I wasn't asked, I might as well stay
And promise myself each and every day
That when you're knocked on your back and your life's a flop
And when you're down on the bottom there's nothing else
But to shout to the top
Well we're gonna shout to the top
We're gonna shout to the top
We're gonna shout to the top
Hey, we're gonna shout to the top
You see it's a frightening thing when it dawns upon you
That I know as much as the day I was born
And though I wasn't asked, I might as well stay
And promise myself each and every day
We're gonna shout to the top (shout)
We're gonna shout to the top (shout)
We're gonna shout to the top (shout)
We're gonna shout to the top (shout)
We're gonna shout to the top (shout)
We're gonna shout to the top (shout)
So when you're knocked on your back and your life's a flop
And when you're down on the bottom there's nothing else
But to shout to the top (shout)
Well, we're gonna shout to the top (shout)
We're gonna shout to the top (shout)
We're gonna shout to the top (shout)
And when you're knocked on your back and your life's a flop
And when you're down on the bottom there's nothing else
But to shout to the top (shout)
We're gonna shout to the top (shout)
We're gonna shout to the top (shout)
We're gonna shout to the top (shout)
Hey, yeah, shout to the top (shout)
We're gonna shout to the top (shout)
We're gonna shout to the top (shout)
Shout to the top (shout)
Shout to the top (shout)
We're gonna shout to the top (shout)
We're gonna shout to the top (shout)
We're gonna shout to the top (shout)
Shout to the top (shout)
Shout to the top (shout)
We're gonna shout to the top (shout)
Shout to the top (shout)
Shout to the top (shout)
Shout to the top (shout)
Shout to the top (shout)
@teddypowers693
This has to be one of the best Style Council songs. Paul Weller's ability to change the genre of music from the Jam to the Style Council and still keep up the standard is a tribute to his genius. They certainly don't write tunes like this anymore.
@robertmunoz7543
Actually this style was popping up on ast two jam albums!🤔
Jman
@guismo.99.y
Exactement...la plus belle vie d'une chanson ❤
@gardenlover9663
This song has a different meaning for me. My brother was diagnosed with cancer in 1999. He lived for way longer than he was "supposed to". A few years ago, he was feeling really low. This song was my theme song for him. We both love The Style Council. I sent it to him. He appreciated it. He passed on September 6th.
@DebbieTDP
🙌🏻❣️
@christinewinton4776
That is beautiful, sad but beautiful Garden Lover xxx
@andykippen2387
Sorry for your loss
@gardenlover9663
@Andy Kippen Thank you. How kind you are. I am okay. I just remember how much I love him.
@nicolageorge1433
@Garden Lover* So sorry for your loss 🕊 I lost my mum & big brother to cancer & we sang all our favourite songs mum was carpenters & my brother E.L.O hall & oates & his fav was Christopher Cross Sailing we played it at his funeral..Sending blessings your brother had good taste in music .🙏🏼🧡
@mdoctor69
Another incredible gem of a song from one of the most underrated bands of all time! Love the unique arrangement, the layers of vocals, the swanky vibe and big energy this number delivers!