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.
Waiting
The Style Council Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They always think the worst anyway
And if I'm wrong I'll pay the price
It's a cost that I don't count as sacrifice
Listen baby, I'm gonna love you anyway
I don't care what people say
I'm gonna love you, come what may
An opinion held is such demand
But I'd much sooner, hold your hand
It's a question of priority
I think that you would still be here for me
Listen baby, I'm gonna love you anyway
I don't care what people say
I'm gonna love you, come what may
I don't care what people say
I'd be a fool to bow to their advice
As if their wish were my command
And I would be a fool to say goodbye
To the love that lies waiting now
I don't mind what people say
They always think the worst anyway
And if I'm wrong I'll pay the price
It's a cost that I don't count as sacrifice
Listen baby, I'm gonna love you anyway
I don't care what people say
I'm gonna love you, come what may
I don't care what people say
I'm gonna love you anyway
I don't care what people say
I'm gonna love you, come what may
I don't care what people say
The Style Council's song Waiting is a romantic ballad that amplifies the idea of following your heart and not let the opinions of society change your sentiments for your loved ones. The lyrics signify the unconditional love that the singer holds for his beloved and how he doesn't pay any regard to people's opinions. He acknowledges the fact that people always think the worst anyway and are quick to judge, but he doesn't care because he is staunchly confident in his feelings for his lover.
The singer passionately conveys that their relationship is a priority, and no opinion or perception can come in between what they have. Even though people hold their opinion in high demand, he is ready to hold his lover's hand without any guilt or shame. He recognizes that he might be wrong in his choices, but he is willing to pay the price, and the cost isn't something he would regard as a sacrifice.
The lyrics of the song Waiting are a perfect example that love is an emotion that can overpower and change the minds of many. The singer is willing to fight against the social norms to prove his love and care for his beloved. The song, in its tune and lyrics, showcases the power of love, and how it can overcome even the most challenging hurdles if given a chance.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't mind what people say
I am not bothered by the opinions of others
They always think the worst anyway
People tend to have negative thoughts about me regardless of the situation
And if I'm wrong I'll pay the price
If I make a mistake, I am willing to face the consequences
It's a cost that I don't count as sacrifice
The price of my mistakes is not too high for me to bear
Listen baby, I'm gonna love you anyway
Dearest, I will love you unconditionally
I don't care what people say
I am not concerned about the negative opinions of others
I'm gonna love you, come what may
I will express my love for you no matter what
An opinion held is such demand
Opinions are highly regarded and can influence the actions of others
But I'd much sooner, hold your hand
I value being with you more than following the opinions of others
It's a question of priority
My priority is being with you, not following the opinions of others
I think that you would still be here for me
I believe that despite what others may say, you will stand by me
I'd be a fool to bow to their advice
I would be foolish to blindly follow the advice of others
As if their wish were my command
As if I must do what they suggest simply because they say it
And I would be a fool to say goodbye
It would be foolish of me to let go of what I have with you
To the love that lies waiting now
To the love that we have now and can grow further
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
marco cesaro
I don't mind what people say,
They always think the worst anyway
And if I'm wrong I'll pay the price
It's a cost that I don't count as sacrifice
I'm gonna love you anyway
I don't care what people say
I'm gonna love you come what may
I don't care what people say
An opinion held is such demand
But I'd much sooner hold your hand
It's a question of priority
And I think that you would still be here for me
I'd be a fool to bow to their advice
As if their wish were my command
And I would be a fool to say goodbye
To the love that lies waiting, now
jonathan bender
One of the most underrated pop ballads ever written in my opinion
Fingerblade Entertainment
"The biggest hit ballad that never was!" I had this song play at my wedding, even though I had to lend the DJ my recording of it because he had never heard of it.
sharnthenarn1
Love, love, love this song. Highly under rated band and music <3
Brian DRFW
Weller is still amazing...
sam epstein
The Jam, Style Council & solo...Paul Weller underrated gold
Simon
He was saying this is a "Paul Weller underrated gold" song.
He was saying that the song is underrated not Paul Weller himself.
When someone says or writes an ambitious sentence then we must choose the most likely meaning and just go with it.
Mattie Mclean
No, he isn't underrated.... he is rated. By a lot of people.
Dave Williams
Still as fresh as it was in the 80s. As good a ballad as I've ever heard.
Wellerwellerable
Absolutely in love with Weller, with all his music from the beginning until now. No-one is more daring.
lisa kearney
So beautiful