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.
When You Call Me
The Style Council Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But believe me it will fly by,
And if it don't treat you right
I want you to know that you can call me.
Into each life, some rain must fall
But if the storm becomes too much for you all,
Don't be afraid to enter my life
I will be there when you call me.
Don't let your pride get in the way of your view
Of how we used to be,
Oh, to you it's long ago, but to me, yesterday,
The passing of time is like the crashing of waves
It wears down on your memory and you can forget
That if it all gets too much i will always be there
For you to call me, if you need to call me.
Into each life, some rain must fall
But when the storm becomes too much for you all,
Don't be ashamed to enter my life
I will be there when you call me.
The Style Council's song "When You Call Me" is a soulful and emotional ballad that centers around the theme of being there for someone when they need you. The idea behind the song is that life can be difficult at times, and we all face our own struggles, but we shouldn't be afraid to reach out to those we trust when things get tough. The song encourages listeners not to let their pride get in the way of seeking help from friends or loved ones. The lyrics remind us that time has a way of wearing down our memories, but true friends will always be there when we need them the most.
The opening line "I know you have time, but believe me it will fly by" suggests the fleeting nature of time and the importance of making the most of it. The following lines "And if it don't treat you right, I want you to know that you can call me" serve as a reassurance for the listener that they have someone to turn to if things don't go as planned. The metaphor "Into each life, some rain must fall, but if the storm becomes too much for you all" is used to convey that while experiencing difficulty is a part of life, it can sometimes get overwhelming, and during such times, we need someone to lean on.
The chorus emphasizes the notion that even if things have changed over time and we’ve grown apart from people that were once close to us, we should never hesitate to seek their support when in need. The whole song promotes the idea of being there for someone through thick and thin, and the simple yet powerful message serves as a reminder that we're all in this together, and that support and encouragement from loved ones can make a significant positive difference in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
I know you have time
I am aware that you have time available
But believe me it will fly by
However, time goes by quickly as days turn into memories
And if it don't treat you right
And if life does not treat you kindly
I want you to know that you can call me
Please know that you can reach out to me for support
Into each life, some rain must fall
Difficult times are inevitable in life
But if the storm becomes too much for you all
However, if the hardships become overwhelming
Don't be afraid to enter my life
Do not hesitate to come to me for help
I will be there when you call me
I will be there for you when you need me
Don't let your pride get in the way of your view
Do not allow your ego to obstruct your perspective
Of how we used to be
Of our past relationship
Oh, to you it's long ago, but to me, yesterday
Although the past may seem distant to you, it feels fresh in my memory
The passing of time is like the crashing of waves
Time resembles the force of waves crashing against the shore
It wears down on your memory and you can forget
Time can erode your recollection of events and you may forget
That if it all gets too much I will always be there
However, please remember that I will always be there for you if life becomes overwhelming
For you to call me, if you need to call me
Feel free to contact me if you need my help
Into each life, some rain must fall
Once again, difficult times are inevitable in life
But when the storm becomes too much for you all
But when the hardships become too overwhelming
Don't be ashamed to enter my life
Please do not be afraid or embarrassed to ask for my help
I will be there when you call me
I will always be there for you when you need me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL JOHN WELLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind