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.
You're The
The Style Council Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And chase the rainbows end
I might win much more but lose all that is mine
I could be a lot
But I know I'm not
I'm content just with the riches that you bring
And commit the sin
Wanting more than I've already got
I could runaway
But I'd rather stay
In the warmth of your smile lighting up my day
The one that makes me say
'Cause you're the best thing that ever happened
To me or my world
You're the best thing that ever happened
So don't go away
I might be a king
And steal my peoples things
But I don't go for that power crazy way
All that I could rule
I don't check for fools
All that I need is to be left to live my way
So listen what I say
'Cause you're the best thing that ever happened
To me or my world
You're the best thing that ever happened
So don't go away
Listen to what I say
'Cause you're the best thing that ever happened
To me or my world
You're the best thing that ever happened
So don't go away
I could chase around
For nothing to be found
But why look for something that is never there
I may get it wrong sometimes
But I'll come back in style
For I realize your love means more than anything
The song you makes me say
'Cause you're the best thing that ever happened
To me or my world
You're the best thing that ever happened
So don't go away
You're the best thing that ever happened
To me or my world
You're the best thing that ever happened
Now don't go, I said don't go, no no don't go away
The Style Council’s “You’re the Best Thing” is a love song that redefines what success means for the singer. At first, he recognizes the tantalizing appeal of chasing after “rainbows” and “wanting more than [he’s] already got,” but ultimately he acknowledges that those pursuits would mean sacrificing the love he already has in his life. He asserts that he doesn’t need external validation, like the ability to “steal [his] peoples’ things” or “win much more,” because he’s content with the love and happiness that his partner brings into his life. The song is an ode to prioritizing love over societal markers of success and how fulfilling that mindset can be.
Although the lyrics themselves are relatively straightforward, the song's soulful style and vibrant instrumentals add layers of emotion that complement and enhance the words. The Style Council's Paul Weller has stated that the song is meant to be a tribute to his wife, Dee C. Lee, whom he had just met when he wrote the song: “My wife had just come into my life and it was a nice love song... It was an up song, although I didn’t feel the lyrics had to be completely joyful. There was a sadness to them that was kind of poetic, I suppose.”
Overall, “You’re the Best Thing” speaks to a unique kind of success: one that is defined by fulfilling relationships and love rather than money or material possessions.
Line by Line Meaning
I could be discontent
I have the potential to be dissatisfied
And chase the rainbows end
And pursue a never-ending quest for fulfillment
I might win much more but lose all that is mine
I may gain a lot, but end up losing what is truly important to me
I could be a lot
I have the potential to be someone great
But I know I'm not
But I know I am not special, not in the way someone else is to me
I'm content just with the riches that you bring
I am satisfied with the wealth of love and affection that you offer
I might shoot to win
I might strive to excel
And commit the sin
And do something wrong in the process
Wanting more than I've already got
Desiring more than what I have currently attained
I could runaway
I could choose to leave
But I'd rather stay
But I would rather choose to stay
In the warmth of your smile lighting up my day
In the warm and welcoming glow of your wonderful smile that brightens my day
The one that makes me say
That causes me to express
'Cause you're the best thing that ever happened
Because you are the greatest event that ever transpired
To me or my world
To me or my surroundings
I might be a king
I may hold a high position of authority
And steal my peoples things
And steal from those I govern
But I don't go for that power crazy way
But I do not want to be a crazy or abusive ruler
All that I could rule
All that I can govern over
I don't check for fools
I do not tolerate foolish or stupid behavior
All that I need is to be left to live my way
All I desire is to be left alone to live my life as I see fit
So listen what I say
So listen to what I have to say
I could chase around
I could run around aimlessly
For nothing to be found
Pursuing something that is not there to be found
But why look for something that is never there
Why waste my time searching for something that does not exist
I may get it wrong sometimes
I made make some mistakes at times
But I'll come back in style
But I will inevitably return successfully
For I realize your love means more than anything
Because I recognize that your love is more valuable than anything else
The song you makes me say
The melody that you create causes me to say
'Cause you're the best thing that ever happened
Because you are the greatest event that ever transpired
Now don't go, I said don't go, no no don't go away
Now please do not leave, I implore you not to, please do not depart
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL JOHN WELLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dianemcatee5548
This was our wedding song and meant so much to us. My husband died suddenly 2 weeks ago. His funeral was today. I played this song after I read my Eulogy. It took on a different meaning but still said so much. x
@beck1088
ですねぇ～。
@daveberry2177
hey i have been dancing to this with my wife for all of our fantastic life together,
@fernandap.s9417
Sorry for your loss
@emili5884
🙏🙏🙏😢
@maycortez2768
hugs to you
@ilonab6434
This was our wedding song back in 1986. Still married and still dance to this song whenever it is played. Timeless piece.
@davidw4639
Me too on all counts. We had the music digitised into a print and it sits in our bedroom to this day
@dedrehubbard5038
Our wedding song in 1991. Still love it after 31 years
@user-tb4el1sr1q
My grandma is named Elona