The Jam released three cracking singles in 1979 - Strange Town, When You're Young and The Eton Rifles.Personally, I thought the last of them was the weakest of the three, but it did give the band their first Top 10 single at the ninth attempt. Oh and every single afterwards (with the exception of the import-only That's Entertainment) would also go Top 10.
And it was the NME Single Of The Year for 1979.
mp3 : The Jam - The Eton Rifles
mp3 : The Jam - See-Saw
Paul Weller was only 21 years of age when he wrote this song, and contrary to popular belief, it isn't based on anything that happened to him.
It was inspired by newspaper story that concerning elements of a Right To Work march going through Slough in 1978 breaking off to attack pupils from Eton College who were jeering them. However, the marchers got a bit of a kicking for their troubles as the posh boys tuned out to be younger, fitter and more than capable of looking after themselves.
Much of the trouble was blamed on marchers from a far-left political party, with some first-hand reports claiming that they instigated the fight and then fled the scene when they realised they were going to get a hiding - thus Weller's scathing lines
" What a catalyst you turned out to be
Loaded the guns then you run off home for your tea
Left me standing like a guilty schoolboy."
Here's a clip from a BBC2 programme called 'Something Else' back in the days.
Oh and here's wee bonus of a demo version (although its actually a solo Weller recording):-
mp3 : The Jam - The Eton Rifles (demo version)
Happy Listening.
10 comments:
How many bands today could bring out three singles in one year as good as these three. I was only 14 in '79 and this and the following year were the years that shaped my musical taste to this day. Great series.
thanks for the bit about the lyrics
you keep coming up with the goods mr villain, thank you kindly.
Took my son to see 'From the Jam' last year with a UK mob (the Brit/Scot/Irish population is immense in Los Angeles). The Jam got absolutely no radio play in the States, with the exceptions of 'Town Called Malice" once a year. I saw them only once for The Gift Tour in 1982 at the long gone NYC Palladium. So, even without their lead man it was a treat to hear those songs played live. I forgot how Foxton sang on every song. When they did 'Eton Rifles' I sang 'Eating Waffles' while the Brits sang 'Eating Trifles'. Culture Clash! Great post -- look forward to more.
Nice tale jonny east/west.
Agree with your words jc.
Hey Johnny East/West, we must have slammed into each other a few times at that Palladium gig! I got into The Jam kinda middle backwards...My first album was All Mod Cons and then I got, In The City and This Is The Modern World at the same time. As much as everyone kept calling them Mod, I kept hearing angry Punk - just played much better . But when Setting Sons came out I didn't think anyone could top them - except maybe The Clash. Setting Sons didnt leave my bedroom stereo for six months and still gets played all the time on my ipod and iphone.
Pretty funny, Echorich. If I remember correctly the opening act were the Raybeats. For those non-locals, the Raybeats were a NYC instrumental-surf kind of band who used to back up James Chance as the Contortions. The Palladium was a fabulous rock club that was built as a theater in the 1930's or so. Speaking of The Clash, Paul Simonon is smashing his bass on stage at the Palladium on the cover of 'London Calling.'
That's right Jonny East/West, it was the Raybeats...and yeah the Palladium is possibly the most important rock venue of my youth, along with Hurrah's and Irving Plaza. Seeing the Clash there in 79 (when the London Calling cover pic is from) and again in 1980 is burned minute by minute in my memory forever!
This was the first single from The Jam that I didn't really like and coming after Strange Town and When You're Young it was a bit of a let down. Over the years it has grown on me although I prefer the extended version on Setting Sons- I played Girl On The Phone the over day for the first time in years. Great song.
Forgot to say that the b side is one of The Jam's best songs and wasted as a b side.That's what I mostly played at the time.
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