After the success of "All Mod Cons", The Jam released two top 20 singles, "Strange Town" and "When You're Young" both of which I rushed out and bought. "Eton Rifles", which I also bought, was released ahead of the new album, and became their most successful single to-date in The UK, reaching number 3.
The fourth album "Setting Sons" was eagerly awaited, and I quickly purchased my copy, although the sticker on the cover shows I only paid £2.67. I think W.H.Smith at the time had discounts on Top 20 LPs....
I wasn't disappointed and I thought every song was a gem, and the album was relentlessly played on my turntable. "Thick As Thieves" and "Burning Sky" were particular favourites and the album easily fitted into the category of that with no bad track on it. The only oddity was the inclusion of Martha And The Vandella's "Heat Wave", and whilst the version here was good, a Motown cover didn't seem to fit with the rest of the songs.
Compared to their previous releases the sound was harder and grittier, moving into mainstream rock anthems territory, whilst being packed with infectious melodies, intelligent lyrics and fantastic bass and drums to support the guitar playing. The general theme was anti-war and class warfare, with Weller's cutting social commentary, and it essential buried any previous mod or punk associations.
I subsequently learnt "Setting Sons" was an unfinished concept album based on friends reunited who discovered they no longer had anything in common. "Thick As Thieves", "Little Boy Soldier", "Wasteland" & "Burning Sky" clearly belong to this assessment.
I could clearly remember all the songs on the track listing, so this was not a voyage of re-discovery, but rather an enjoyable remembrance.
"Girl On The Phone" is an energetic opener about a girl who
won’t stop calling and seems to know everything. "Girl on the phone keeps a-ringing back, knows where I get my shirts and where I get my pants, where I get my trousers, where I get socks, my leg measurements and the size of my cock". It ends by putting down the phone, leading to a girl saying "hello, are you there ? Stomping, catchy, and probably tongue in check.
"Thick As Thieves" is about the changing nature of friendships and is probably one of the finest songs ever written by Paul Weller. "Times were so tough, but not as tough as they are now, we were so close and nothing came between us or the world. No personal situations. Thick as thieves us, we'd stick together for all time. And we meant it, but it turns out, just for a while, we stole the friendship that bound us together".
"Private Hell" is a fascinating view of suburban life from the perspective of a middle age women. The song has some fantastic bass lines along with lyrics such as "Think of Emma wonder what she is doing, her husband Terry and your grand children. Think of Edward - still at college, you send him letters which he doesn't acknowledge, cause he don't care, they don't care, cause they are all going through their own private hell"
"Little Boy Soldier" is in three sections, with a gentle introduction leading in to mid-pace tempo. Military drumming, sounds of gunfire, strummed guitar, a whispered vocal follow before the climatic finale. It may be the best anti-war song ever written. “Then
they send you home in a pine overcoat, with a letter to your mum saying find enclosed one son, one medal and a note, … to say we won”. There are several stunning distinct movements in less than 4 minutes.
A poignant silence follows before a jaunty recorder starts the melancolic "Wasteland". "And there amongst the shit - the dirty linen, the holy Coca-Cola tins, the punctured footballs, the ragged dolls, the rusting bicycles. We'll sit and probably hold hands"
Side Two opens with "Burning Sky" which is written in the form of a letter from one old friend
to another, who now finds they have little in common with, and contains a busy businessman's list of excuses. The staccato, slashing guitar lines are fantastic and it remains one of my favourite Jam songs.
Bruce Foxton's "Smithers-Jones" was converted from a guitar based B-side on "When You're Young" into a cello-led string version for the album. It's apparent a song about Foxton's father who travelled every day on the train from the surburbs to Waterloo and just when he was expecting a promotion, was brutally made redundant and chose to retire. A song of the story of a man’s slavish devotion to the rat race, only to be ‘let go’ by
his employer when no longer required. The string version of the song hints at The Beatles "Eleanor Rigby" and Cat Stevens "Matthew And Son".
The toe-tapping "Saturday's Kids" has snapshots of working class life which were to be repeated on "Boy About Town" on "Sounds Affects". I was always annoyed by the line "Drink lots of beer and wait for half time results", as I certainly waited for full-time results, usually watching through the window of Radio Rentals whilst waiting for the bus home after watching the local match !
The single "Eton Rifles" rightly remains a classic, and former Prime Minister and ex-Old Etonian David Cameron has apparently commented it was a favourite of his his whilst at school in 1979. Regardless of him missing the irony of the class warfare of the song against the ruling elite, it can easily be seen as a drinking song for the Eton Boys. My favourite part is the few bars of organ in the middle break but “all that rugby puts hairs on your chest,
what chance have you got against a tie and crest?” is probably the most iconic lyric.
The album closes with a punchy cover of Martha and the Vandellas "Heat Wave", but despite the sax and jazzy piano,it begs the question of what it is doing amongst this collection of songs.
In conclusion though, "Setting Sons" remains an outstanding album.
Track Listing :
Side One :
1. Girl On The Phone
2. Thick As Thieves
3. Private Hell
4. Little Boy Soldiers
5. Wasteland
1. Burning Sky
2. Smithers-Jones
3. Saturday's Kids
4. Eton Rifles
5. Heat Wave
Released 1979
UK Chart Position : 4
Eton Rifles ( No 3 - 1979 )
