Over the last few months I have been sharing on Twitter a number of photographs I have taken and linked them to some of Paul Weller's lyrics. It has been a reminder of why he is an ongoing source of inspiration to me when writing my own poetry.
Seeing as Paul celebrates his 65th birthday today, I thought it might be nice to do a small collection of some of the images/lyrics to mark the occasion and show my appreciation. With the amazing catalogue of songs Paul has given us over the last 47 years I have a feeling this is only the start.
The first image was taken on Kilnsea beach in East Yorkshire. The coastal erosion there is dramatic to say the least. Old war bunkers have ended up strewn across the beach. The sea was particularly wild on the day this photo was taken. I immediately thought of one of the many jewels in Setting Sons' crown.
WASTELAND
Meet me on the wasteland - later this day
We'll sit and talk and hold hands maybe
For there's not much else to do in this drab and colourless place.
Over the years I have spent many hours watching ships and boats sail by at various spots on the River Humber. As I listened to the sound of the bow waves lapping on to the shore one beautiful silver evening in April I immediately remembered the first time I listened to 'All Mod Cons'. One track stood out as something altogether different.
ENGLISH ROSE
No matter where I roam
I will return to my English rose
For no bonds can ever keep me from she.
And another one…
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I've sailed the seven seas
Flown the whole blue sky
But I've returned with haste
To where my love does lie.
There is one song on ‘Stanley Road’ that has inspired me to write a number of poems, some of which feature in my poetry blog. There is something fascinating, timeless and invincible about pebbles and rocks.
BROKEN STONES
Like pebbles on a beach
Kicked around, displaced by feet
Oh, like broken stones
They're all trying to get home.
I absolutely love a moody sky. Billowing heavy pewter clouds have a wonderful unpredictable quality about them. When I saw one such sky a couple of weeks ago, I instantly thought about a favourite song by The Style Council.
MY EVER CHANGING MOODS
Oh the cool before the warm, the calm after the storm
I wish to stay forever, letting this be my food
Oh but I'm caught up in a whirlwind and my ever changing moods.
It's almost impossible to pick out a favourite song from any album by The Jam, but for me there is one song on ‘In The City’ that just nudges ahead of the rest. To me it speaks of breaking away and finding a piece of yourself.
AWAY FROM THE NUMBERS
Away from the numbers
Away from the numbers
Is where I'm gonna be
Away from the numbers
Away from the numbers
Is where I am free.
Many of the The Jam’s B sides could easily have been A sides, no more so than the flip side to ‘Absolute Beginners’. Here it is as if Paul is painting a picture with his lyrics. You can almost breathe in the fresh air and see the colours.
TALES FROM THE RIVERBANK
Bring you a tale from the pastel fields
Where we ran when we were young
This is a tale from the water meadows
Trying to spread some hope into your heart.
When I stumbled across a beautiful secret garden filled with anemones this spring it took my breath away. It immediately conjured up images of girls wearing floaty dresses with daisy chains in their hair dancing gracefully around the trees, and a certain surreal B side by The Jam.
LIZA RADLEY
Liza Radley see the girl with long hair
See her creeping 'cross summer lawns at midnight
A beautiful post-sunset sky is a rare thing. I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to capture this stunner. The soft pastel colours brought to mind another beautiful song by The Style Council.
YOU’RE THE BEST THING
I could be discontent 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.
The Humber mudflats appear like tiny islands when the tide is out. Worlds within worlds. When I saw the partially covered sun and clouds reflected on the ground, I recalled another surprising track on ‘All Mod Cons’.
FLY
Let's disappear love, let's fly away
Into the demi-monde, into the twilight zone.
On one of my many sunset chasing sessions I noticed both silver and gold sunbeams darting across the river, creating pools of shimmering light on the horizon. Certain lines from another 'Stanley Road' track sprung to mind.
STANLEY ROAD
And it gleamed in the distance
And it shone like the sun
Like silver and gold - it went on and on.
'The lyrics on ‘Setting Sons’ are in my opinion some of the most meaningful Paul has written. You see some of the songs in a different light as you go through different life stages. When I saw this stunning sunrise over the sea at Barmston, I immediately thought of the lines below from a song on the album that most definitely fits into that category.
THICK AS THIEVES
We stole the burning sun in the open sky
We stole the twinkling stars in the black night
We stole the green belt fields that made us believe
We stole everything that we could see
Through one song in particular on ‘This Is The Modern World’ Paul introduced a whole new generation of people to the work of Adrian Henri. Believe it or not I did not enhance or edit the photo below. The colours you see are the true colours of the sky. I absolutely adore this shade of blue, as I do the lines from the song I chose to accompany.
TONIGHT AT NOON
When we meet in the midnight hour
I will bring you night flowers (coloured)
Like your eyes.
Of all the songs Paul has written throughout his long and impressive career, there is one track on The Jam’s ‘Sound Affects’ album many people believe was his finest hour lyrically. The whole song is a work of art, but for me there are two lines that stand out above all the others. If you are a fan then please stay tuned for the next "scrapbook" about The Jam coming very soon. There is something incredibly special lined up relating to the song.
THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT
Two lovers kissing amongst the scream of midnight
Two lovers missing the tranquility of solitude
Happy birthday Mr Weller and thank you for all the joy and inspiration you bring.
UPDATE - There is a second post with more photos matched to Paul’s lyrics here.
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