Setting Sons
| Setting Sons | ||||
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| Studio album by The Jam | ||||
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Publication |
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| Label (s) | Polydor | |||
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Format (s) |
LP, CD |
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Punk , New Wave , Mod Revival |
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Title (number) |
10 |
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running time |
32 min 31s |
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Studio (s) |
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Setting Sons is the fourth music album by British mod rockers The Jam . It was recorded between August 15, 1979 and October 10, 1979 and published by Polydor on November 17, 1979 . The Eton Rifles , which was released as a single, became the group's first top 10 hit parade and came in at number 3 on the British charts.
The album
Originally the album was planned as a concept album about three childhood friends who meet again after a while and discover that they have moved on in different directions. Some of the songs are about the fate of the war and those returning from war, others about areas of an industrial country that do not participate in development and prosperity.
But only about half of the songs were actually made for this concept as the record company put pressure on the release date. Titles that are most likely written for the concept album are Thick As Thieves , Little Boy Soldiers , Wasteland , and Burning Sky . These pieces are a very vivid illustration of British life, (non-erotic) relationships among (English) men and their growing up. These considerations are more pointed and pessimistic than with the earlier jam songs, but much more melodic and with more complete arrangements.
"These are the real creatures that time has forgot" - that is a line from "Saturday Kids" , and it makes it clear what the jam is about: social realities and the story of those who (cannot) articulate themselves . It is mainly about typical British problems.
Some of the songs are about the fate of the war, the returnees of the Second World War , others about areas of an industrial country that do not participate in development and prosperity.
Her hit "The Eton Rifles" captivates with a memorable refrain that appears complicated and catchy and powerful at the same time.
Little Boy Soldiers is a multi-movement pop piece that was clearly inspired by the Kinks . The prominent use of the recorder at Wasteland is also unusual . A strong orchestral accompaniment was recorded for one of the best compositions by bassist Bruce Foxton Smithers-Jones .
The pressure from the record company is probably also due to the fact that there are only seven new tracks on the album. Smithers-Jones and The Eton Rifles had previously appeared as singles and the album closes with the Martha & the Vandellas classic Heatwave , which has been in the band's live repertoire since the beginning, although the group is much more concerned with the arrangement the cover version of the Who oriented.
meaning
Setting Sons is one of the most highly rated albums of the jam alongside All Mod Cons and Sound Affects . In the September 18, 1993 issue of the British music magazine NME , the album is listed at number 37 of "The Greatest Albums Of The '70s".
Track list
- Girl on the Phone ( Paul Weller ) 2:57
- Thick as Thieves (Weller) 3:40
- Private Hell (Weller) 3:51
- Little Boy Soldiers (Weller) 3:33
- Wasteland (Weller) 2:52
- Burning Sky (Weller) 3:32
- Smithers-Jones ( Bruce Foxton ) 3:00
- Saturday's Kids (Weller) 2:53
- The Eton Rifles (Weller) 3:59
- (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave ( Holland – Dozier – Holland ) 2:24
Publications
- 1979, LP, Polydor 2442168
- 1990, CD, Polydor 831314
- 1998, CD, Polydor 537420
- 2001, CD, Polydor 9021
- 2001, CD, Polygram International 9021