The Jam - Going Underground
Added 2025-07-05 07:00:05 +0000 UTChttps://youtu.be/AE1ct5yEuVY?si=p4yl9Ly_pWJNmY10
Comments
This was never meant to be the A side, was going to the B side to The Dreams of Children, a mistake at the French pressing plant though made this the A side. A very fortuitous error to be fair as this is much better.
Kevin Liversage
2025-08-11 12:22:33 +0000 UTCWas going to be my funeral song but my mate got "there" before me
buster
2025-07-18 16:43:12 +0000 UTCGreat song, but every time I hear this now, the London Underground parody song by Amateur Transplants always comes to mind!
Steve B
2025-07-08 20:34:11 +0000 UTCYes, but not this one.
Static CentreHalf
2025-07-07 19:10:56 +0000 UTCBit like the band itself... it's alright. Nothing more.
Static CentreHalf
2025-07-07 19:10:15 +0000 UTCThen place your request through the proper channels. Not here. You must know that.
Static CentreHalf
2025-07-07 19:09:08 +0000 UTCNo denying Bruce Foxton, The Jam’s incredible bass player, had a mullet, but the band weren’t known for them. They were associated with the Mod style. Mod, or Modernism, was a youth culture which arose in London in the mid sixties and revived by bands such as The Jam in the late 70s. The Mod motto is ‘clean living in difficult circumstances’. The kids were mainly working class and had a precise dress code of tailored Italian-style suits (with rules about jacket and trouser length), shoes, shirts, Parka coats, and button-down collars on shirts. Their chosen mode of transport was Italian scooters. The music was African American dance music but from obscure labels as well as home grown bands; The Who and Small Faces in the 60s and The Jam being by far the most successful in the 70s/80s. The classic 1979 film Quadrophenia is the story of a young Mod and his struggles to find acceptance. It’s an enduring youth culture. Mods still exist and only last week Quadrophenia, A Mod Ballet opened in London at Saddlers Wells Theatre in London.
Thomas
2025-07-07 14:09:04 +0000 UTCneed a reaction to god save the queen by the sex pistols
Sam Murphy
2025-07-06 20:24:55 +0000 UTCGoing down in the tube station at midnight is my fave from the jam
Dango247
2025-07-05 22:58:57 +0000 UTCI think you'd really like their song 'A Town Called Malice'. Really catchy, upbeat track that'll have you moving in your seat for sure! Fantastic bassline too. You'll have definitely heard it before if you've ever seen the film Billy Elliot (fantastic film, by the way).
AdmiralDonkey
2025-07-05 15:51:24 +0000 UTCNow your talkin!! Brill song brill band loads hits! Paul weller great husky voice! I love the album stanley road but that not the jam thats his own stuff but brilliant songs in it and great lyrics u should give it a listen😉
Theloyalmuppet
2025-07-05 15:33:51 +0000 UTCI was about to comment how this song takes me back to my childhood, along with anything by Madness and The Police. The doom laden subject matter passed right over my head though, as I think it did with most kids of the time.
Jay
2025-07-05 13:00:45 +0000 UTCHuman nature doesn't change much, so many songs from the past will still resonate with events today.
zenting
2025-07-05 12:16:59 +0000 UTCVery few songs or indeed any media content takes me back to the earliest days of the 80s more than this. I'm immediately there in my mind. I think from reading comments on all your reaction videos that lots of your audience is older than you guys - ie around my age. That explains perhaps why you get the votes/recommendations you do. But you're right there are distinct vibes with current times but believe me things were still more doom laden back then as far as the end of the world being nigh!
Nick Beer
2025-07-05 11:48:27 +0000 UTCThe gov posted the " Protect and Survive Booklet", to every household. Tips on surviving the nuclear war.
bobbyshaftowenttosea
2025-07-05 11:37:27 +0000 UTCYep... the talentless front man had his five minutes of fame then disappeared without trace.
RDV
2025-07-05 10:10:33 +0000 UTC" see kidney machines replaced with rockets and guns " great line :)
Chris Kay
2025-07-05 10:06:58 +0000 UTCThe Jam were brilliant, as is 'The Modfather' Paul Weller in general. Important to remember that in America they were called The Jelly.
Daz Parker
2025-07-05 09:29:26 +0000 UTCThe Jam never really tried to break America. After they difficult second album (which, retrospectively, is pretty good) the record company sent then to tour with Blue Oyster Cult, a progressive rock band who were totally mismatched. The BOC audiences booed them off. Weller came home depressed and withdrew to his parents’ home. He was only 20. He started listening to Kinks records, another band who had been rejected by the USA in the 60s. The music, which was mainly about English life, inspired him. He did the same and wrote three of the best albums of the era if not ever - All Mod Cons, Setting Sons and Sound Affects.
Thomas
2025-07-05 09:20:58 +0000 UTCInexplicably over-rated band.
Static CentreHalf
2025-07-05 09:20:51 +0000 UTCIt's the Jam. Not much more needs to be said. Definitely would be worth considering a similar album review like you did with Bowie. Thanks guys. Great reaction as always. :)
Brucey Mitchell (Cheeky)
2025-07-05 09:11:45 +0000 UTCLove the Jam, Noel Gallagher does a version of one of there songs called To be Someone, for me it's the best Jam song but that version takes it to a new level
Rob Pontin
2025-07-05 08:28:00 +0000 UTCA true genius of songwriting, there's a 50 year rabbit hole you can go down with Paul Weller (Hope you do) . The Jam, The Style Council, solo career, duets with Amy Winehouse, Noel Gallagher etc etc. You can't go wrong, the guy has never had a break in 50 years from writing amazing songs. Also RIP Rik Buckler (The drummer) we lost him very recently
Neil
2025-07-05 08:15:30 +0000 UTCTwo stalwarts of the channel, James Buckley and Martin Freeman, are Jam/Paul Weller super fans. James and his wife’s wedding song was You Do Something To Me by Paul Weller. There is an episode of At Home With The Buckleys vlog called ‘Paul Weller and Hot Weather’ where they are seen swaying arm in arm to the song at a Weller gig. Martin fronted a major documentary on the Style Council and has appeared in two Paul Weller music videos.
Thomas
2025-07-05 08:10:53 +0000 UTCThis track was released as a stand-alone single in 1980 and not on any album, except future compilations. It became no. 1 in the UK against the background of the Cold War/Nuclear threat. It's basically a protest against governments and the arms race, not providing health services (Kidney machines are mentioned in the lyrics), etc. If you look at the lyrics online it'll give you more of an explanation. The band's dress style was of the UK 1960's Mod revival of the late 1970's, hence the sharp suits. Their initial sound in 1977 was a 'punky' style with elements of R&B/Soul later on. They split in 1982.
Fordy7169
2025-07-05 08:10:22 +0000 UTCWhe I was a kid I use to listen to the new chart countdown n Sunday evenings on the radio. When this was announce to be number one in 1980, it was the first record my dad thought was musically nonsense. We had many an argument about it. I still think it's one of the best pop songs ever written.
Dave Roberts
2025-07-05 08:03:55 +0000 UTCJess’s observation about the suits was remarkably astute. The Jam were part of the punk explosion in the UK in 1977, but always stood out because they wore suits and had melodies. The suit thing is part of the Mod fashion which started in the 1960s, and Paul Weller was hugely influenced by this, so much so that even today at 67 he is known as The Modfather. The Jam’s big rivals were The Clash, who are said to have taken a pop at The Jam in their song (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais with the lyric… The new groups are not concerned With what there is to be learned They got Burton suits, huh, ya' think it's funny Turnin' rebellion into money
Thomas
2025-07-05 07:59:03 +0000 UTCMike!! Did you steal Wills birthday present?!? 😆 someone stole your sleeves
Sam Carr
2025-07-05 07:49:21 +0000 UTCMy favourite band. I am the same age as Paul Weller, the lead singer, and was 19 when I saw them play their first big gig at Hammersmith Odeon. Boy, could they play. Just the three of them, such power and energy. Paul, is possibly second only to Bowie in terms of reinventing himself musically. His second band, Style Council, were also massive but with a very different soul and jazz vibe. So cool. He broke them up and then launched a hugely successful solo career. He’s the only British artist apart from The Beatles to have had number 1 albums across five decades.
Thomas
2025-07-05 07:48:16 +0000 UTCEveryone was shocked when Paul Weller announced they were breaking up. They were as big as anything in the UK at the time and it felt like they still hadn’t reached their peak.
Adam Penn
2025-07-05 07:30:24 +0000 UTCGot the will vest on? Is it Calvin klein?
Aaron ball
2025-07-05 07:21:20 +0000 UTCThe Jam. One of the very best British bands, and as you would’ve seen in that watchmojo video a while ago, they never really made it in US. But they’re unquestionably one of our best bands
Sam Dilks
2025-07-05 07:18:28 +0000 UTC
