WAS's Awesome New Wave Song Of The Week #42: The Jam - Going Underground

WAS and family are just back from a week vacation in London (England, not Ontario!) so this week’s Awesome Song will feature some 80s UK gems!

The Jam were one of the biggest bands of the 70s-80s in England but basically unknown in North America...  A power trio from Woking, Surrey, they were punk mods with 60s fashions and music that was rocking, hook laden and politically heavy (that last point likely explaining their strictly provincial popularity).  Think of them as what you would get if The Clash made “Quadrophenia” instead of The Who.  Their leader Paul Weller later went on the form “The Style Council” - which landed #138 in Marc’s Top 200.

The Jam’s best song IMO was one that was released in 1980, hit #1 in the UK and had many themes in common with the present day.  “Going Underground” is a roaring gem with hooks, vim & vigor that makes so many British songs of the era so great.  

My favorite line :

"We talk and we talk until my head explodes - I turn on the news and my body froze - These braying sheep on my TV screen - Make this boy shout, make this boy scream!"

38 years later, I believe we can still relate ?

Enjoy “Going Underground” (and if you like the Jam, I highly recommend “Snap!” - a collection of the best songs - great from start to finish!!). 

Our Bonus Awesome Song this week is in the same vein … it’s a song that’s quite manic punk, but was released way past the heyday of punk.  It earned the coveted “Screamer of the Week” spot on NY New Wave radio station WDRE on October 1, 1983... but wasn't very well-known.  Like “Going Underground” it echoes the issues of the present day and easily gets stuck in your head...  The video has a totally spooky & paranoid feel to it and still looks fresh today!   

Enjoy Intaferon and “Get Out of London”!

 Oh and despite these angry London songs, I did have an awesome vacation!