The Jam - Strange Town 

There aren't many upsides of being 60, but being in my teens when The Jam walked into my life when I was in High school is one of them 🧡

Listening in 24, this is even more relevant now🫡🫡👍

The Jam one of the most important groups of our time.

Pure fucking class.

The sound that these 3 put out was phenomenal, I was very lucky to see them live twice back in the day. Just superb!

Brixton , Rushcroft Road, April 1979. In my Dad's flat listening to this coming from a neighbouring flat. The year I met my girl.

The Jam. One of the most important bands of our time

As well as the music being brilliantly played by Weller, Foxton & Buckler, the lyrics were perfect observations of the UK at the time. Weller was asked recently why he no longer writes this type of lyric & his answer was spot on, NOTHING HAS CHANGED. If anything it has got worse.

The Jam STILL haven't really been appreciated by music history half as much as they should be. Bands like them simply wont ever happen again, as the golden age of pop more or less died off with them and others. Far to many sub sects of music wont allow for bands to have this big an effect in todays world. That is something I mourn, as the world is missing out due to it. For me personally, to have been around when they and other bands of the time where hitting there peak, was one hell of a stroke of good fortune. Thanks Mum and Dad for popping me on the planet when you did.

The lines , You'll be betrayed by your accent and manners, You've got to wear the right clothes, was spot on for the times in Britain. like so many of Paul Weller's lyrics . Just genius by a great band, this is by a short head by favourite Jam song. I never tire of hearing it.

I still remember my first days coming to London to live from the north of England , this song sums it up every time I hear it ,working class 80s culture .

Just another 4 minute masterpiece from 3 astonishing musicians.

they had countless dozen classics, but none greater than this. Staggering

You move from Essex to Norwich 1985 you d be singing these lyrics X

I'm 14, no music will ever beat The Jam's, the best ever. Music today will never match it.

Paul Weller....LYRICAL GENUS.... The Jam yaay

Best British band ever ..

The jam one of the 70s&80s best bands ever

Bruce Foxton's mullet really was at it's loveliest in this video. So long, feathery and bouncy. And it catches the light soooo well to give it something of a glow round the edges in this video

The most important group ever. The voice of a generation

One of the best strange town bside butterfly collector

Brilliant lyrics , fantastic band Class A musicians

The jam ,what more can you say about one of the greatest british bands ever .

What a master piece great band

Was a mod back in early 80s as a teenager worshipped JAM & Weller had pleasure of seeing them on farewell tour @ Wembury Arena December '82 on farewell tour 😎✌️👍 ..... "Strange town" one of their many classics .

Songwriting genius right here ,complimented by two brilliant musicians who understood and got what Mr Weller was trying to create.

Bruce foxton and Jean jacques burnell,masters on bass

The Jam was an essential part of my youth they lifted me up and took me to a difrent place high above everything else going on at that time I lived and breathed the music and found myself back in 1981 at the age of 15 it was one of the happiest times of my life all thanks to the Jam, now I'm looking back with very fond memories and the songs sound just as powerful now as they did then , when your young was always one of my favourite and it sums up exactly what I was feeling at that time, thanks guys for some amazing times 😊

This record reminds me of playing a London team at football, at the time of football violence, when you went to the capital it was a cold no help strange town , thanks mr weller

This will always be a top tune.

The Jams finest 🎶 tune

Those Shoes…lol…never ever liked them but preferred the black/white bowling shoes but personally I always had olive drab, stone or desert sand coloured desert boots that I still buy to this day

Been with Mr Weller since the right early days, and saw the Jam twice ( very lucky me ) but totally loved this song,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,although I still class Down in the Tube Station as my top notcher, although on certain nights this overtakes it

One of our best lyricist 🇬🇧 His lyrics from..THE JAM ... era of his career. Totally encapsulated the Britain we were living in at the time.. The 🇬🇧 has some of the greatest lyricist the rest of the world 🌎 has ever heard...some master storytellers... But don't think that we have another who. Captured the times (i.e the late 70s to 80s) of the youth and u.k life like Mr.weller did in his lyrics... Only have to listen to that's entertainment to know what I'm trying to get across.... ( DO YOU ALL AGREE )

Back yet again. I have to say, of all the fantastic Jam songs, I've decided that this is my number one. Lyrical perfection, a fantastic melody, probably Wellers best ever middle 8 (and he was a master of them in the Jam) and a great vid. Just magnificent.

Goven Hill memories no one cared all had too go mate lost in the big city of Glasgow

here i am in 2023 and boy do i miss these guys.beam me back to 1977 where their journey began.

Best intro ever

could you imagine any other bassist or drummer !? great songs ofcourse but in a 3 piece the drums n bass will make it or ruin it ,it was synchronicity take one person out of the mix and it wouldnt be this band ,it reminds me of madness woody n bedders they get over looked but they are the back bone and groove like rick n bruce can anyone really say theyve seen paul weller play his older songs as good as when rick n bruce played ....i dont think so ,not a knock but they had chemistry .raw chemistry x

When I was a kid I was a massive Jam fan, I still have all the studio albums and all the singles they released when they were together. I saw them live about 15-20 times, mainly around Liverpool, but the last tour when I was a bit older, like 15-16 we went to a good few of their shows around the country. What I wasn't aware of at the time time thou, was the music that that influenced them and that they were referencing. As I got older and listened to more music, I could fit the pieces together, and whenever I listen to them I could hear the influences. They were a massive part of my life growing up, like bunking off school and being allowed in to their sound check at the Royal Court is an amazing memory, and better than any afternoon in school. Once I got older, like 17-18, and discovered shagging and drink and drugs, I put them away in a drawer and never listened to them again for years, but I still remember all the words, as I had listened to their music so much, when I was young, because as we all know you fall in love with any guitar and any bass drum when you're young.

I like to think I play bass,this is my reference track to play with,nothing but brilliance.

Our band , listening to them puts the spring in our step , the hairs standing on the back of our necks every time.

Such a group… changed me forever

Can’t decide between this and Down in the tube station at midnight as my number 1 Jam song, think this just edges it 👍

When I moved to Germany from the UK this song became my absolute anthem. As much as I loved it before the meaning never really hit me until I moved abroad lol! I always loved the idea of "trying to find a friend in Oxford Street" hilarious.

Rick Buckler simply a brilliant drummer, listen to the drumming

I loved Bruces bass and Daves drumming. Primo.

that bass and those drums omg heaven

Incredible what noise just these 3 guys can produce - I saw them at Guildford in 1980.

Lyrics: Found myself in a strange town Though I've only been here for three weeks now I've got blisters on my feet Trying to find a friend in Oxford Street I bought an A to Z Guide Book Trying to find the clubs and YMCA's But when you ask in a strange town They say don't know, don't care and I've got to go, mate They worry themselves about feeling low They worry themselves about the dreadful snow They all ignore me, 'cause they don't know A spaceman from a UFO You've got to move in a straight line You've got to walk and talk in four-four time You can't be weird in a strange town You'll be betrayed by your accent and manners You've got to wear the right clothes Be careful not to pick or scratch your nose You can't be nice in a strange town 'Cause we don't know, don't care and we got to go, man Rush my money to the record shops I stop off in a back street, buy myself a snort We got our own manifesto Be kind to queers I'm so glad the Revolution's here (It's nice and warm now) I've finished with clubs where the music's loud 'Cause I don't see a face in a single crowd There's no one there I look in the mirror But I can't be seen Just a thin, clean layer of Mister Sheen Looking back at me Oh, oh Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh Found myself in a strange town Though I've only been here for three weeks now I've got blisters on my feet Trying to find a friend in Oxford Street I bought an A to Z Guide Book Trying to find the clubs and YMCA's But when you ask in a strange town They say don't know, don't care and I've got to go, mate They worry themselves about feeling low They worry themselves about the dreadful snow They all ignore me, 'cause they don't know A real spaceship from a UFO Break it up, break it up Break it up, break it up Break it up, break it up Break it up, break it up Hmmm, break it up, break it up Burn it up, shake it up Break it up, break it up

My favourite Jam song.

I adored the jam growing up, they were my brothers records but I loved them as if they were my own. I honestly cannot choose one track above any other as they all had a unique melody and super lyrics. I even went on to adore the Style Council and Paul Weller as a solo Artist. This was the very best of the best even today!

Greatest song ever by the best band ever!

Pure class.

Class song writing goosebumps reminiscing was on holiday in London in my teens carnaby street got my fist pair of jam shoes boating blazer etc wearing them and my grey stay press to skool great times always a mod 😝

What a great band the Jam were! The music was peerless, have to be the best british band ever Just behind The Beatles!

Paul Weller said in a interview that he has written three perfect songs and that strange town is one of them.

Favourite song by miles n that's saying something the jam r the best

I had those shoes in Black & White.. Red & White & Brown & White.. Good old Carnaby Street...those were the days....exciting times and all without mobiles & Social media

The Jam never grow old.

I must admit, with fear of backlash, i didn't get them when i was alot younger, but know, wow, ever so relevant. Love The Jam.

Bruce and Rick power driving this

Pure British talent bring back the jam

I was never a jam fan as a kid - turned off by the mod connections. Took me well into adult life to acknowledge what a truly great band they were. This is probably my favourite song by them. Still can't get my head around Foxton's mullet tho.

The jam strange town classic song from the eighties good music back then forty five years old still sounds good now good stuff

Simply brilliant.

i can remember like it was just weeks ago, gawd i wish i could go back

Thomas Gregory, absolutely concur. Shame that they will never reform, or is it best that they leave classics untouched. One of my great quandaries.

so much going on in 3 minutes

Had The Jam on my parker back in 1980!, good times

One of their finest songs (after Set the House Ablaze, obviously).

Pure class. I'm glad to be of an age where I grew up with the Jam. This is my favourite by far but they never did a duff song at all.

Jst like when I moved to hoven Hill n viccy Road strange town out of place no on cared all had to hk now!!

Superb! Thank you The Jam

heard this as a 10 year old .. loved the Jam - lyrics so spot on and still relevant . saw them in Battersea Town Hall. decades later my brother worked with Ricks wife (RIP) and she bless her got Rick to sign my Jam CD ..

Going to London in June...Way Aye Man! Best Band ever

Along with this track & funeral pyre Absolute Genius 💯

one of the best "small town boy in the big bad city" songs ever written.

I cant believe I missed em at the time! I was so focused on other music that somehow they slipped under-the radar. More fool me.

GREAT TRACK! STILL SOUNDS GOOD.

That song is an absolute masterpiece... the first Jam single I ever bought.

Always smile when I hear this classic jam tune, was the song that weller sang the very first time I saw him, way back in the late 70's at Bingley Hall in Brum, great times and have followed him ever since!

I could listen to the end bit for ever

This song was my introduction to the jam 2023 still loving it

Now we are in Strange Town. There is no kindness in that town of ours where we live now. People are isolated. The Jam is a great band. The Jam knew of the existence of a strange town. I found it all related in the series of songs "A Town Called Malice," "Going Under Ground," and "When you are Young. I would like to go back to the 1970s and meet them. Let's all shout it out. Break it up, Burn it down, Shake it up! Thanks! They worry themselves about feeling low They worry themselves about the dreadful snow They all ignore me cause they don't know I'm really a spaceman from those UFOs Strange town Break it up, Burn it down, Shake it up!

Exactly mate, every town, at least up here had their aggro and boot boy gangs Football away days were always a bit Leary. Like most, if not all songs by the jam they captured our lives back then brilliantly

The greatest band in the fucking world

Weller is wearing the jacket the Beatles wore at Shea Stadium in 1965....

When your young and strange town up there with the best. 😎🎸🎶👍

Woking to London... tougher than crossing the Mediterranean :-)

and to think there was only 3 of them... Wow....and it really was about all 3 of them...

The may have come along during the days of punk Rock and had many elements of a punk band but they could actually play and write melodic songs that put them in there own lane back then. The Jam are and always will be important to the British music scene and to any up and coming band take note.

the Jam are the greatest

Paul in a rich vein of creative writing, following on from Tube Station with this one, When you're young etc. The Jam were amazing and ferocious live at that time

2.19 -2.21 cop that bass line as it runs down. Fantastic. This song has got it all. Blows me away again and again and it's nearly 2020. One of their best. And they were all brilliant.

Another brilliant song from the jam I like this one from an old mod of 70,long live mods 🤩😊😎🤗❤🎉

My favourite

Heading into London soon, going to blast it.

People he's not singing football time it's four four time classic tune by the best band in the fucking world

Class.