TOWN CALLED MALICE Lyrics

Performed by The Jam

Better Stop dreaming of the quiet life cos it's the one we'll never know
And quit running for that runaway bus cos those rosey days are few
And stop apologising for the things you never done
‘Cos time is short and life is cruel
but it's up to us to change this town called malice.

Rows and rows of disused milkfloats stand dying in the dairy yard
And a hundred lonely housewives clutch empty milk bottles to their hearts
Hanging out their old love letters on the line to dry
It's enough to make you stop believing when tears come fast and furious
In a town called malice - Yeah-ea-eah!

Ba-Ba, Ba-Ba, Ba-da-Ba, Ba-Ba, Ba-Da--Ba! Whoah!
Ba-Ba, Ba-Ba, Ba-da-Ba, Ba-Ba, Ba-Da--Ba!

Struggle after struggle, year after year
The atmosphere's a fine blend of ice
I'm almost stone cold dead in a town called malice
Oo-ooh! Yeah!

A whole street’s belief in Sunday's roast beef
Gets stashed against the Co-Op
To either cut down on beer or the kids new gear
It's a big decision in a town called malice
Oo-ooh! Yeah!

The ghost of a steam train echoes down my track
It’s at the moment bound for nowhere just going round and round,Ohh
Playground kids and creaking swings, lost laughter in the breeze
I could go on for hours and I probably will but,
I'd sooner put some joy back into this town called malice.
Yeah-ea-eah!

It’s a Town called malice - Yeah-ea-eah!

Whoooh!

It’s a Town called malice – Whoooh-Yeah!

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lyric check | Reviewer: Sean | 11/30/10

Think there's a glaring lyric f*** up here,

Second verse first line

Should read:
' rows and rows of disused milk-floats stand dying in the dairy yard'

which when you check the next lines makes a lot more sense.

Ok If you aren't from UK,
The 'Milkman' is sometimes used as a euphemism for a bit of a secret visitor to the household while the husband's at work.

If a baby doesn't look much like the father it could be attributed to the milkman,,, ok?

So the disappearance of the milkman and the following line ...

'Hanging out her old love letters on the line to dry'

shows a gentle decay in the ways of life of small town living, where little fantasies/details etc are gone forever.

Must admit dont normally play mr pedantic, but if you gonna post classic lyrics, ermmm... get em right or don't bother!

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Like "Cant hurry love"? I dont think so...... | Reviewer: Slapathy | 4/24/10

Clearly the "reviewers" on here who claim that the bassline for "Town Called Malice" is similar to that to "You cant hurry love" have never picked up a bass let alone played it and even less attempted Town Called Malice which is a very hard song to get right. The two basslines are completely differerent, except maybe for the tied notes in the chorus of Malice which are vaguely similar to what Cant hurry love does all the way through in a completely different style, I think its called Motown.. Like most Bruce Foxton stuff, eg Tube Station, What you see is what you get etc, Malice is a masterpiece of dynamics, ie fast bits and slow bits. Any "reviewer" who played bass would know this. I have played bass for 25 years and have played both songs on bass over the years. With Malice, it has taken nearly three years as a band for us to get it to a stage where we are happy with it, drummer and bassist need to be musically joined at the hip to do it any justice.

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Historic Jam | Reviewer: Msi | 4/7/10

Just reading the lyrics of this song brings back lots of my boarding school days memories, in Queenstown, South Africa. This song was played all the time on Capital Radio and 702. Paul Weller's lyrics are uncomparable - this is not just a song - this is an outstanding poem on working class life! When they write the history of British pop music, the Jam will be up the with all the greats, and I have no doubt that Paul Weller will be mentioned as one of the greatest lyricists of British music. I am going to buy myself the CD of Jam with this song and it will be the most valuable cd in my collection!

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He did it! | Reviewer: Maria | 9/21/08

I just saw Mr. Weller on Sunday 14 September 2008 and he did "Towm Called Malice" for the final encore. I never thought I'd hear it - EVER - I lost my bird. Brilliant!!!!!! He made time for autographs and pictures. Could not have been kinder. I think I had a stroke...

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Funk | Reviewer: Paul | 7/9/08

You got to love the funk in this song, too many reviewers bring up that the bassline is similiar to "you can't hurry love" SO WHAT, tunes are tunes , the lyrics matter most and in this song the lyric applied in the 80's 90's 00's and will forever!

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a classic | Reviewer: Dave Hughes | 1/23/08

This track doesn't get the recognition it truly deserves. I'm not what you could call a Jam fan, but the lyrics on this track are absolutely timeless. Superb!

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lethal | Reviewer: k long | 11/2/07

this is the fuckin tune that sums up workin class growing up. the tunes absolutely rockin in to the bargain.

i think the lyrics "to either cut down beer or the kids new gear" is genius and so easily could be " all the cutting down on beer all the kids do gear its a big decision in a town called Malice" ye fuckin ha

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Weller at his very best | Reviewer: Dave | 3/21/07

Yet another fantastic Jam track. Weller's observations of his home town, Woking, demonstrate again why he's one of the great lyrists of the last 30 years. "A whole street's belief in Sunday's roast beef" sums up the suburban malase portrayed here. Using the disused milkfloats as a meaphor for empty lives is absolutely brilliant. the tune's not bad either!

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Rockin Jam | Reviewer: Adrian | 10/13/04

The Jam were getting funky by this stage of their career and this is an absolute cracker of a tune. Great party hit as well as one to put on in your bedroom and jump around to. Word.

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