The Jam - In the City (1977)

The Who's song "In the City" was pretty unremarkable and, as a b-side to the non-album single "I'm a Boy", rarely saw compilation release. To say that this particular song inspired anything is a bit of a stretch but maybe not so much in the case of British punk band The Jam, whose first single and album were also called "In the City". The Who's cut on youth in the city doesn't get away from girls, fun in the sun, and a light undertone of rebellion. Contrastingly, The Jam's lyrics reveal a "young idea" sweeping the city that neither harkens for lawlessness nor revolution (like most punk music of the time), but instead mourns the loss of identity and respect ("Whatever happened to the great Empire?") and the rising movement to reattain them.

The Jam formed in 1972 around Paul Weller in Woking, Surrey, England with the rest of the band made up of various secondary school friends that played Rhythm and Blues covers in the local pubs. By '75, the band lineup solidified with Weller on bass, Bruce Foxton and Steve Brookes on guitars, and Rick Buckler on drums. Punk innovators The Clash and Sex Pistols refocused The Jam onto an edgier and faster punk sound. At the same time, The Jam fell into the mod lifestyle (predicated by bands such as The Who) as the movement had revived in working class England. Paul Weller would purchase his own Italian scooter and the band's look showed off tailored suits (while most other punks wore ripped clothes and leather jackets). Mod bands like The Who also played an important role in the evolution of The Jam's sound that synthesized classic rock and the contemporary punk scene. Brookes left the band just before The Jam signed to Polydor Records. He was not replaced, and Weller took over guitar duties from Foxton who moved took over on bass.

The Jam released their debut single "In the City" in April of 1977 that found its spot in the Top 40 of the UK charts. The album of the same name, released soon after, was successful both critically and commercially in the UK. It consisted mostly of original songs penned by Weller and rounded off with two punk covers of Larry Williams's "Slow Down" and the "Batman Theme". The album's pervasive theme was the previously mentioned "young idea" that accurately reflected "pre-20s delusions" according to Record Mirror's Barry Cain. It could be found in songs like "In the City", "Sounds from the Street", and "Bricks and Mortar" that proclaimed British pride and a nostalgia for an idyllic England of a previous generation. The fast-paced album is broken up by the slower "Away from the Numbers" that has Paul Weller strangely moving away from the potentially superficial "young idea" movement and instead separated himself from the herd. With their debut such a success, The Jam would find themselves back in the studio for their sophomore effort with 1977 yet to conclude.

Here is the discography surrounding The Jam's debut album:

In the City (1977 single)
In the City





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