“The best”: The song Paul Weller wants to be remembered for
Remarkably, Paul Weller was only 24 years old when The Jam split up, and since then, he’s been on a lifelong journey to find the perfect song.
It was always his plan to retire after doing so. He’s always been wary of rockers holding onto their youth, famously bludgeoning Robert Smith for still wearing make-up and calling him a “fat c-unt”. However, since Weller accomplished the lofty feat, it’s only spurred him on to pen more splendid material, gunning to match his musical high-water mark.
While the most commonly cherished offerings in Weller’s career arrived during his early work with The Jam, that’s not where then only efforts he’s proud of from his repertoire derive. In fact, he thinks he’s gotten better with age. Perhaps it was recency bias by The Jam frontman when he named ‘Aspects’ from 2018’s True Meanings as the best song he’s ever written while in conversation with The Guardian, but it’s also easy to see why he crowned the overlooked anthem a classic.
It was a track that Weller shared on his 60th birthday and one which shows the sentimental value he has attached to the song. Although it’s not known on the same scale as hits by The Jam, such as ‘That’s Entertainment’, ‘Going Underground’, ‘Town Called Malice’, or The Style Council’s ‘Shout To The Top’, it means more to Weller, capturing his craftsmen-like ethos to the art form.
In a press statement, Weller commented about the track upon its release: “I don’t know if it’s indicative of the album, but it’s certainly the cornerstone to the record for me. It’s also where I got the title of the album from.”
In 2015, Weller claimed that he’d only perfected three songs in his career, which consisted of The Jam’s ‘Strange Town’ as well as ‘Wings of Speed’ and ‘Going My Way’ from his solo canon. However, when he returned to the question six years later, Weller concluded ‘Aspects’ blew them all out of the water.
Weller explained: “I thought about this last night, funnily enough. ‘Aspects’, from True Meanings. It’s an acoustic record, with strings and stuff. I always said: ‘If I ever come up with the greatest song I feel I could write, then I’ll turn it in.’ But I didn’t. Because I thought: ‘If I can write that tune, and that’s the best thing I’ve done, perhaps I can write something else as good or better’.” But he’s yet to say that he has ever beaten it.
The stripped-back effort is gorgeous, and the delicate use of an orchestra helps add weight to his vocal delivery. While it’s devoid of a seismic chorus like you’d traditionally associate with Weller, it’s easy to understand why he adores the True Meanings track. It catches glimpses of his heroes with Ray Davies, Nick Drake, and even Charles Mingus influences all evident in the mix.
Weller is an artist who always tries to prove people wrong about him and revels in defying expectations. ‘Aspects’ may be a song which has passed you by, but if so, listen below and be prepared to be quietly surprised by the warm offering. A track of stirring pride.
