The painting that inspired a classic Paul Weller song
Paul Weller is no stranger to transforming creative concepts into musical masterpieces. Many of his hits have garnered acclaim for their dreamy and profound exploration of romance; ‘You Do Something To Me’, for instance, has been deemed one of the most popular first dance songs at weddings.
It’s not just traditional romance that catches Weller’s eye, though. The closing track on his album Stanley Road, ‘Wings of Speed’ draws inspiration from pre-Raphaelite artist John Waterhouse. In 1988, Waterhouse painted one of his most famous works, The Lady of Shalott.
This was actually based on an earlier poem by Lord Tennyson in 1832 and depicts the Lady of Shalott seated in a small boat, drifting down a river towards Camelot. Waterhouse pays homage to the poem via its ode to the beauty of nature, with the Lady dressed in a flowing white gown and surrounded by a tapestry of colourful flowers and foliage. She sits in a boat which is ornately decorated with tapestries and hanging lanterns, giving it an ethereal and mystical appearance.
The poem is based on Elaine of Astolat, who yearned with an unrequited love for the knight of Sir Lancelot – and ultimately died of grief. The stark beauty of Waterhouse’s piece was enough to entice Weller, with ‘Wings of Speed’ providing an exercise in achieving as close a musical equivalent to the source as possible. The lyrics describe how Weller feels when he looks at the painting. “The lines: ‘With Jesus at the helm’ and ‘one candle left to light the way’ refer directly to the painting. I love Waterhouse’s paintings, the drama in them, and I was trying to capture that in music”.
Amidst the artistic inspiration, the song also reflects Weller’s personal upheavals during that time. Addressing the separation from his wife, English soul singer Dee C. Lee, and the emotional detachment from his children, Weller said: “It’s also about splitting up with my wife at the time and feeling removed from her and my children and even becoming a different person.”
Beyond its source material, ‘Wings of Speed’ delves into themes of change, transformation, and personal growth. Lyrically, the song also represents the fleeting nature of time and the need to embrace life’s journey with courage and determination.
The track has been praised for being one of Weller’s most iconic. Capturing the essence of his style, the song combines elements of rock, folk, and soul with a distinctive vocal delivery and melody that resonates on a deeply emotional level.
One of the most dramatic parts of the song comes with the vocal contribution from former Young Disciples singer Carleen Anderson. Weller described Anderson’s voice on this as “the nearest I’ll get to hearing angels sing”.
Adding: “It’s heavenly. She sang one verse free-form, and we put it down. Then she did another take, then another, and she wouldn’t play them back, so we put them all together, weaved them in and out of each other”.
As a listener, whether you’re aware of its source material or not, its charm is evident. Over the years, Weller has repeatedly performed ‘Wings of Speed’ time and time again, with each time evoking the same level of anticipation and enjoyment from the audience.
