On an emotionally dark and dreadful day in 1987, one what was then quite possibly the worst day so far in my life, certainly in my personal Top 10 list of bad days now, as my car slowly descended the winding roads out of the mountains and the tears were still drying on my cheeks, my attention was unexpectedly caught by a song that seemed to suddenly come bursting out of the car speakers. Buoyed by the driving force of a full horn section and a soulful Hammond organ, a voice belted out, "You don't have to take this crap, you don't have to sit back and relax," to which the chorus responded, "You can actually try changing things." Intrigued, I cranked up the volume.
I have no idea why, but as corny as it sounds, those lines at that moment persuaded me not to let the car drift over the side rail and crash down into the valley below. And I'm embarrassed now to admit that I was embarrassed then that the words were sung not by Joe Strummer, Johnny Cash or Robert Nestor Marley, but by Paul Weller.
In tribute, here's The Jam and some Style Council.
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