Your shit is underground, my shit is underwater

The Style Council - It's A Very Deep Sea
(From Confessions Of A Pop Group album; 1988)


Why's It's A Very Deep Sea not on the Style Council best of compilation I own? More importantly, why'd nobody put me onto it until I did a Style Council deep dive recently? What else are you lot hiding from me eh eh?

Not so much Blue-Eyed Soul as Deep Blue Water Soul; re-evaluating the wreckage of one's past to reveal only painful regrets rather than pirate's treasure (shout out to One-Eyed Willy, we in this bitch!) True story: It's A Very Deep Sea is even better than Long Hot Summer, which means it's not only the best Style Council song but the best Paul Weller song point blank. Always preferred Prawn Cocktail Paul Weller to Beef & Onion Paul Weller, meself. Big fan of Salt & Vinegar Paul Weller too though, as typified by The Jam's Funeral Pyre.

The Jam - Funeral Pyre
(From Funeral Pyre single; 1981)


Yeah, he nicked that riff from Love's Seven & Seven Is, but so what? If Rap has taught us anything, it's that there's an art in jacking the best bits of other people's songs. You can have your cake and steal it too.