Style Council, The - A Man Of Great Promise Lyrics






I bought the paper yesterday and I saw the obituary
And I read of how you died in pain -
Well I just couldn't understand it
Oh if I could of changed that, then Lord knows I'd do it now
Oh but there is no going back -
And what's done is done forever

But you were always chained and, shackled by the dirt -
Of every small town institution and every big town flirt

And I think of what you might have been,
A man of such great promise
Oh but you seem to forget the dream -
And the more you saw you hated

Oh but let's not talk of blame, for what is only natural
Like a moth going to a flame -
You had a dangerous passion

But you were always chained and, shackled by the dirt -
Of every small town institution and every big town flirt

All the things that you might have been - but who am I to say?
Still I wonder -
If it's the cold earth you prefer to lay -
If it's the cold earth - you prefer to stay





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Style Council, The A Man Of Great Promise Comments
  1. B.... M....

    Great song from one of the 80’s best albums by one of our most beloved artists.

  2. N.... G....

    Again i love the juxtaposition of the sombre, tragic story of this song with its uplifting, bouncy beat. Very very very good songwriting!

  3. d.... ....

    Man of Promise .......................

  4. T.... J....

    Pure class this one 👍👍👍

  5. G.... C....

    Quanti ricordi...unici

  6. C.... M....

    knock me off my shit. No other ever could write such a song.

  7. J.... O....

    Such a great song. Apparently Weller wrote this about Dave Waller - an old schoolfriend and one-time Jam member who left the group and became a poet. Sadly drugs proved to be his undoing and it led him to an early grave.

    A sad waste of talent.

  8. B.... T....

    Still I wonder if it's in the cold earth you prefer to lay...if it's in the cold earth you prefer to stay!

  9. J.... ....

    Absolutely perfect pop song

  10. L.... P....

    mitici Paul is the top

  11. H.... T....

    This is one massively under rated and under played song.....

    H.... T....

    +Hans Tun try Bloodports and The ghosts of Dachau. " more Style Council gems!

    H.... T....

    underrated by whom exactly?. Or do you just mean you think it's quality...

    H.... T....

    quality I presume and very much HOPE!

  12. P.... H....

    Intro samples the Kinks' 'Big Black Smoke'.

    P.... H....

    +Patrick Humphreys Thank you, I didn't know.

    P.... H....

    +Patrick Humphreys Weller's lucky Ray Davies didn't sue him.

  13. K.... ....

    it is about me

    K.... ....

    +Kiernan007 its about Dave Waller! But I know what you mean!

  14. e.... s....

    This is the truth, gentlemen: This song was written by Paul Weller for his childhood friend and early band member David Waller, who tragically died of a heroin overdose. Case closed.

    e.... s....

    Yea we know what it was about mate your not breaking any news 😂😂😂

  15. M.... N....

    Chained and shackled is no life...

  16. M.... N....

    @TheJohnsonsOfficial Dave Waller was in The Jam, in very early days, and this song mourns his death. Weller said " He was a poet, a very talented one, but heroin put a stop to all he had"... So sad, but maybe Weller is right when he sings, " still I wonder- If it's in the cold earth you prefer to lay".... He was his mate.......

  17. m.... ....

    PLEASE PLEASE UPLOAD AUDIO OF THE INTERNATIONALIST X

  18. M.... C....

    Could someone kindly tell me, please, to whom this song is dedicated?

    M.... C....

    In case you did not yet know this after 8 years... someone mentioned in in this comment section 7 years ago. :)