The Jam – Start!

The Jam released their eleventh official single, Start!, in August 1980, capturing a pivotal moment where punk energy collided with sixties pop sophistication. Written by frontman Paul Weller, the track instantly became a defining anthem of the Mod Revival movement and secured the trio their second number-one spot on the UK Singles Chart. At its core, the song represents a stylistic bridge, showcasing a band transitioning from the raw, aggressive guitar assault of their early days toward a more rhythmic, soul-influenced, and texturally complex sonic landscape.

Musically, the song is famous for its direct and unapologetic nod to The Beatles. The driving, propulsive bassline and the sharp, rhythmic guitar chops are famously lifted from the Taxman track on the 1966 Revolver album. Rather than hiding this influence, The Jam celebrated it, using the familiar groove as a foundation to build something distinctly modern and British for the dawn of the 1980s. Bruce Foxton’s bass playing on the track is melodic yet incredibly heavy, anchoring the song while driving it forward with relentless momentum. Rick Buckler’s precise, snapping drum beat provides a clean, minimalist pocket that allows the melody to breathe, while Weller’s guitar work switches between jagged, percussive stabs and a fluid, backwards-sounding solo that mirrors the psychedelic studio experimentation of the late sixties. This combination of vintage structure and contemporary new wave urgency gave the track an immediate, irresistible kinetic energy.

Lyrically, Weller shifts his focus away from the explicit social realism and angry political commentary found in earlier hits like Down in the Tube Station at Midnight or The Eton Rifles. Instead, Start! operates on a more abstract, philosophical, and deeply human level. The song is a poignant meditation on communication, human connection, and the profound impact of shared experiences. Weller opens the track by acknowledging the difficulty of truly understanding another person, noting how people often walk past each other or speak without really communicating. He argues that even the briefest moment of genuine connection, a shared look, a conversation, or a collective artistic experience, can serve as a catalyst for personal or social change. The repetition of the word start becomes a powerful, optimistic mantra, urging the listener to break through modern isolation, overcome apathy, and initiate meaningful relationships. It is a call to action that feels intimate rather than preachy, suggesting that grand societal shifts begin with simple, individual interactions.

The success of the single was also bolstered by its visual presentation, which perfectly encapsulated the band’s immaculate aesthetic. The accompanying music video and promotional appearances featured the trio in sharp, tailored tonic suits, desert boots, and closely cropped haircuts, solidifying their status as style icons for a new generation of youth. By presenting a clean, sharp look paired with sophisticated music, The Jam offered a stark alternative to both the theatricality of the emerging New Romantic movement and the increasingly nihilistic post-punk scene. They proved that guitar music could be stylish, intellectual, and commercially dominant all at the same time.

The track appeared on Sound Affects, the band’s fifth studio album, which is widely regarded by critics and fans as one of their finest artistic achievements. The album as a whole drew heavy inspiration from Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall and Post-Punk bands like Wire and Gang of Four, mixing heavy funk basslines with stark, angular guitar arrangements. Start! served as the perfect commercial vanguard for this new direction, proving that the band could evolve musically without losing their massive working-class following. The song’s chart success knocked David Bowie’s Ashes to Ashes off the top spot, a symbolic passing of the torch in the UK music landscape of 1980.

Decades after its release, the track retains its punchy, vibrant energy and continues to influence generations of indie and alternative rock bands. Its legacy is visible in the Britpop explosion of the 1990s, where bands like Blur and Oasis adopted a similar blueprint of marrying classic sixties British melodies with contemporary guitar grit. The bassline remains a rite of passage for aspiring musicians, and the song’s central message about the vital importance of human connection feels increasingly relevant in a digital age characterized by surface-level interactions. Start! stands as a masterclass in pop economy, delivering a wealth of musical ideas, emotional depth, and cultural resonance in less than three minutes, capturing a legendary band at the absolute peak of their creative powers.

The song peaked at No. 01 in the UK singles chart on 6th September 1980.