British songwriting icon Paul Weller has revealed that most of the lyrics on his new album were made up on the spot.
Paul Weller is an imposing figure. From his work with iconic Mod punks The Jam to his lengthy solo career the songwriter has crafted some of British music’s most recognisable melodies.
Earning acclaim and huge sales, the singer has nonetheless proved himself capable of taking enormous risks. Paul Weller released the vast concept album ’22 Dreams’ in 2008, and has now followed this with the jagged post-punk of ‘Wake Up The Nation’.
Raging against the nation’s apathy in an election year, the lyrics voice Weller’s fury at the political establishment. Yet surprisingly in a new interview the songwriter reveals that he made up those words on the spot.
So instead of going in with a batch of lyrics, I didn’t have anything at all. When it got round to me doing the vocal, I’d just sit there and (sing) the first thing that would come into my head, really” he told BBC 6Music.
“It’s nice after all these years to think there’s still a method of working which you haven’t done before.”
Producer Simon Dine helped compose the music for ‘Wake Up The Nation’ and Paul Weller revealed he simply let the music get under his skin. “I didn’t really sit down with a guitar and try to work them out or write beforehand. I would just spend a week or two weeks listening to them,” he said.
The singer also claimed that he is continually finding new music to take inspiration from. “A lot of folk stuff from the last few years – it’s like finding another little universe there,” he said.
“There are things I never would have dreamt of listening to because I had my own preconceptions of it.”
