Smithers-Jones is a song written by the English punk rock/mod revival band The Jam.
| "Smithers-Jones" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by The Jam | ||||
| A-side | "When You're Young" | |||
| Released | 17 August 1979 | |||
| Genre | Mod revival | |||
| Label | Polydor (UK) | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Bruce Foxton | |||
| Producer(s) | Vic Coppersmith-Heaven and The Jam | |||
| The Jam singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| "Smithers-Jones" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Jam | |
| from the album Setting Sons | |
| Released | 16 November 1979 |
| Genre | Baroque pop |
| Length | 2:59 |
| Label | Polydor |
| Songwriter(s) | Bruce Foxton |
| Producer(s) | Vic Coppersmith-Heaven |
The song was initially recorded as a straightforward rock take for the B-side of the non-album single "When You're Young" (released in August, 1979). The song was re-worked with an all-strings arrangement at the suggestion of the band's drummer, Rick Buckler. This was for inclusion upon The Jam's fourth album Setting Sons released in November 1979.
Smithers-Jones differs from the majority of self-penned tracks by The Jam in that the song was not written primarily by the band's guitarist and vocalist, Paul Weller. It was instead mostly written by bassist and vocalist Bruce Foxton. Weller adding the final, perhaps most acerbic lines:
"Put on the kettle and make some tea, it's all part of feeling groovy. Put on your slippers Turn on the TV, it's all a part of feeling groovy. It's time to relax now you've worked your arse off, but the only one smiling is your sun-tanned boss. Work and work and work and work 'til you die, cos there's plenty more fish in the sea to fry".
The song is widely considered to be Foxton's finest songwriting contribution to The Jam,[1][2] with the lyrical inspiration drawing from Foxton's own father who had decided to retire upon being made redundant.[3]
Following the dissolution of the Jam, Foxton regularly performed the song with Belfast-based punk band Stiff Little Fingers, whom he subsequently joined in 1990.