Strange Town - Misplaced Pages

"Strange Town" is a 1979 single by the Jam. The single was released on 9 March 1979 and reached No. 15 in the UK Singles Chart on 8 April. In 1983 it was certified Silver for 250,000 sales

This single, backed by the Paul Weller-penned "The Butterfly Collector", only appeared on one of the band's studio albums, the Canadian Polydor pressing of Setting Sons. "Strange Town" also appears on the greatest hits album Snap! "The Butterfly Collector" also appears in the 1996 The Jam Collection compilation album as well as on Snap!

The start of the promotional video for the single was filmed at the entrance to the underground section of London Victoria station.

US release

The single was also released in the US in May 1979, as Polydor #14553. However, for the American release "The Butterfly Collector" was catalogued as the A-side. The single did not chart in the States. Pressings were issued on both see-through gold vinyl and standard black vinyl. The latter appears to be the less common variety, but neither edition is rare. Other than colour, there is no difference between the two issues. There was no picture sleeve for the US issue. Gold vinyl issues were packaged in a clear plastic sleeve. Black vinyl issues were marketed in standard Polydor house sleeves.

"The Butterfly Collector"

The B-side, which Paul Weller wrote about NME music journalist Julie Burchill, was covered by Noel Gallagher with Weller at a Teenage Cancer Trust gig at the Royal Albert Hall in 2007. This track was also included on a CD of songs given away with the 15 March 2009 edition of The Sunday Times. It has also been covered by Garbage as a b-side of the "Queer" single: that version was later included on the tribute album, Fire & Skill: The Songs of the Jam.

Reception

The song was ranked at number five among the top "Tracks of the Year" for 1979 by NME. In a 2015 interview granted to Radio X, Paul Weller opined "Strange Town" as one of the three best songs he has written in his entire career.

Track listing

A. "Strange Town" – 3:48

B. "The Butterfly Collector" – 3:11

References

Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 277. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
"Official Singles Chart Top 40: 08 April 1979 - 14 April 1979". Officialcharts.com. 29 May 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
"BRIT Certified". Bpi.co.uk.
"Oasis to give away free live CD". Nme.com. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
"StackPath". Oasisinet.com. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
Baillie, Russell (30 June 2000). "Various: Fire & Skill - The Songs of The Jam". Nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
"Albums and Tracks of the Year". NME. 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
"Paul Weller: I've Written Three Perfect Songs in my Life". Radiox.co.uk. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2017.

v t e The Jam
Paul Weller Rick Buckler Bruce Foxton
Studio albums	In the City This Is the Modern World All Mod Cons Setting Sons Sound Affects The Gift
Live albums	Dig the New Breed Live Jam The Jam at the BBC Fire and Skill – The Jam Live Live at the 100 Club
Compilations	Snap! Greatest Hits Extras Wasteland Collection The Very Best of The Jam The Sound of the Jam
Box sets	Direction Reaction Creation 45 rpm: The Singles, 1977–1979 45 rpm: The Singles, 1980–1982
Singles	"In the City" "All Around the World" "The Modern World" "News of the World" "David Watts" "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight" "Strange Town" "When You're Young" "The Eton Rifles" "Going Underground" "Start!" "That's Entertainment" "Funeral Pyre" "Absolute Beginners" "Town Called Malice" / "Precious" "Just Who Is the 5 O'Clock Hero?" "The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had to Swallow)" "Beat Surrender"
Related articles	Discography Fire & Skill: The Songs of the Jam From the Jam

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