Rocktober Day Fourteen: It Just Came To Pieces In My Hands

The Style Council were a big part of my musical world as I emerged from the skinhead scene around 1984/5. I saw them play live at The Hordern Pavillion around that time and standing on a milk crate in the front row, reaching out to touch Paul Weller's sweat t-shirt is one of the great memories of my life (yes, I am that shallow, but you know that by now).

They had a truck load of great songs. Apart from churning out many great pop songs they also had a lot of political songs, Paul Weller being a leftie from way back. At the time I was all fist waving bravado, now I'm just middle class soft.

When I put on their Best Of... this is the song I always want to listen to over and over. From the great "tu tu tu..." intro to the brilliant lyrics this song is genius songwriting. It talks about humility, about thinking you own the world and how easily that can get kicked out from under you.

It Just Came To Pieces In My Hands (Live YouTube clip from 1984, how sweet and young is Paul? - go to the 5:30 mark for this song, starts with You're The Best Thing)

I stood as tall as a mountain
I never really thought about the drop
I trod over rocks to get there
Just so I could stand on top

Clumsy and blind I stumbled
As I crawled through desert sands
I didn't stop to think about the consequences
As it came to pieces in my hands

Tu tu ru, tu tu ru, tu tu ru, tu
Tu tu ru, tu tu ru, tu tu ru, tu

I thought I was a maritime marvel
I believed that I ruled the waves
All I could say is time is motion
And every effort others made I would save

I was a shit stained statue
School children would stand in awe
I truly believed I was a ceiling of sky
Never thought about having flaws

Tu tu ru, tu tu ru, tu tu ru, tu
Tu tu ru, tu tu ru, tu tu ru, tu

I felt as reverent as Jesus
The sanctimony stunk
I thought I was admiral of the missing fleet
I couldn't see that I was sunk

I roared my pride in the darkness
I scratched away at the stars
I thought I was lord of this crappy jungle
I should have been put behind bars

Tu tu ru, tu tu ru, tu tu ru, tu
Tu tu ru, tu tu ru, tu tu ru, tu

But now I sit with my head in my hands
And wail to the weeping wall
The avalanche of my emotions
Holds the audience of one enthralled

I'm learning the lesson the hard way
Like a fall from command
I thought I was king of the whole wide world
But it just came to pieces in my hands