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Total ratings: 1790
Length: 3:05
Plays (last 30 days): 1
You've achieved your aim by making the walking lame
And when you just can't get any higher
You use your senses to suss out this week's climber
And the small fame that you've acquired
Has brought you into cult status
But to me you're still a collector
There's tarts and whores but you're much more
You're a different kind 'cause you want their minds
And you just don't care 'cause you've got no pride
It's just a face on your pillowcase
That thrills you
And you started looking much older
And your fashion sense is second rate like your perfume
But to you in your little dream world
You're still the queen of the butterfly collectors
As you carry on 'cause it's all you know
You can't light a fire
You can't cook or sew
You get from day to day by filling your head
But surely you must know the appeal between your legs
Has worn off
And I don't care about morals
'Cause the world's insane and we're all to blame anyway
And I don't feel any sorrow
Towards the kings and queens of the butterfly collectors
There's tarts and whores but you're much more
You're a different kind 'cause you want their minds
And you just don't care 'cause you've got no pride
It's just a face on your pillowcase
That thrills you
As you carry on 'cause it's all you know
You can't light a fire
You can't cook or sew
You get from day to day by filling your head
But surely you must know the appeal between your legs
Has worn off
And I don't feel any sorrow
Towards the kings and queens of the butterfly collectors
Have these guys ever read the John Fowles book/seen the movie "The Collector"? It's about a guy who not only collects butterflies and pins them to boards, he does the same to young women. The music IS actually pretty good, but I gave it a "1" for ignorance of an ugly message.
I was with you until you gave the song a 1... definitely reminds me of the book/movie. I'd say it's a 7 for me.
![clap](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/eusa_clap.gif)
Still only 5 songs on RP from the Jam. More please.
18 now from this album only
Still only 5 songs on RP from the Jam. More please.
There are good bands with even less or no songs:
Gang of Four, The Blue Aeroplanes, The Triffids...
BTW, The Jam are class.
While it shared the "angry young man" outlook and fast tempo of the contemporary mid-1970s' British punk rock movement, in contrast with it the band wore smartly tailored suits reminiscent of English pop-bands in the early 1960s, and incorporated mainstream 1960s rock and R&B influences into its sound, particularly from The Who's work of that period, and also drew influence from the work of the Kinks and the music of American Motown. This placed the act at the forefront of the 1970s/1980s nascent Mod Revival movement.
Ironically, no mention of the Beatles; listen to Taxman followed by Start!
Everyone was influenced by the Beatles... It's not news to point it out.
My first thougth!
But the text tells a diffrent story.
While it shared the "angry young man" outlook and fast tempo of the contemporary mid-1970s' British punk rock movement, in contrast with it the band wore smartly tailored suits reminiscent of English pop-bands in the early 1960s, and incorporated mainstream 1960s rock and R&B influences into its sound, particularly from The Who's work of that period, and also drew influence from the work of the Kinks and the music of American Motown. This placed the act at the forefront of the 1970s/1980s nascent Mod Revival movement.
Ironically, no mention of the Beatles; listen to Taxman followed by Start!
hayduke2 wrote:
"Soo Catwoman" jeez loo-weez
Sorry, I felt the need to pop this back to the top as there still seems a little confusion as to the content. Soo Catwoman was apparently the subject of this material, amongst others.
ps fabulous track, shown from the superlative (greatest hits...) "Snap!" album from 1983. The original single was the b-side of "Strange Town" in 1979 and did not appear on any original album here in the UK. Canada was treated to it, though.
Not about womanizer, exactly the opposite, whatever that's called.
Manizer?
Actually, apologies for the frivolous comment as this song is far from that. Lyrics that are both pensive and anguished, along with a subdued and subtle sound, place this track in the pantheon of The Jam's body of work.
An entirely underrated outfit beyond the UK borders, they deserved a far wider appreciation.
2X that !!! - actually, every time I hear the Jam here, I realize that I haven't listened to the Jam in too long and am forced to pause RP and go to my personal stash!
treatment_bound wrote:
He did collect and analyze butterflies, but these lyrics seem more to describe a womanizer, which he was not known as.
Not about womanizer, exactly the opposite, whatever that's called.
"Soo Catwoman" jeez loo-weez
Bloody ballet dancers.
WonderLizard wrote:
He did collect and analyze butterflies, but these lyrics seem more to describe a womanizer, which he was not known as.
This song's about all the Nabokovs in the Universe
![{#Cheesygrin} {#Cheesygrin}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_cheesygrin.gif)
Yes, that is true. It would be nice to hear "Pretty Green" or "Monday", for example.
More please.
I'm going to use that line the next time I want to get slapped.
Then I turned to the web and found this piece of history.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Collector
The song "The Butterfly Collector" by The Jam (the B-Side of the 1979 single "Strange Town") was inspired by the book, but the song was in fact about Soo Catwoman, who upon the implosion of the Sex Pistols, attempted to become part of The Jam's entourage. The song states the band's contempt for those obsessed with "collecting" reflected fame from contemporary celebrities as a substitute for living their own lives.
![The Butterfly Collector](https://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lh7cv2OrEB1qc9tr1o1_500.jpg)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot7C9Zw8Gjw
That video was removed, but it's up at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEFW9MkwX2M (Garbage's cover of 'The Butterfly Collector')
What impresses me in addition to the lyrical acuity is their ability to convey a '60s style/British invasion sensibility. Very cleverly done. Great band.
Love It!
So you finally got what you wanted
Youve achieved your aim by making me walk in line
And when you just cant get any higher
You use your senses to suss out this weeks climber
And the small fame that youve acquired
Has brought you into cult status
But to me youre still a collector
Theres tarts and whores but youre much more
Youre a different kind cause you want their minds
And you just dont care cause youve got no pride
Its just a face on your pillowcase
That thrills you
And you started looking much older
And your fashion sense is second rate like your perfume
But to you in your little dream world
Youre still the queen of the butterfly collectors
As you carry on cause its all you know
You cant light a fire
You cant cook or sew
You get from day to day by filling your head
But surely you must know the appeal between your legs
Has worn off
And I dont care about morals
cause the worlds insane and were all to blame anyway
And I dont feel any sorrow
Towards the kings and queens of the butterfly collectors
Theres tarts and whores but youre much more
Youre a different kind cause you want their minds
And you just dont care cause youve got no pride
Its just a face on your pillowcase
That thrills you
As you carry on cause its all you know
You cant light a fire
You cant cook or sew
You get from day to day by filling your head
But surely you must know the appeal between your legs
Has worn off
And I dont feel any sorrow
Towards the kings and queens of the butterfly collectors
If memory serves I think it was on a double LP called,"Snap"
Terrific track
Nice Shot, Stranglersfan! Here's the original track listing on the double-vinyl Snap! album:
Disc 1
- "In the City"
- "Away from the Numbers"
- "All Around the World"
- "The Modern World" (Single Version)
- "News of the World"
- "Billy Hunt"
- "English Rose"
- "Mr. Clean"
- "David Watts" (Single Mix)
- "'A' Bomb in Wardour Street" (Single Version)
- "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight" (Single Edit)
- "Strange Town"
- "The Butterfly Collector"
- "When You're Young"
- "Smithers-Jones" (Single Version)
- "Thick as Thieves"
Disc 2
- "The Eton Rifles" (Single Edit)
- "Going Underground"
- "Dreams of Children" (US Edit)
- "That's Entertainment" (Demo Version)
- "Start!" (Single Version)
- "Man in the Cornershop"
- "Funeral Pyre" (Remixed Version)
- "Absolute Beginners"
- "Tales from the Riverbank"
- "Town Called Malice"
- "Precious" (Single Edit)
- "The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had to Swallow)"
- "Beat Surrender"
Of course you don't have to be English to 'get' the Jam, but it helps to have grown up with that musical heritage, people like The Beatles, The Who, Small Faces, The Zombies, The Kinks, Bowie, Bolan and the UK punk scene. I'ts also easier for us to relate to the lyrical themes, things like the class system, London, inner city decay, Thatcherism, the winter of discontent, Punk, Mods, Rockers, disaffected youth, the Blitz (we weren't there but our parents were), rationing, miners strikes Etc. - you get the picture.
Anyway thanks for playing that, hows about playing Liza Radley some time please Bill.
If memory serves I think it was on a double LP called,"Snap"
Terrific track
"I don't care about Morales cuz the world's insane and were all to blame anyway"
I love Weller's writing in those days
I'm gonna have to take your word on that.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f1/StrangeTownBack.jpg)
![{#Bananajam} {#Bananajam}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/bananajam.gif)
![{#Dancingbanana} {#Dancingbanana}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/dancingbanana.gif)
Cool tune!
Not this lot mate!!!
Cool tune!
Geez, ever heard Billy Bragg sing?
![{#Lol} {#Lol}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_lol.gif)
Cool tune!
![](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/eusa_dance.gif)
And remember too those parents probably got their good taste from their parents! I'm convinced my eclectic tastes are from a mother who listened to everything from jazz of all types, blues, opera (which I hated!) and popular music and my dad liked country (which I also hated!) and the big bands of the 30's and 40's.
I like this piece more with every listen - I like the distortion of the guitar and the lyrics are good too!
![{#Fire} {#Fire}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_fire.gif)
on this one, it is all laid bare.
Of course you don't have to be English to 'get' the Jam, but it helps to have grown up with that musical heritage, people like The Beatles, The Who, Small Faces, The Zombies, The Kinks, Bowie, Bolan and the UK punk scene. I'ts also easier for us to relate to the lyrical themes, things like the class system, London, inner city decay, Thatcherism, the winter of discontent, Punk, Mods, Rockers, disaffected youth, the Blitz (we weren't there but our parents were), rationing, miners strikes Etc. - you get the picture.
Anyway thanks for playing that, hows about playing Liza Radley some time please Bill.
Definitely not! I've loved them from day one and I'm not English. Very happy to hear Bill play this song (one of my favourite songs by The Jam).
![{#High-five} {#High-five}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/high-five.gif)
Yep, it's a great read.
![{#Propeller} {#Propeller}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/propeller.gif)
![{#High-five} {#High-five}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/high-five.gif)
Again SweTex I totally agree.
![{#Shifty} {#Shifty}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/eusa_shifty.gif)
![](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_cheesygrin.gif)
No.
They did that cool song... "Reflections Of My Life".
I think I uploaded that one many years ago.
That works for me. Very listenable. Missed or forgot this one along the way. Caught my ear and made me look to see who this was.
Big fan of "That's Entertainment" too. I think this song was inspired by a movie of the same name, anybody seen it?
Yes, those songs were all superb live too. The Butterfly Collector is a gem, a slightly different tempo to most of their output at the time
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