A Stones Throw Away

Album: Our Favourite Shop (1985)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher instituted a policy in the 1980s where mines that were considered unprofitable were shut down. On March 12, 1984, the National Union of Mineworkers leader, Arthur Scargill, called for a nationwide strike against Thatcher's economic policies. The resulting walkout ran for nearly 12 months and at its height, the strike involved 142,000 mineworkers, making it the biggest in the UK since the 1926 General Strike.

    Paul Weller penned this lament for the South Yorkshire miners. He told Mojo: "It was just what was going on really. These people who'd been working down the pits and keeping the country going... all of a sudden being f--king hit around the head by the Met Police. I just thought it was outrageous, F--king outrageous.

    And at the same time, there were pictures coming back from Johannesburg, the riots and the f--king treatment of people there. I name a few places in that song - South Yorkshire, Johannesburg, Chile."
  • The 1984-85 miners' strike has been the subject of songs by a number of music acts. They include:

    "Daddy, What Did You Do In The Strike?" by Ewan MacColl.

    "Holy Joe From Scabsville" by Ewan MacColl.

    "Red Hill Mining Town" by U2.

    "History" by Funeral For A Friend.

    Also the video for Manic Street Preachers' "Anthem For A Lost Cause" depicts the women affected by the strike.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Corey Hart

Corey HartSongwriter Interviews

The Canadian superstar talks about his sudden rise to fame, and tells the stories behind his hits "Sunglasses At Night," "Boy In The Box" and "Never Surrender."

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Creedence Clearwater RevivalFact or Fiction

Is "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" about Vietnam? Was John Fogerty really born on a Bayou? It's the CCR edition of Fact or Fiction.

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"They're Playing My Song

The Prince-penned "Manic Monday" was the first song The Bangles heard coming from a car radio, but "Eternal Flame" is closest to Susanna's heart, perhaps because she sang it in "various states of undress."

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Joe Jackson

Joe JacksonSongwriter Interviews

Joe talks about the challenges of of making a Duke Ellington tribute album, and tells the stories behind some of his hits.

George Clinton

George ClintonSongwriter Interviews

When you free your mind, your ass may follow, but you have to make sure someone else doesn't program it while it's wide open.