Last week, Jim (NewEpicAuthor, A Unique Title For Me) set a theme of the sound/word la (my choice). This week, theme of football terms.

In the UK, football is soccer. I searched my head for a song with some reference to the offside rule, but I am afraid that I came up short! Joking aside, when I saw Jim’s prompt, my first instinct was to go for the Wilburys, except I had a vague recollecion that the same song featured on SLS just a few months back. So I carried on thinking – and when all else fails, I can go back to my youth.

We’ve all heard of Paul Weller, right? Best known as a solo artist in recent years, Weller first made his name in the 1970s as a member of The Jam. When The Jam folded, Weller’s next project, from 1983-9, was with a band called The Style Council, and I choose them today.

The Style Council were certainly well-known in the UK, they had a string of hits in our charts. I’m not sure how well they travelled, but they nevertheless played a decent tune.

Shout to the Top! was written by Weller himself and released in 1984, it is one such decent tune. It reached #7 in the UK and also did well Down Under. As far as I can tell, it wasn’t released in the USA so American readers might not have heard the song, although I’m sure you’ll have heard of Weller himself.

I was half in mind I was half in need
And as the rain came down I dropped to my knees and I prayed
I said “oh Heavenly thing please cleanse my soul
I’ve seen all on offer and I’m not impressed at all”

I was halfway home I was half insane
And every shop window I looked in just looked the same
I said send me a sign to save my life
‘Cause at this moment in time there is nothing certain in these day’s of mine

We see, it’s a frightening thing when it dawns upon you
That I know as much as the day I was born
And though I wasn’t asked (I might as well stay)
And promise myself each and every day that is

That when you’re knocked on your back an’ your life’s a flop
And when you’re down on the bottom there’s nothing else
But to shout to the top shout
Well, we’re gonna shout to the top
We’re gonna shout to the top
We’re gonna shout to the top
Yeah, we’re gonna shout to the top’

Cause it’s a frightening thing when it dawns upon you
That I know as much as the day I was born
And though I wasn’t asked (I might as well stay)
And I promise myself each and every day that

We’re gonna shout to the top (shout)
We’re gonna shout to the top (shout)
We’re gonna shout to the top (shout)
We’re gonna shout to the top (shout)
We’re gonna shout to the top (shout)
Ooh, we’re gonna shout to the top (shout)

So when you’re knocked on your back an’ your life’s a flop
And when you’re down on the bottom there’s nothing else
But to shout to the top (shout)
Well, we’re gonna shout to the top (shout)
We’re gonna shout to the top (shout)
We’re gonna shout to the top (shout)

And you’re knocked on your back an’ your life’s a flop
And when you’re down on the bottom there’s nothing else
But to shout to the top (shout)
We’re gonna shout to the top (shout)
I’m gonna shout to the top (shout, shout)
We’re gonna shout to the top (shout)

Yeah, shout to the top (shout)
We’re gonna shout to the top (shout)
Shout to the top (shout)
Yeah, shout (shout to the top, shout)
Oh, shout (shout to the top, shout)

We’re gonna shout to the top (shout)
We’re gonna shout to the top (shout)
We’re gonna shout to the top (shout)
We’re gonna shout to the top (shout)
Shout to the top (shout)
We’re gonna shout to the top (shout)
Shout to the top (shout)
Shout to the top (shout)
Shout to the top (shout)
Shout to the top (shout)