"Up the Junction" is the third single released from Squeeze's second album, Cool for Cats. Sung by Glenn Tilbrook, it is one of the band's most notable songs (especially in the UK), and reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart, the same position as its predecessor, "Cool for Cats".

Background and songwriting

Up the Junction is also the name of a collection of short stories by Nell Dunn, first published in 1963. Lyricist Chris Difford said the title phrase was lifted from the 1965 TV play version of the work, directed by Ken Loach, and the subsequent 1968 film version. The film had a soundtrack by Manfred Mann, and a song by them, also called "Up the Junction". Although the Squeeze song is not specifically about the plot of the films, it alludes to its themes and location.

Chris Difford wrote the lyrics in New Orleans while Squeeze were on tour. Difford passed it to Glenn Tilbrook, who then wrote the music. The title is not sung until the final line. Difford has been quoted as saying he took the lead from Roxy Music's "Virginia Plain", in which the title also appeared only at the end. Glenn Tilbrook has said the music was partly inspired by the Bob Dylan song "Positively 4th Street", and the lack of a chorus or lyrical repetitionunusual in a mainstream pop hitwas due to Tilbrook feeling a repeated section would upset the flow of Difford's narrative lyrics.

The phrase 'up the junction' is London slang for being in deep trouble, as in the American 'Up the creek without a paddle'. It is also, like other lines in the song, a reference to the (at the time) working-class area of Clapham Junction in Battersea in London. Clapham Commonthe "windy common" of the first verseis a popular courting spot.

Video

The video showed the band playing inside a flatactually the kitchen of John Lennon's old house, Tittenhurst Park, where Lennon had made the promotional film for "Imagine".

Personnel

  • Glenn Tilbrook – lead guitar, lead vocals
  • Chris Difford – rhythm guitar
  • Harri Kakoulli – bass
  • Jools Holland – keyboard
  • Gilson Lavis – drums

Track listing

  1. "Up the Junction" (3:10)
  2. "It's So Dirty" (3:10)

References

  • Squeeze discography at Squeezenet