Town Called Malice

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"Town Called Malice"

Single by The Jam
from the album The Gift
B-side(s)	Precious
Released	1982-01-29
Format	7" vinyl
Genre	Mod Revival
Label	Polydor (UK)
Writer(s)	Paul Weller
Chart positions
#1 (UK Singles Chart)
The Jam singles chronology
"Absolute Beginners" (1981)	"Town Called Malice" (1982)	"Just Who Is the 5 O'Clock Hero?" (1982)

Featuring one of the most easily-recognisable bass-lines in British music history, "Town Called Malice" is a song recorded by The Jam from the album The Gift. It was a double A-side single release featuring "Precious" as the flip side. The song has the same bassline as "You Can't Hurry Love" by The Supremes.

Released as the first single from the album on 29 January 1982, it entered the chart at number one on the British music charts, staying at the top for three weeks, but in common with all of the Jam's singles failed to chart in the United States. It was the band's third #1 single in the UK. Paul Weller has said that it was written about his hometown Woking as a result of his teenage experiences there.

A music video of the song was filmed and was in moderate rotation on MTV in 1982 and 1983. The song was featured prominently in the 2006 film The Matador and also appeared in the film Billy Elliott. It is also on the soundtrack to FIFA Football 2004.