Town Called Malice | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
||: (D B A) :|| x4 bass intro
||: D5 | D5 (D6) | D | D (D6) :|| keys intro
Verse 1
| F#m7 | F#m7 | Em | Em |
You better stop dreaming of the quiet life, ’cause it’s the one we’ll never know.
| F#m7 | F#m7 | Em | Em |
And quit running for that runaway bus, ’cause those rosy days are few.
| G | G | F#m7 | F#m7 |
And stop apologizing for the things you’ve never done.
| A | A | A7 | A7 |
‘Cause time is short and life is cruel, but it’s up to us to change.
Chorus 1
| D5 | D5 (D6) | D5 | D5 (D6) | D | D (D6) | D5 | D5 (D6) |
This town called Malice.
Verse 2
Rows and rows of disused milk floats, stand dying in the dairy yard.
And a hundred lonely housewives clutch empty milk bottles to their hearts.
Hanging out their old love letters on the line to dry.
It’s enough to make you stop believing, when tears come fast and furious.
Chorus 2
In a town called Malice, yeah.
Verse 3
Ba ba ba ba, ba da ba. Ba ba ba da ba.
Ba ba ba ba, ba da ba. Ba ba ba da ba.
Struggle after struggle, year after year.
The atmosphere’s a fine blend of ice I’m almost stone-cold dead.
Chorus 3
In a town called Malice, ooh yeah.
Middle 8
| C#m | C#m | Bm | Bm |
A whole street’s belief in Sunday’s roast beef.
| C#m | C#m | Bm | Bm |
Gets dashed against the Co-op.
| A | A | A7 | A7 |
To either cut down on beer or the kids new gear, it’s a big decision
Chorus 4 (half)
| D5 | D5 (D6) | D5 | D5 (D6) |
In a town called Malice, ooh yeah.
Breakdown
||: (D B A) :|| x4 (as bass intro)
| D5 | D5 (D6) | D | D (D6) | D5 | D5 (D6) |
Oooh.
Verse 4
The ghost of a steam train, echoes down my track.
It’s at the moment bound for nowhere, just going round and round, oh.
Playground kids and creaking swings, lost laughter in the breeze.
I could go on for hours and I probably will but I’d sooner put some joy back in.
Chorus 5
||: D5 | D5 (D6) | D5 | D5 (D6) :|| to fade
This town called Malice, yeah.
Oooh. In this town called Malice, yeah.
In this town called Malice, ooh yeah.
Town Called Malice Chords: Unveiling the Musical Secrets Behind the Classic
The chords in Town Called Malice are cleverly constructed, featuring a key change and modal interchange. What’s especially interesting is that when Paul Weller plays an acoustic version, he alters the chord riff.
Let’s break down the chords using Roman numerals.
Verse
The verse is in the key of D, moving from III – II on repeat, then IV – III – V, like this:
||: F#m7 (III) | F#m7 | Em (II) | Em :||
| G (IV) | G | F#m7 (III) | F#m7 |
| A (V) | A | A7 | A7 |
It’s a bit odd to say we’re in D since there’s no D chord, but all the other chords lead to it. When the chorus hits and the D finally appears, it feels like a huge release!
To see exactly how to play it, you’ll need the TAB. Here’s the link to the TAB lesson: Town Called Malice – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Chorus
In the chorus, Paul Weller makes a change when performing acoustically (there’s TAB available for this version too).
I’ve included a 6th chord in brackets, which indicates it’s an optional addition that you can take away, like this:
||: D5 | D5 (D6) :||
Middle 8
The modal interchange or key change takes place in the middle 8 when we pivot to the key of A. This section first follows the same progression as the verse, moving between III and II (but in the new key), before transitioning to A, turning it into A7, and ultimately returning to the original key of D. The progression looks like this:
||: C#m (III) | C#m | Bm (II) | Bm :||
| A (I) | A | A7 (I becomes V) | A7 |
In this section, A starts as I, but becomes V through modal interchange, before resolving back to D for a shorter chorus and breakdown.
Breakdown + Intro
During the breakdown (or re–intro), the arrangement cleverly shortens the expected two bars, giving the final verse a fresh feel.
Outro
The outro then places the 3rd of the riff at the beginning—a small but crucial arrangement detail that keeps the listener engaged.
In my experience, musicians who pay attention to these small details tend to move beyond wedding bands and start recording albums, touring with artists, and successfully writing their own songs.
It’s also important to note that musicians who skip the step of studying and playing other people’s music, jumping straight into writing their own, often lack the substance that these tunes provide.
In short, digging deep is the key to going far.
Here’s a chord chart for Town Called Malice—I find it easier to read than the chords and lyrics above.
Town Called Malice Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Town Called Malice chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Town Called Malice iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key.
Town Called Malice TAB | Course Preview
In the course, we explore how the intro bass line can be adapted into a guitar part that also incorporates the chords. We also take a look at how Paul Weller himself changed the part in later versions.
As a preview, here’s the original bass line written out in TAB.
The Story Behind Town Called Malice: An English Anthem for the Ages
Town Called Malice by The Jam is a true classic in England. Even four decades after its release, it remains a powerful secret weapon for working bands and DJs.
The song was inspired by both the novel A Town Called Alice and Paul Weller’s hometown of Woking. This proves that songwriters don’t just wait around for inspiration—they go out and seek it!
Released in 1982, Town Called Malice became The Jam’s biggest hit and Paul Weller’s signature song. Critics loved it, describing it as an English take on Motown. The Guardian called it a “stomping, Motown-inspired beat” that conveyed a “sense of pent-up rage and frustrated ambition.” To me, this sounds like the universal feeling of every frustrated middle-class man, everywhere—but if The Guardian wants to peg it as particularly English, I’ll let them have it.
What makes Town Called Malice truly special is its universal appeal—it speaks to what everyone feels, no matter where they are.
The song hit #1 in the U.K. and sold 1.2 million copies. Surprisingly, it also performed well in New Zealand, Australia, Holland, and even Belgium. Perhaps the Belgians have their own pent-up rage and frustrated ambition!
In 2023, a new TV series titled A Town Called Malice (named after the song with an added “A”) premiered on Sky, proving the lasting influence of this iconic track.
Town Called Malice Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Town Called Malice (The Jam) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
