Released on 26 October 1979, it became the band's first top-ten hit on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at No.

[3] In May 2008, Conservative leader and Old Etonian David Cameron named "The Eton Rifles" as one of his favourite songs.

"[4] Cameron's praise for the song earned a scathing rejection from Paul Weller, who said, "Which part of it didn't he get?

Paul Weller, who wrote the song, was pretty incredulous to hear this, and claimed you couldn't have understood the lyrics.

Cameron replied:[5]I went to Eton in 1979, which was the time when the Jam, the Clash, the Sex Pistols were producing some amazing music and everyone liked the song because of the title.

In 1977, Weller had stated in the New Musical Express that people should vote for the Conservatives, a comment intended to shock and which later came back to haunt him during his long involvement with the Labour Party initiative Red Wedge.