the jam's first single, "in the city" took them into the uk top 40 in may 1977. although every subsequent single had a placing within the top 40, it was not until the band released the political "the eton rifles" that it would break into the top 10, hitting the no. 3 spot in november 1979. the increasing popularity of their blend of weller's barbed lyrics with pop melodies eventually led to their first number one single, "going underground", in march 1980.