http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD4u4sIjHmY
The best song from what I would describe as the British “Catcher in the Rye”. This is the song where our protagonist Jimmy discovers his ass-kicking hero, Ace Face, is actually (gulp) a bellboy who licks the boots of people Jimmy despises.
This is the final straw for Jimmy and leads to the ambiguous finale where Jimmy either dies or becomes an adult (which in Jimmy’s mind is the same thing). Yes, on one level this is quite silly once you’ve become an adult and see it from the other side, but when you’re not quite a grownup, sometimes this s–t really seems like life and death. To Pete Townshend’s credit (and Franc Roddam’s, who directed the 1979 film version), he takes Jimmy’s issues seriously without actually supporting them. The Criterion Collection released the film version on Blu-Ray in August 2012 with all the usual bells and whistles. From what I’ve read, it was quite a cultural phenomenon in Britain back in the late 1970s. Johnny Rotten almost got the lead role, and while he would have been interesting, I’m much happier they went with Phil Daniels. A great flick.
Dave's Strange World 
In the 70s my wife & I were returning from a weekend in London.We were just getting to the tube station when around 30 scooters with the riders in full Mod regalia. We both had a “why have I stepped back in time to 1966” moment.. The crew had been filming “Quadrophenia” in nearby Shepherds Bush. We were both Mods in spirit but were 13 years old in 66 and our parents still bought our clothes.
There was a Mod revival in Britain around the release of the movie but it was more tied to the Two Tone music of kids too young for punk. I heard, at the time, that Polydor, who financed the movie were looking for a punk group to suit up & help the Mod revival along. The Clash would not go along with the plan so they signed the Jam who did that very thing. The Jam were always in thrall to the Who & the Small Faces so maybe it’s not true. For myself, I have never let the truth get in the way of a conspiracy theory. (Which reminds me. It’s the 11th of September in an hour.)
If there is a British cinematic “Catcher In the Rye” then I lean towards “The Loneliness of a Long Distance Runner” (1962) or “Billy Liar” (1963). They are both from a working class literary movement which was non-existent before 1955. “If” is nearly included as well. It covers a lot more ground but man, it shakes your world when you see it as a 17 year old.
The Polydor / Jam / Quadrophenia conspiracy is a good conspiracy theory, as these things go. Especially since I remember reading somewhere that Polydor heavily pursued the Clash to record for them at one point. I’ll need to check out “Long Distance Runner” and “Billy Liar.” They are two classic 60s British films I haven’t seen yet. “Performance” and “The Servant” are probably my favorites as far as that decade of British cinema goes.