The (English) Beat - I Just Can't Stop It

While the Euro-disco beat of Munich Machine had my toes tapping & my fingers snapping, I really needed a more English beat.

The Beat were known in North America as The English Beat so as not to be confused with The Beat who were known as Paul Collins' Beat to the rest of the world so as not to be confused with The Beat (English???).

Are you confused yet? I know I am.

The English Beat were a ‘2 Tone’ ska revival band founded in England in 1978, whose songs fuse ska, pop, soul, reggae, new wave, & punk rock.

Now I’ve never been a big fan of ska (disregarding the fact that the ‘only band that matters’ [re. The Clash] & Rancid both ska it up a great deal) but songs like “Click Click”, with its socio-political lyrics raise the ska ante. Yet this album has fond, fond memories to me.

1980 was the year that the Black Dahlia (the legendary Dolores Dahli von Rijn, mi esposa) & I hooked up for the first time. We hit the danceclubs hard. She was a Disco Dahli & I was a Nothin’ punk, so we’d hit the Laundry Works, Hotel St. Claire, One Step Beyond or Keystone Palo Alto & shake a tail feather to that dance-able New Wave sound.

Now I’ve never been a big fan of New Wave, but...

I think we wore out our first copy of I Just Can’t Stop It by 1981 & had to get a replacement. Songs like “Mirror in the Bathroom”, “Hands Off...She’s Mine”, “Twist & Crawl” get me going every time I hear them (plus great covers of “Tears of a Clown” & “Can’t Get Used to Losing You”).

Now that Dave Wakeling has resurrected The Beat for 2009, this is timely indeed. So...

Back to E without too much delay. E...E...Enjoy!

Year of Release: 1980
Label: Sire Records Company SRK 6091
Genre: Ska

Tracklist:
Side 1 -
Mirror in the Bathroom
Hands off... She's Mine
Two Swords
Twist & Crawl
Tears of a Clown
Rough Rider
Click Click

Side 2 -
Ranking Full Stop
Big Shot
Whine & Grine / Stand Down Margaret
Noise in this World
Can't Get Used to Losing You
Best Friend
Jackpot

Download: The English Beat - I Just Can’t Stop It
Download Size: 94.3MB (ripped from well-played vinyl at 320Kbps)