A short musical tribute after the sad loss of Ranking Roger, co-lead singer and MC with the Birmingham ska band that along with Specials became a cornerstone of British and Jamaican music at its best. Known as ‘The English Beat’ in the US, alongside Dave Wakeling on lead vocals, Ranking Roger, aka Roger Charlery and co created an unparalleled joy and positivity in their sound and message, bringing together a wide variety of fans at a time of division and growing racism in the late 70s and early 80s. Again it’s prescient in the current political climate. After the band split in 1983, Roger collaborated with many other artists including The Clash, Sting, an offshoot of The Specials, and also reformed The Beat later on, working with his son Ranking Roger Jnr. These three songs come from the first of the the three original albums, I Just Can’t Stop It (1980). I Can’t Get Used to Losing You, a sadly ironic title today, was originally written by Jerome "Doc" Pomus, Mort Shuman and recorded by Andy Williams in 1962, but The Beat’s version gives it an entirely new flavour. Mirror In The Bathroom, probably still The Beat’s best known song, was written by the band, and includes that fantastically tight delivery on all fronts. Whine and Grine / Stand Down Margaret is a two-for-one, and in the face of rising unemployment, a call for the highly unpopular prime minister Margaret Thatcher to resign. Sounds familar? The Beat stay right up to date, and here we include footage of them performing it mischievously on the anarchic ITV show O. T. T: Rest in peace, Roger.
Guess there's no use in hangin' 'round
Guess I'll get dressed and do the town
I'll find a crowded avenue
Though it will be empty without you
I can't get used to losing you
No matter what I try to do
Gonna spend my whole life through
Loving you
Called up some girl I used to know
After I heard her say, "Hello."
Couldn't think of anything to say
Since you're gone it happens every day
I can't get used to losing you
No matter what I try to do
Gonna spend my whole life through
Loving you
Can't get used to losing you
No matter what I try to do
Gonna spend my whole life through
Loving you
I'll find somebody wait and see
Who am I kidding, only me
'Cause no one else could take your place
Guess that I am just a hopeless case
I can't get used to losing you
No matter what I try to do
Gonna spend my whole life through
Loving you
Can't get used to losing you
No matter what I try to do
Gonna spend my whole life through
Loving you.
Mirror in the bathroom
Please talk free
The door is locked
Just you and me
Can I take you to a restaurant
That's got glass tables
You can watch yourself
While you are eating
Mirror in the bathroom
I just can't stop it
Every Saturday you see me
Window shopping
Find no interest
In the racks and shelves
Just ten thousand reflections
Of my own sweet self, self, self...
Mirror in the bathroom
You're my mirror in the bathroom
You're my mirror in the bathroom
You're my mirror in the bathroom...
Mirror in the bathroom
Recompense
For all my crimes
Of self-defence
Queue as you whisper
Make no sense
Drift gently into
Mental illness
Mirror in the bathroom
Please talk free
The door is locked
Just you and me
Can I take you to a restaurant
That's got glass tables
You can watch yourself
While you are eating
Mirror in the bathroom
Mirror in the bathroom ...
Come whether you whine or grine
I say whether you whine or grine
Can you shake it up right on time
I say shake it up right on time
First thing she ax, if you 'ave your brush
If you 'ave your brush, you can avoid the rush
Come whether you whine or grine
I say whether you whine or grine
Then you shake it up right on time
I say shake it up right on time
She want a ruff ruff rider
He want a cool cool stroker
Come whether you whine or grine
I say whether you whine or grine
Can ya shake it up right on time
I say shake it up right on time
Whoa, bwoy come watch i-man
Because he son a lead da way
He son a lead da way
Ya gotta understand as i will tell ya from the top
My body uptown sound, ya rankin sound
You gotta come around
Awar
I say you rub it uptown and ya rub it downtown
You body sonna lead the way, lord
I say you rub it all around
But you are gwarn like a clown
You body sonna lead the way
I tell you body uptown sound, yeah
Ow, ow
I tell you body unity sound yah
Brrrr, ah
Love and unity, love and unity
Love and unity, awar
Say so, oh lord
Good god
I said i see no joy
I see only sorry
I see no chance of your bright new tomorrow
So stand down Margaret
Stand down please
Stand down Margaret
I say stand down Margaret
Stand down please
Stand down Margaret
You tell me how can it work in this all white law
What a short sharp lesson
What a third world war
Oh stand down Margaret
Stand down please
Stand down Margaret
I say stand down Margaret
Stand down please
Stand down Margaret
Say too much war in the city yeah
Say too much war in the city, whoa
I sing i said a love and unity, the only way
And unity, the only way
Yeah ya know
You know what!
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