1) The English two-tone ska band The Beat known as The English Beat in North America and The British Beat in Australia.
2) The American power-pop band became known as Paul Collins' Beat in Europe.
1. The Beat are a band founded in Birmingham, England, in 1978. Their music fuses ska, pop, soul, reggae and punk rock.
The Beat, consisting of Dave Wakeling (vocals, guitar), Ranking Roger (vocals), Andy Cox (guitar), David Steele (bass), Everett Morton (drums), and Saxa a.k.a. Lionel Augustus Martin (1930 – 2017) (saxophone), released three studio albums in the early 1980s: I Just Can't Stop It (1980), Wha'ppen? (1981) and Special Beat Service (1982), and a string of singles, including "Mirror in the Bathroom", "Too Nice to Talk To", "Can't Get Used to Losing You", "Hands Off, She's Mine" and "All Out to Get You".[3]
Although the group’s main fan-base was in the UK, they were also popular in Australia thanks to regular exposure on the government-owned rock radio station Triple J and the nationally-broadcast TV pop show Countdown. They had a sizeable following in the U.S., and a strong presence on that country’s college radio.
After the break-up of The Beat, Dave Wakeling (guitar, lead vocals) and Ranking Roger (vocals) went on to form General Public, while Andy Cox (guitar) and David Steele (bass guitar) formed Fine Young Cannibals with vocalist Roland Gift.
Members of the band often collaborated on stage with The Specials and performed together on tracks such as “Free Nelson Mandela”. In the early 1990s, Roger joined members of The Specials to form the new band The Special Beat, which released two live albums.
Ranking Roger’s son, Ranking Junior, has followed in his father’s footsteps. In 2005, he appeared on The Ordinary Boys’ single “Boys Will Be Boys”. In 2003, The Beat’s original line-up, minus Cox and Steele but with the addition of Junior, played a sold-out one-off gig at the Royal Festival Hall. As of 2005, The Beat has reformed, counting Roger, Blockhead and Morton of the original line-up, with Ranking Junior also on vocals. The band is said to have the blessing of Cox, Steele and Saxa (of Desmond Dekker fame).
The Beat’s lead singer Dave Wakeling also continues to tour as The English Beat, as he has done for the last three decades, with an amazing all-star ska backing band playing the hits of The English Beat, General Public, and his new songs.
Saxa died on 3 May 2017, Ranking Roger died on 26 March 2019.
2. The Beat (known in Europe as The Paul Collins Beat or Paul Collins' Beat), were an American rock and power pop group from Los Angeles, California that formed in the late 1970s. The Beat resurfaced in the 1990s and continues to tour and record new material as Paul Collins' Beat. Frontman Paul Collins has released several projects with his alternative country group The Paul Collins Band, who play Americana music inspired by country rock and folk rock.
Sole Salvation
The Beat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've always wanted that
And if giving time and patience
Trying hard to understand
We never feel the power of our own hands
Sense the danger late
And only vaguely ever grasp the means of our sole salvation?
Do it right, do it now
Here there, everywhere
Shouting out I'm mad as hell
He pushes his legs against the bed
And feels the triumph flooding through his head
He could conquer, he could win
Now that dying only means you're not in next week's program
Stop being a baby
Will you stop, will stop it
Won't you stop play-acting little man?
Just how long till you drop it
Will it be this year, next year, sometime, never?
Stop, when you feel like saying have a heart but don't take mine
There's a new dance the tolerance
And it just might be your sole salvation
Sole salvation
Sole salvation
Sole salvation
Oh yeah
Skabadoo, skabaday
Make a cross
Make amends
Set the record straight
We've never said the only things we should have ever bothered saying
Lets write out a list of things we need
Lets strike a brand new deal
That's strong for any man
But has a woman's understanding in it
And then finish
Sole salvation
Sole salvation
Sole salvation
Just stop, when you feel like saying have a heart, but don't take mine
Try a new dance the tolerance
It just might be our sole salvation
Sole salvation, sole salvation, sole salvation
Sole salvation, sole salvation, sole salvation
Sole salvation
Oh yeah yeah
Skabadoo, skabaday
Skabadoo, skabaday
Skabadoo, skabaday
Skabadoo, skabaday
The song Sole Salvation by The Beat expresses the desire for unity between two people, but recognizes that this requires effort and understanding. The opening lines state clearly that the singer wants a relationship to exist and has always wanted it. However, the following lines indicate that both parties have struggled to connect, and have failed to recognize the power that they hold together. Instead, they have only vaguely glimpsed their potential salvation.
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that this lack of connection has led to frustration and a sense of powerlessness. The singer urges the listener to take action, to stop play-acting and to try to connect with others on a deeper level. Only by doing so, they argue, can we achieve our sole salvation. The song ends with a hopeful note, suggesting that there is still time to bridge the gap between us and that the key to doing so lies in compassion and understanding.
Overall, the song Sole Salvation speaks to the universal human longing for connection and unity. It acknowledges the challenge of achieving this connection but urges us to keep trying, to keep reaching out, and to keep seeking understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
Of course I want there to be an us
I have always wanted there to be a romantic relationship between us.
I've always wanted that
I have always been interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with you.
And if giving time and patience
If we devote enough time and work patiently through any obstacles, we might succeed in creating a relationship.
Trying hard to understand
We need to put in effort to understand each other fully.
We never feel the power of our own hands
We often underestimate our own abilities to create positive changes in our lives and relationship.
Sense the danger late
We often fail to recognize the warning signs of trouble in our relationship until it is too late.
And only vaguely ever grasp the means of our sole salvation?
We struggle to understand what we need to do to save our relationship, and often only have a vague idea of how to fix things.
What then?
What should we do if we are unable to save our relationship despite our efforts?
Do it right, do it now
We need to take action quickly and effectively to save our relationship.
Here there, everywhere
We need to be proactive about addressing issues in our relationship, regardless of where we are or what else is going on around us.
Shouting out I'm mad as hell
We need to express our frustrations and emotions clearly and forcefully in order to work through them.
He pushes his legs against the bed
He is feeling triumphant and agitated.
And feels the triumph flooding through his head
He is feeling victorious and energized.
He could conquer, he could win
He believes he has the power to overcome any obstacle and succeed in his goals.
Now that dying only means you're not in next week's program
He believes that death is not as scary or consequential as it once was, thanks to advances in technology and medicine.
Stop being a baby
Stop acting immature or weak in the face of challenges.
Will you stop, will stop it
Can you stop pretending and be honest with yourself about your actions and choices?
Won't you stop play-acting little man?
Will you stop trying to be something you're not and instead be your true self?
Just how long till you drop it
How long will it take for you to realize that your current behavior and mindset is not beneficial for our relationship?
Will it be this year, next year, sometime, never?
Are you willing to change at all, or do you plan to keep acting this way indefinitely?
Stop, when you feel like saying have a heart but don't take mine
We need to establish boundaries and protect our own emotional well-being as well as our partner's.
There's a new dance the tolerance
We need to embrace tolerance and understanding in our relationship.
And it just might be your sole salvation
Tolerance and understanding could be the key to saving our relationship.
Make a cross
Symbolically, we need to reconcile our differences and move forward together.
Make amends
We need to apologize and make right any past mistakes or hurt feelings.
Set the record straight
We need to be honest and open about our feelings and expectations for the future.
We've never said the only things we should have ever bothered saying
We realize that there are important things we have yet to discuss or communicate to each other.
Lets write out a list of things we need
We need to create a plan and set clear goals for our relationship.
Lets strike a brand new deal
We need to start fresh and redefine the terms of our relationship.
That's strong for any man
Our relationship will require effort and strength of character to succeed.
But has a woman's understanding in it
We need to foster empathy and understanding in our relationship, regardless of gender roles or expectations.
Sole salvation
Our last hope for saving our relationship.
Skabadoo, skabaday
Non-sensical lyrics for musical effect and rhythm.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Wesley Magoogan, David Wakeling, Roger Charlery, David Steele, Andy Cox, Everett Morton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Fooblestheclown1
I first discovered the English Beat because STING wore a English beat tee shirt for his Don't stand so close to me video. I was curious about who the English beat were all about, and then I found out that they were GREAT! Sting was right!!
James Bell Jr
One of my favorite songs off of the "Special Beat Service " album.
Christopher Murphy
Rest in Peace Roger, Sole Salvation one their best
sierra6588
Saw them at the Gothic Theater and we lost our minds when this awesome song came on!
jubjub2112
LOVE this band!! Awesome song!
timfinch0
I have always loved this song.
Ken Hall
suddenly, i feel cool for being in my 40s
jody wales
its 2020 im 40 and your still cool
JHallDaBoss
Ken Hall, you ARE cool!
Briana B
@Ken Hall Maybe that's it's also that I'm in my 40's, but I think we had THE BEST music!