The Beat, known in the United States and Canada as The English Beat (and th… Read Full Bio ↴The Beat, known in the United States and Canada as The English Beat (and the British Beat in Australia and New Zealand) in order to avoid confusion with Paul Collins' band of the same name, was a popular Two Tone ska and pop music group. Formed in the English city of Birmingham in 1978, The Beat disbanded in 1983, but has reformed in the early 2000s with some of the original line-up.
One of the more popular and enduring groups of a short-lived trend, The Beat released three albums: "I Just Can't Stop It" (1980), "Wha'ppen" (1981) and "Special Beat Service" (1982), and a string of excellent singles including "Mirror in the Bathroom", the politically-charged "Stand Down Margaret" (which refers to controversial British PM Margaret Thatcher), "Save It For Later" and "I Confess".

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.

Official Website: www.davewakeling.com

Get-A-Job
The English Beat Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's a training course where
Boys and girls of real ambition
Start a new job in a factory
Where they're making ammunition
But it makes them think of stealing
When they read between the lines
Through the owners of this funfair
You won't find a ride you like

Just get-a-job, get-a-job

Manufacture rubbish
Although no one can afford it
You could make a profit
More than anyone deserves
So you find you're left with poison
So you dump it in our water
And so create the kind of problems
Only radiation cures
Through get-a-job, get-a-job

Get-a-job, get-a-job
Oh you young people are revolting
Eight To five should give the jolt needed
In a few years you won't feel quite the same
You'll be playing their get-a-job games

There's a training camp when
You come from from saving nations
Get a new job and a new leg
Social rehabilitation
Every time you thing of leaving
You get caught between the lines
It's the training for the funfair
You get taken for a ride
You, get-a-job, get-a-job
Get-a-job, get-a-job
Get-a-job, get-a-job
Get-a-job, get-a-job

Get-a-job, get-a-job
Get-a-job, get-a-job

Overall Meaning

The English Beat's song "Get-A-Job" is a commentary on the difficulties of finding meaningful work and making a living in a society that values profit over people. The first verse describes a training course where young people start jobs in a factory making ammunition. Although the work pays the bills, the young employees can't help but feel like they are being taken advantage of by the owners of the company. The chorus of "get-a-job" serves as a reminder that in our society, finding work is necessary for survival, but it also feels like a trap because of the limited options available.

The second verse focuses on the idea of manufacturing rubbish and making a profit off it, even though no one can afford it. The song suggests that this kind of profit-driven thinking is what leads to pollution and environmental issues. The chorus is repeated again, this time with the addition of a spoken comment on how "young people are revolting" and how working an eight-to-five job should be enough to keep them in line. Lastly, the final verse describes social rehabilitation training for those who have returned home from saving nations. The training is portrayed as a trap, with the young people being caught "between the lines" and "taken for a ride."

Overall, "Get-A-Job" explores the feeling of being stuck in jobs that are unfulfilling or that actively harm the world around us. The song highlights the importance of finding work that is meaningful and the difficulties in navigating a society that values money over people.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a training course where
There is an educational program available wherein

Boys and girls of real ambition
Those with genuine aspirations regardless of gender

Start a new job in a factory
Begin working in a manufacturing facility

Where they're making ammunition
Where weapons are being produced

But it makes them think of stealing
The work may prompt some to consider theft

When they read between the lines
Once they deduce the hidden message

Through the owners of this funfair
By means of the proprietors of this amusement park

You won't find a ride you like
No attraction will appeal to you personally

Just get-a-job, get-a-job
Simply focus on finding employment

Manufacture rubbish
Create goods of poor quality

Although no one can afford it
Even though no one can purchase it

You could make a profit
This could still result in financial gain

More than anyone deserves
More than is fair compensation for the work

So you find you're left with poison
Consequently, you end up with toxic waste

So you dump it in our water
You dispose of it improperly in our water supply

And so create the kind of problems
Producing the type of complications

Only radiation cures
For which radiation is the only viable treatment

Through get-a-job, get-a-job
By focusing on finding employment

Oh you young people are revolting
Youthful individuals are rebellion-inspiring

Eight To five should give the jolt needed
A standard workday should provide sufficient stimulation

In a few years you won't feel quite the same
After some time, your perspective will change

You'll be playing their get-a-job games
You will be conforming to their employment expectations

There's a training camp when
There exists a bootcamp of sorts for

You come from from saving nations
Those who return from aiding other countries

Get a new job and a new leg
Start fresh with a new profession and renewed energy

Social rehabilitation
Reintegrate back into society effectively

Every time you thing of leaving
When you contemplate departing

You get caught between the lines
You become ensnared in the ambiguities

It's the training for the funfair
It is conditioning for the amusement park

You get taken for a ride
You are deceived and taken advantage of

You, get-a-job, get-a-job
You must focus on obtaining employment

Get-a-job, get-a-job
Prioritize getting hired

Get-a-job, get-a-job
Concentrate on obtaining a position

Get-a-job, get-a-job
Put in the effort to find work

Get-a-job, get-a-job
Make getting hired your top priority

Get-a-job, get-a-job
Focus on acquiring employment

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROGER CHARLERY, ANDREW COX, ANDY COX, EVERETT MORTON, DAVID STEELE, DAVID WAKELING

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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