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, were 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

Noise In This World
The English Beat Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Looking for a girlfriend
I want everything
Noise in this world
Someone to lie next to
I want, forever I want
Whatever jack-knife feels like
Tipping up the blankets
I want, forever I want

I'm just the crossed-out names in your address-book
Sticks in waiter, sticks in my mouth
Makes me feel as false as you look

You're so graceful
You're so hateful
I feel clumsy
When I'm near you
I want, forever I want
Whatever jack-knife feels like
Slipping up my own face
I want, forever I want
I'm just the crossed-out names in your address-book
Sticks in waiter, sticks in my mouth
Makes me feel as false as you look

Looking for a girlfriend
I want everything
Noise in this world
Someone to lie next to
I want, forever I want
Whatever jack-knife feels like
Tipping up the blankets
I want, forever I want
I'm just the crossed-out names in your address-book

Sticks in waiter, sticks in my mouth
Makes me feel as false as you look

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The English Beat's song "Noise In This World" seem to describe a search for a meaningful relationship in a world filled with noise and confusion. The singer is looking for a girlfriend and wants everything that comes with it, including intimacy and a sense of connection. He feels lost in the chaos of the world around him and is searching for someone to lie next to - someone who can offer him some sense of stability and security.

But the lyrics also suggest a sense of disillusionment and disappointment with the search for love. The singer references being a "crossed-out name" in someone's address book and feeling as false as the person he's addressing. This suggests that he's been rejected or let down in the past and is struggling to find a real connection with someone new. The lines about feeling clumsy and awkward around the person he desires also suggest a sense of insecurity and vulnerability.

Overall, the song seems to explore the complexities and challenges of finding love in a noisy, confusing world. It suggests that even when we find what we think we want, it may not provide the sense of peace and meaning we're searching for. Instead, it can be messy and complicated, filled with disappointment, rejection, and our own insecurities.

Line by Line Meaning

Looking for a girlfriend
Searching for a female partner

I want everything
Desiring all aspects of a relationship

Noise in this world
The chaotic nature of society and relationships

Someone to lie next to
Seeking physical intimacy and companionship

I want, forever I want
Long-term commitment is important to me

Whatever jack-knife feels like
Whatever intense emotion or physical sensation arises

Tipping up the blankets
A desire for spontaneity and excitement in intimacy

I'm just the crossed-out names in your address-book
Feeling insignificant and disposable in a potential partner's eyes

Sticks in waiter, sticks in my mouth
Feeling uncomfortable and disingenuous in social situations

Makes me feel as false as you look
Feeling equally inauthentic as the person they are interacting with

You're so graceful
Acknowledging the person's elegance and attractiveness

You're so hateful
Also recognizing the person's unpleasant nature

I feel clumsy
Feeling awkward and inadequate around the person

When I'm near you
In the presence of this person

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ROGER CHARLERY, ANDREW COX, ANDY COX, EVERETT MORTON, DAVID STEELE, DAVID WAKELING

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS