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The Selecter are a British ska revival band from Coventry, formed in the late 1970s as one of the essential bands of the British ska movement.
Much of what set apart The Selecter from many of the other ska bands at the time was the voice of Pauline Black. She had to disguise herself as a man in order for the band to get gigs, but once they did, there was no disguising her voice. Like other ska bands of this movement, The Selecter featured a racially mixed line up, and songs about violence, politics, marijuana, a fictional spy's theme song, James Bond, and reggae classics. The name of the band is a reference to the Jamaican word for a music selecter, known elsewhere as the DJ. Also typical to the style is the mix of one vocalist singing, and the other toasting in a Jamaican style, a precursor to rapping.
The Selecter's first recording Too Much Pressure was recorded at the end of 1979 and beginning of 1980 and issued on the pre-eminent 2 Tone/Chrysalis label. Their second recording Celebrate the Bullet was issued in 1981. Though the band has continued to regroup and reform on and off, most of the many recordings available are recompiled selections from these first two albums, either live or studio recordings. The Selecter's first two albums are essential British ska recordings.
Pauline Black has been the singer in The Selecter since its formation in 1979 when the band spearheaded the Two Tone movement alongside The Specials releasing the singles "The Selecter", "Three Minute Hero", "The Whisper", "Missing Words" and "On My Radio" as well as two albums; "Too Much Pressure" and "Celebrate The Bullet". The Selecter were also featured in the cult film Dance Craze. The band split in 1982, Pauline carved out a career in TV and theatre, appearing in dramas like The Vice, The Bill, Hearts and Minds and 2000 Acres of Sky. She won the 1991 Time Out award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Billie Holiday in the play All or Nothing At All and starred next to Christopher Lee in the schlock horror film The Funny Man. She reformed The Selecter in 1991 and has released several new albums and has toured all over the world.
Nick Welsh is probably best known for being the bassist in The Selecter and formerly Bad Manners but he has worked with some of the biggest names in Ska and Reggae, Prince Buster, Laurel Aitken, Rico Rodriguez, Dave Barker and most recently Lee "Scratch" Perry with whom he received a Grammy Award Certificate for his work on the CD Jamaican ET which won The Best Reggae Category in 2002. Nick also writes music for TV which has been used world-wide on shows as diverse as WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), The Osbournes and even adverts for Ariel soap powder.
Neol Davies the founder and writer of the classic hits returns with a brand new band in 2010.
neoldaviesakatheselecter plays the mainstage at Bestival 2011 with new album and remixes.
Original line-up
Pauline Black : vocals
Compton Amanor: guitar
Charley Anderson: bass guitar
Charley Bembridge: drums
Desmond Brown: Hammond keyboard
Neol Davies: guitar
Arthur Hendrickson: vocals
Anderson and Brown left The Selecter in 1980. They were replaced by James Mackie: Hammond organ and Adam Williams: bass guitar
Reformed line-up: 1991
Pauline Black: vocals
Neol Davies: guitar
Arthur 'Gaps' Hendrickson - vocals
Martin Stewart: keyboards
Nick Welsh : bass
Perry Melius : drums
The Selecter 2010 lineup includes
Founder and songwriter Neol Davies- vocals/guitars
Lead Vocals- John Gibbons
Daniel Crosby- Drums
Andre Buyani- Bass
Tim Cansfield- Guitar
Victor Travino- Congas & Percussion
Dean Ross- Hammond Organ
Selecter Horns
Copasetic
The Selecter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Those weapons that were formed for thee
None of them shall prosper
It is the time when man shall be free
Seven seals hit disaster
It was a state of emergency
Government call in the military
With the method operation withdrawal
It was not copasetic, it was not right
Young men of my noble race
Must you cause such a big disgrace
Free up your soldiers outta the way
Let us all live in peace again
It was not copasetic
, it was not right is a phrase repeated throughout The Selecter's song "Copasetic," conveying a message of unrest and dissatisfaction. The lyrics suggest that violence and aggression are not effective solutions to societal problems, and that the use of force only leads to chaos and destruction. The lyrics reference the idea of divine justice, suggesting that those who use weapons to harm their fellow man will not ultimately succeed. The phrase "Seven seals hit disaster" also references the biblical idea of the Seven Seals, which mark the End Times and the coming of judgment.
The lyrics also touch on the theme of government corruption and the abuse of power. The line "Government call in the military" suggests that government officials have called in the military to deal with unrest amongst the people. However, the song suggests that this is not an effective solution and that it only causes more problems. The phrase "With the method operation withdrawal" suggests that the government is removing troops from the area, but it is unclear whether this is a positive or negative development.
The song's message is ultimately one of peace and unity. The final verse addresses young men and encourages them to let go of their aggression and work towards creating a peaceful society. The lyrics urge listeners to come together and put an end to the violence and unrest that plagues their communities.
Line by Line Meaning
It was not copasetic, it was not right.
The situation was far from acceptable and just.
Those weapons that were formed for thee, intended for destruction and harm.
Those weapons were created for the purpose of causing harm and destruction.
None of them shall prosper, their intended negative outcomes shall not succeed.
The harmful outcomes of those weapons will not come to fruition.
It is the time when man shall be free, liberation and justice shall prevail for all.
This is the moment for freedom and justice to be achieved.
Seven seals hit disaster, catastrophic events occurred in succession.
A series of catastrophic events occurred.
It was a state of emergency, a crisis situation requiring immediate action.
The circumstances were urgent and required immediate attention.
Government call in the military, the authorities seek assistance from the armed forces.
The authorities sought help from the military to address the crisis.
They say all bad man shall fall, criminals and wrongdoers will face consequences.
Those who engage in wrongdoing will face repercussions.
With the method operation withdrawal, a strategic plan is put in place for retreat.
A strategic plan for retreat was implemented.
Young men of my noble race, fellow members of my community.
This is a message directed towards young men in the community.
Must you cause such a big disgrace, why do you act in a shameful and harmful manner.
Why do you engage in behavior that brings shame and harm upon our community?
Free up your soldiers outta the way, bring an end to violence and hostility.
Put an end to violence and hostility.
Let us all live in peace again, may we coexist harmoniously and without conflict.
May we live together peacefully and without conflict.
Contributed by Brody R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.