The Selecter, a ska revival band from Coventry, England, formed in the late… Read Full Bio ↴The Selecter, a ska revival band from Coventry, England, formed in the late 1970s as one of the essential bands of the British ska movement. The profilic lead singer is Pauline Black. The Selecter are known for hits as 'On My Radio', 'Too Much Pressure', 'Missing Words', 'Three Minute Hero' and 'Celebrate The Bullet'. The Selecter featured a racially mixed line up, and the name of the band is a reference to the Jamaican word for a music selecter, known elsewhere as the DJ.
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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

Everyday
The Selecter Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Everyday things are getting worse
Everyday things are getting worse
Time so hard, dog and all a look work
Time so hard, dog and all a look work
Everyday things are getting worse
Everyday things are getting worse

I took him down to the market place

And them laugh at my dog
You never see smoke without fire
I said
Oh,
You gotta hold your head up high

Everyday things are getting worse
Everyday things are getting worse

Time so hard, why oh why oh lord
Time so hard, look upon Maud and Gerard

Overall Meaning

The Selecter's song "Everyday" discusses the struggles that they and others faced in 1980s Britain. The lyrics describe the worsening conditions and increasing difficulty in finding work or making a living. The song speaks to issues of poverty and hardship, and highlights the discrimination faced by individuals who are poor or who belong to a different class or race. It also touches on the importance of having pride and not letting others bring you down.

In the first stanza, the repeated line "Everyday things are getting worse" stresses the urgency and repetition of the issue, emphasizing how the hardships are only increasing. The mention of dogs looking for work adds to the imagery of despair and echoes the struggles faced by many families during this time. The second stanza highlights the singer's experience of going to the market with their dog, only to be ridiculed by others. The saying "you never see smoke without fire" is a commentary on how people tend to believe rumors and gossip without fact-checking or taking the time to investigate. The chorus encourages listeners to hold their heads high and not let others bring them down.

"Everyday" sheds light on the difficulties faced by many in 1980s Britain, and the frustration and hopelessness they felt. It highlights the importance of standing strong in the face of adversity and not allowing others to bring you down.

Line by Line Meaning

Everyday things are getting worse
The situation is getting increasingly worse with each passing day.

Time so hard, dog and all a look work
The current times are tough and even dogs are searching for work to survive.

Everyday things are getting worse
The situation is spiraling out of control and getting worse with each day.

I took him down to the market place
The artist took their dog to the market for work or to sell him.

And them laugh at my dog
People at the market were laughing at the artist's dog, likely because they were not fit for work or looked funny.

You never see smoke without fire
The singer implies that there is a reason for everything - perhaps even the struggles they are facing.

Oh, You gotta hold your head up high
Despite the hardship, the singer encourages themselves or someone else to remain positive and confident.

Time so hard, why oh why oh lord
The tough times are making the artist question and plead to a higher power for answers.

Time so hard, look upon Maud and Gerard
The artist mentions looking towards specific people, like Maud and Gerard, in hopes of finding solutions or support during hard times.

Contributed by Lily M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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