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

Long Shot
The Selecter Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What a weepin' and wailin' dung a Caymanas park
What a weepin' and wailin' dung a Caymanas park
Long Shot - him kick de bucket
Long Shot kick de bucket

Get up, get up in the first race
and them pull up the pace
Get up, get up in the first race

and them pull up the pace
and Long Shot - him kick de bucket
Long Shot kick de bucket
Them wail, them wail, them reel
but they couldn't take the trail
Them wail, them wail, them reel
but they couldn't take the trail
and Long Shot - him kick de bucket
Long Shot kick de bucket
It was Starbright, Combat, Corazon Long Shot on the rear
It was Starbright, Combat, Corazon Long Shot on the rear
Combat fell, Long Shot fell all we money gone a hell
all we money gone a hell

and Long Shot - him kick de bucket
Long Shot kick de bucket

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Selecter's song "Long Shot" provide a vivid portrayal of a horse race at Caymanas Park, an iconic racecourse in Jamaica. The repeated phrase "What a weepin' and wailin' dung a Caymanas park" sets the scene for the intense emotions and excitement surrounding the race. The phrase conveys a sense of anticipation and drama, as spectators and bettors anxiously await the outcome.

The song specifically focuses on a horse called Long Shot, who unfortunately meets an untimely fate. The lyrics repeat the phrase "Long Shot - him kick de bucket" to emphasize the tragic event. This line suggests that Long Shot has either collapsed or met with an accident during the race, resulting in his demise. The repetition emphasizes the shock and finality of his misfortune.

The tone of the lyrics shifts slightly in the following verses as they discuss the performance of other horses in the race. The lines "Get up, get up in the first race and them pull up the pace" indicate that some of the horses are performing strongly and are increasing their speed. This creates a sense of competition and urgency in the race. However, despite their efforts, the other horses mentioned, including Combat and Corazon, also face difficulties. Combat and Long Shot both fall during the race, leading to financial losses for those who had bet on them.

Overall, the lyrics of "Long Shot" offer a compelling narrative of a horse race gone awry. They capture the high stakes and emotional rollercoaster experienced by spectators and bettors at the racecourse. The repetition of phrases like "what a weepin' and wailin'" and "them wail, them wail, them reel" highlights the intense emotions present in such a situation. The song's lyrics provide a unique insight into the world of horse racing and the unpredictable nature of the sport.

Line by Line Meaning

What a weepin' and wailin' dung a Caymanas park
There was a lot of crying and lamenting at Caymanas park

Long Shot - him kick de bucket
Long Shot died

Get up, get up in the first race and them pull up the pace
They hurriedly started the race at a faster speed

and Long Shot - him kick de bucket
Long Shot died

Them wail, them wail, them reel but they couldn't take the trail
People cried and struggled, but they could not keep up with the race

and Long Shot - him kick de bucket
Long Shot died

It was Starbright, Combat, Corazon Long Shot on the rear
Starbright, Combat, and Corazon were ahead of Long Shot

Combat fell, Long Shot fell all we money gone a hell
Combat and Long Shot both fell, and we lost all our money

and Long Shot - him kick de bucket
Long Shot died

Lyrics © Royalty Network Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: AGARD, CROOKS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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