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

Pressure Drop
The Selecter Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It is you, oh yeah
It is you, oh yeah

I said a pressure drop
Oh pressure, oh yeah
Pressure's gonna drop on you
I said pressure drop
Oh pressure, oh yeah

Pressure's gonna drop on you

I said when it drops
Oh you gonna feel it
Oh that you were doin' it wrong, wrong, wrong
Now when it drops
Oh you gonna feel it
That you were doin' it wrong and how

I said when it drops
You gonna feel it
That you've been doin' it wrong
Now when it drops, drop
You gonna feel it
That you've been doin' wrong

Now when it drops, drop
Feel it
You make the wrong move
Now when it drops, drop
You gonna feel it
That you've been it doin' wrong

I said, pressure drop
Oh pressure, oh yeah
Pressure's gonna drop on you
Pressure drop
Oh pressure, oh yeah
Pressure's gonna drop on you

Now when it drops on your dirty little head
Where you gonna go?
It's you, you, you
When it drop on, oh you're gonna feel it
What you're doing is wrong, wrong, wrong

Pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure
I said a pressure drop

Overall Meaning

The Selecter's song "Pressure Drop" is a catchy and thought-provoking song that explores the idea of karma and the consequences of one's actions. The lyrics suggest that when someone is doing something wrong, the pressure of their actions will eventually catch up to them and come crashing down on them. The repetition of the phrase "pressure drop" throughout the song emphasizes the magnitude and inevitability of this consequence. Additionally, the phrasing of the lyrics, with short phrases repeated multiple times, creates a sense of urgency and intensity.

The song's final verse is particularly impactful, with the singer asking the subject of the song where they will go when the pressure drops on their "dirty little head." This line suggests that the person in question has been behaving badly, and that their actions will have serious consequences. The use of the word "dirty" highlights the shame and guilt that this person will likely feel when their wrongdoings are exposed.

In conclusion, "Pressure Drop" is a powerful song that encourages listeners to consider the consequences of their actions. The idea that karma will eventually catch up with us is a universal and timeless theme that resonates with people from all walks of life.

Line by Line Meaning

It is you, oh yeah
The song's message is directed towards the listener, and not any other external force.

I said a pressure drop Oh pressure, oh yeah Pressure's gonna drop on you I said pressure drop Oh pressure, oh yeah Pressure's gonna drop on you
The pressure will drop on the listener, and they will be affected by it.

I said when it drops Oh you gonna feel it Oh that you were doin' it wrong, wrong, wrong Now when it drops Oh you gonna feel it That you were doin' it wrong and how
When the pressure drops, the listener will realize that they are doing something wrong and will feel the consequences of their actions.

I said when it drops You gonna feel it That you've been doin' it wrong Now when it drops, drop You gonna feel it That you've been doin' wrong
The pressure drop will make the listener realize that they have been doing something wrong and acting inappropriately.

Now when it drops, drop Feel it You make the wrong move Now when it drops, drop You gonna feel it That you've been it doin' wrong
The pressure drop will make the listener feel the consequences of making the wrong move and realize that they have been doing something wrong.

I said, pressure drop Oh pressure, oh yeah Pressure's gonna drop on you Pressure drop Oh pressure, oh yeah Pressure's gonna drop on you
The song emphasizes that the pressure will drop on the listener and they will feel its effects.

Now when it drops on your dirty little head Where you gonna go? It's you, you, you When it drop on, oh you're gonna feel it What you're doing is wrong, wrong, wrong Pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure I said a pressure drop
The song warns the listener that when the pressure drops on them they will have nowhere to go and will feel the negative effects of their actions. The repetition of 'wrong' emphasizes the severity of their actions and the pressure they will feel.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Frederick Hibbert

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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