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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
Washed Up And Left For Dead
The Selecter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not quite a part of the crowd
He tries so hard, just to laugh in the right places
But he knows it's just not funny
He has this feeling, he just knows it
They don't like him 'cos he's different
He knew all about the no-go areas
But he went there just the same
He was washed up and left for dead
Nobody told him he was just not wanted
It got so cold after midnight
Oh yeah
Don't want the money
He just wants the fame
There's something driving him inside
His friends don't like him
'cos they think that he's so stupid
So he just goes out on his own
He saw a movie that night and it moved him
It was just like his life story
But he got jumped by some thugs
On the way home
No-one came to his rescue
He was washed up and left for dead
Nobody told him he was just not wanted
It gets so cold after midnight
Oh yeah
Night after night he's out biting the pavement
Hurt his hands clapping for the group
He can't dance, but he can certainly cause trouble
Yeah, ah -ooh
He was washed up and left for dead
Nobody told him he was just not wanted
It gets so cold after midnight
Oh yeah
The Selecter's song Washed Up And Left For Dead tells the story of an outsider who tries to fit into the crowd, but ultimately finds himself rejected and alone. The song describes the struggle of someone who is different from others and wants to be accepted, but cannot because of their unique qualities. The lyrics convey the feeling of isolation and despair that one feels when they do not belong. The singer of the story is a person who is not liked by his friends, who consider him to be stupid. He goes out on his own to find acceptance, but he is eventually attacked and left for dead by thugs.
The chorus emphasizes the loneliness of the character, who is "washed up and left for dead" and "just not wanted." The song conveys a strong sense of loss and sadness, as if the character has lost something valuable and cannot get it back. The lyrics suggest that the character is searching for something deeper than just acceptance; he wants fame and recognition. This desire to be noticed and appreciated is what ultimately drives him to continue trying, even in the face of rejection and isolation.
Overall, the lyrics of Washed Up And Left For Dead are a powerful commentary on the human desire for acceptance and the pain of rejection. The song has a strong emotional impact, and its message is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever felt left out or alone.
Line by Line Meaning
It's common knowledge there's always one exception
There is always one person who does not fit in with the crowd.
Not quite a part of the crowd
He doesn't quite belong with the rest of them.
He tries so hard, just to laugh in the right places
He puts in effort to fit in and laugh when everyone else does.
But he knows it's just not funny
Despite his efforts, he knows the jokes are not amusing.
He has this feeling, he just knows it
He has an intuition about the way other people view him.
They don't like him 'cos he's different
He's not accepted because he's unique from the rest.
He knew all about the no-go areas
He was aware of places he shouldn't have gone.
But he went there just the same
Despite knowing the risks, he went anyways.
Don't want the money
He is not motivated by money.
He just wants the fame
He desires to be recognized and famous.
There's something driving him inside
He has an inner motivation driving his ambitions.
His friends don't like him
His friends dislike him for who he is.
'cos they think that he's so stupid
They view him as unintelligent.
So he just goes out on his own
As a result, he spends time alone.
He saw a movie that night and it moved him
He watched a movie that he related to on a personal level, and it affected him emotionally.
It was just like his life story
The movie shared similarities with his own experiences and struggles.
But he got jumped by some thugs
On his way home, he was attacked by a group of people.
On the way home
While he was returning home.
No-one came to his rescue
He received no help from anyone.
Night after night he's out biting the pavement
He spends his nights on the streets out of frustration and sadness.
Hurt his hands clapping for the group
He applauded emphatically for the band and hurt his hands.
He can't dance, but he can certainly cause trouble
Even though he's not a good dancer, he can still create tension and problems.
He was washed up and left for dead
He was abandoned and left to his own devices.
Nobody told him he was just not wanted
No one explicitly said he was unwanted, but he was still castigated.
It gets so cold after midnight
He feels lonely and isolated in the night time.
Oh yeah
An expression of agreement or affirmation.
Contributed by Eli S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.