I Just Can't Stop It | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 23 May 1980 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 36:24 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | Bob Sargeant | |||
The Beat chronology | ||||
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Singles from I Just Can't Stop It | ||||
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I Just Can't Stop It is the debut studio album by the British two-tone band the Beat, released on 23 May 1980 by Go-Feet Records in the United Kingdom. It was released the same year in the United States on Sire Records, with the band credited as "The English Beat"; in Australia, it was released on Go-Feet under the band name "The British Beat".
The album was well-received; Rolling Stone raved that the music was "wild and threatening, sexy and sharp," [1] while AllMusic later wrote it "was a stunning achievement" which had not been diminished by time. [2]
The album was reissued on CD in 1990 by I.R.S. Records in the U.S, and in 2012 by Edsel Records in the UK and Shout! Factory in the U.S. [3]
The "Beat Girl" icon seen on the cover and used on the band's merchandising was designed by Birmingham-based cartoonist Hunt Emerson. [4]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Christgau's Record Guide | A− [5] |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Record Mirror | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Smash Hits | 9/10 [9] |
Sounds | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Spin Alternative Record Guide | 10/10 [11] |
Tom Hull – on the Web | A− [12] |
At the end of 1980, I Just Can't Stop It appeared in numerous lists of the best albums of the year: NME ranked it third, [13] Sounds ranked it 13th,[ citation needed ] The Village Voice ranked it 21st[ citation needed ] and OOR ranked it 41st.[ citation needed ] In 1995, Spin ranked the album at No. 94 in its list of the "Top 100 Alternative Albums". [14] Fast 'n' Bulbous ranked the album at number 283 in its list of "The 500 Best Albums Since 1965". [15] A 2002 poll of KCPR DJs ranked it at No. 40 in a list of the "Top 100 Records of the 80s".[ citation needed ] Les Inrockuptibles included it in its list of "50 Years of Rock 'n' Roll."[ citation needed ] Music journalist Simon Reynolds lists it as one of the five most important albums of "2-Tone and the Ska Resurrection" in his 2005 book Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978–1984 . [16] In 2016, Paste ranked I Just Can't Stop It at No. 48 on its list of the 50 best new wave albums. [17]
"Mirror in the Bathroom" was ranked at No. 3 in the NME "Singles of the Year" list[ citation needed ] and at No. 24 in Sounds' "Singles of the Year" list.[ citation needed ] In 2003, Q ranked the song at No. 517 in its list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever". [18] In 2002, Gary Mulholland included the song in his list This Is Uncool: The 500 Best Singles Since Punk Rock.[ citation needed ] In 2001, Michaelangelo Matos included it in his list of "The Top 100 Singles of the 80s."[ citation needed ] In 2006, 97x ranked it at No. 186 in its list of "The 500 Best Modern Rock Songs of All Time."[ citation needed ] In 1990, Robert Christgau ranked "Twist & Crawl" at No. 10 in his list of the best songs of the 1980s. [19]
All tracks are written by The Beat (as per ASCAP: Roger Charlery, Andy Cox, Everett Morton, David Steele and Dave Wakeling), [20] except where noted. Note that despite the group author credits on the label, Saxa is not listed as a co-author of any song according to ASCAP.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Mirror in the Bathroom" | 3:10 | |
2. | "Hands Off...She's Mine" | 3:01 | |
3. | "Two Swords" | 2:19 | |
4. | "Twist & Crawl" |
| 2:35 |
5. | "Rough Rider" (originally performed by Prince Buster & the All Stars) |
| 4:53 |
6. | "Click Click" | 1:28 | |
7. | "Big Shot" | 2:34 | |
8. | "Whine & Grine/Stand Down Margaret" ("Whine & Grine" originally performed by Prince Buster & the All Stars) |
| 3:51 |
9. | "Noise in This World" | 2:19 | |
10. | "Can't Get Used to Losing You" (originally performed by Andy Williams) | 3:04 | |
11. | "Best Friend" | 3:01 | |
12. | "Jackpot" (originally performed by the Pioneers) |
| 4:19 |
The U.S. release of the album on Sire Records added "Tears of a Clown" and "Ranking Full Stop", originally released as double A-sides of a single on 2 Tone Records in 1979 (TT 6). [20] These tracks remained on subsequent CD reissues of the album. [20]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Mirror in the Bathroom" | 3:10 | |
2. | "Hands Off...She's Mine" | 3:01 | |
3. | "Two Swords" | 2:19 | |
4. | "Twist & Crawl" |
| 2:35 |
5. | "Tears of a Clown" (originally performed by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles) | 2:39 | |
6. | "Rough Rider" |
| 4:53 |
7. | "Click Click" | 1:28 | |
8. | "Ranking Full Stop" | 2:44 | |
9. | "Big Shot" | 2:34 | |
10. | "Whine & Grine/Stand Down Margaret" |
| 3:51 |
11. | "Noise in This World" | 2:19 | |
12. | "Can't Get Used to Losing You" |
| 3:04 |
13. | "Best Friend" | 3:01 | |
14. | "Jackpot" |
| 4:19 |
Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes. [21]
The Beat
Production and artwork
"Thanks to: John Peel, the Specials, Selecter, A/W Hunt Emerson"
Chart (1980–81) | Peak position |
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Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) [22] | 66 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [23] | 30 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [24] | 30 |
UK Albums (OCC) [25] | 3 |
US Billboard 200 [26] | 142 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [27] | Gold | 100,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
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