The 100 Best Debut Albums of All Time: 'I Just Cant Stop It'

The 100 Best Debut Albums of All Time

100

99

98

97

96

95

94

93

92

91
90

89

88

87

86

85

84

83

82

81
80

79

78

77

76

75

74

73

72

71
70

69

68

67

66

65

64

63

62

61
60

59

58

57

56

55

54

53

52

51
50

49

48

47

46

45

44

43

42

41
40

39

38

37

36

35

34

33

32

31
30

29

28

27

26

25

24

23

22

21
20

19

18

17

16

15

14

13

12

11
10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

'I Just Can’t Stop It'

Courtesy I.R.S. Records

prev 64/100 next

The English Beat
I.R.S., 1980

They called themselves the Beat, and they lived up to the moniker: no other UK ska-revival act had their knack for festive rhythm. I Just Can't Stop It showed they were a great dance band, with the ragamuffin toasting of Ranking Roger and sweet saxophone lines of graybeard horn-maestro Saxa floating atop the incessant beat. But they were also a razor-sharp pop group. Lead singer Dave Wakeling wrote deft melodies and lyrics that cast a sharp, cold eye on romance and Thatcher-era politics. The album title doubles as a party-credo and – if you listen to words of the torrid "Mirror in the Bathroom" – a lampoon of preening pretty boys.