CoronaVinyl Day 196 (E): Special Beat Service by The English Beat

For an explanation of CoronaVinyl, click here.

Today's CoronaVinyl category is "E," and we're staying in the '80s.  If I was in the UK or Australia, this album would be in the Bs, as the band was known simply as The Beat in the UK and The British Beat in Australia, but in the U.S. and Canada, they were known as The English Beat.  1982's Special Beat Service was their third and final album.

A multiracial band formed in Birmingham in 1978, The English Beat's sound kind of combined ska, reggae, new wave, and Latin music, all into a catchy package.  Between 1979 and 1983, they had eight Top 40 hits on the UK pop chart, five of which reached the Top 10.  They didn't really have the same success in the U.S., but at that time, this type of ska-infused new wave music (known as 2-tone) was definitely more popular in the UK (though you can hear the influence it had on the ska bands that would emerge in America a decade later).

Special Beat Service is a fun album, and if you recognize nothing else by the band, you'll know "Rotating Head," as it was prominently featured at the end of Ferris Bueller's Day Off.  The album was their most successful in the U.S. -- reaching #39 on the Billboard album chart -- while it was their least successful in their native UK, topping out at #21 on the UK album chart after their prior two albums went to #3.  Four songs from the album charted on the UK pop charts, but none of them cracked the Top 40, and "I Confess" (#34) and "Save It For Later" (#58) charted on the Billboard Dance singles chart.

The band broke up after this album, but most of the members went on to have success with other bands.  Guitarist/vocalist Dave Wakeling and vocalist/percussionist Ranking Roger, along with former members of Dexy's Midnight Runners, The Specials and The Clash, formed ska/punk supergroup General Public, which is probably best known for their two Billboard Top 40 hits, 1984's "Tenderness" (#27) and 1994's cover of The Staples Singers' "I'll Take You There" (#22).  On top of that, guitarist Andy Cox and bassist David Steele, along with vocalist Roland Gift from the ska band Akrylykz, formed Fine Young Cannibals, which had nine Top 40 hits in the UK (including five Top 10s) and three Top 11 (yes, 11) hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including two #1s ("She Drives Me Crazy" and "Good Thing").

The Spotify version of the album is a deluxe remastered version with four bonus tracks.

Favorite song from Side 1:  "Jeanette"

This song kind of has a pop/doo wop/ska/polka feel, which sounds weird even as I write it, but if you listen to the song, it makes sense -- and whatever the combination is, it works.

Favorite song from Side 2:  "Save It For Later"
Even though it wasn't a huge hit, this is one of the band's most beloved songs.  It's definitely one of the poppier songs on the album, and it's just a nice, catchy song.  The song has unusual DADAAD guitar tuning, which prompted The Who's Pete Townshend to call English Beat guitarist Dave Wakeling out of the blue to ask how to play the song.  "Save It For Later" has also been featured in various movies and TV shows over the years.