The Selecter – “Whip Them Down” mp3

Here’s a lesser known gem from original Two-Tone giants The Selecter. Haven’t lived til you’ve seen this group live, oh my freakin gawd. Pauline Black is an amazing vocalist, and if her onstage energy could be tapped it would solve the energy crisis. Like all the Two-Tone era ska bands, The Selecter was never shy about expressing their politics in song, as in this defiant broadside against racist ignorance and fear. Musically there’s an interesting twist in this track – while most of the song contains their trademark Hammond Organ, a vintage Arp String Ensemble sound pops in at the bridge for an eerie, dark transition between the bouncy and bright choruses. Massive. Pick up a bevvy of their mp3s on the Three Minute Hero collection.

The Selecter

Three Minute Hero