The Curse of The Selecter, Part 4

Editor's note: If you haven't read my previous entry about The Curse of the Selecter, you should begin there first.

4) The Curse of The Selecter lives on. With the rioting spreading to several cities across the UK--which were initially triggered by a police shooting of a black man during an arrest, but to some degree seem to be tapping into a great deal of frustration and desperation caused by David Cameron's austerity measures, which have greatly impacted poor communities--The Selecter's "My England" (from their forthcoming album, Made in Britain) immediately came to mind.

While this song certainly does NOT condone the rioting (nor do I, for what it's worth), it reminds us of how bad things are these days for the "have nots" in the UK--particularly for people of color. But it also reasserts the fact that Britain is a multicultural society (despite the BNP's efforts to deny it--and Pauline calls them out here) and that its citizens of color, who love their country despite its sometimes terrible treatment of them, deserve much better.

Upon first listening to "My England," you might describe it as this jaunty ska tune, but it's all the more jarring when you realize that things aren't as they seem and focus on Pauline bitterly singing the chorus: "Some things are too hard to forget." So much pain and damage have been inflicted that it's going to take a lot to ever set things right.

The lyrics to this song are absolutely worth reading, and a sound sample is provided as well below.

"My England"

Living on handouts
Nothing left to spend
Can't afford bricks and mortar
I can't pay the rent

Wrote out a CV
So many times
Nobody answers
It only joins the pile

Some things are too hard to forget
Some things are too hard to forget

Living in wastelands
Full of crack and guns
Take away the money
It's how things become

Some things are too hard to forget
Some things are too hard to forget

All the King's horses
All the King's men
Can't put it together, no
This is En-ga-land
This is En-ga-land
My En-ga-land
My En-ga-land

Some ride the dragon
Dressed in red, white, and true
They're fighting for England
But don't have a clue

She comes in colors
Colors everywhere
We're all in this together
So say it loud and clear

Some things are too hard to forget
Some things are too hard to forget

All the King's horses
All the King's men
Can't put it together
Now, this is En-ga-land
This is En-ga-land
My En-ga-land
Our En-ga-land

My England Edit by Selecter