I Just Can't Stop It

The "Beat Girl" icon seen on the cover and used on the band's merchandising was designed by Birmingham-based cartoonist Hunt Emerson.{{cite web |url=https://marcoonthebass.blogspot.com/2008/12/beat-girl-noted-cartoonist-hunt-emerson.html |title=The Beat Girl – Noted Cartoonist Hunt Emerson Designs a 2-Tone Era Icon |website=Marco on the Bass |date=16 December 2008 |access-date=27 March 2019}}

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/i-just-cant-stop-it-mw0000189815 |title=I Just Can't Stop It – The English Beat |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=12 May 2004 |last=Greene |first=Jo-Ann}}

| rev2 = Christgau's Record Guide

| rev2Score = A−{{cite book |chapter=The English Beat: I Just Can't Stop It |chapter-url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=3594 |access-date=4 May 2009 |title=Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s |title-link=Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |publisher=Pantheon Books |year=1990 |isbn=0-679-73015-X}}

| rev3 = Encyclopedia of Popular Music

| rev3Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite book|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|publisher=Omnibus Press|edition=5th concise|year=2011|last=Larkin|first=Colin|title-link=Encyclopedia of Popular Music|authorlink=Colin Larkin (writer)}}

| rev4 = Record Mirror

| rev4Score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite journal|title=Albums|journal=Record Mirror|date=24 May 1980|page=20|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/80s/80/Record-Mirror-1980-05-24.pdf|access-date=2 March 2021}}

| rev5 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev5Score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite book |chapter=English Beat |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t9eocwUfoSoC&pg=PA277 |access-date=17 March 2010 |last=Considine |first=J. D. |author-link=J. D. Considine |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor1-link=Nathan Brackett |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |editor2-link=Christian Hoard |publisher=Fireside Books |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/277 277–278]}}

| rev6 = Smash Hits

| rev6Score = 9/10{{cite magazine |title=The Beat: I Just Can't Stop It |magazine=Smash Hits |volume=2 |issue=11 |date=29 May – 11 June 1980 |last=Cranna |first=Ian |page=30}}

| rev7 = Sounds

| rev7Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/the-beat-ii-just-cant-stop-iti-go-feet- |title=The Beat: I Just Can't Stop It (Go Feet) |magazine=Sounds |date=24 May 1980 |access-date=19 November 2020 |last=Silverton |first=Peter |url-access=subscription |via=Rock's Backpages}}

| rev8 = Spin Alternative Record Guide

| rev8Score = 10/10{{cite book |chapter=English Beat |last=Hermes |first=Will |author-link=Will Hermes |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |title-link=Spin Alternative Record Guide |editor1-last=Weisbard |editor1-first=Eric |editor1-link=Eric Weisbard |editor2-last=Marks |editor2-first=Craig |publisher=Vintage Books |year=1995 |isbn=0-679-75574-8 |page=127}}

| rev9 = Tom Hull – on the Web

| rev9Score = A−{{cite web|last=Hull|first=Tom|authorlink=Tom Hull (critic)|date=26 April 2021|url=http://tomhull.com/ocston/blog/archives/2939-Music-Week.html|title=Music Week|website=Tom Hull – on the Web|accessdate=27 April 2021}}

}}

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,{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/bestalbumsandtracksoftheyear/1980-2-1045402 |title=1980 Best Albums And Tracks Of The Year |website=NME |date=10 October 2016 |access-date=30 October 2016}} Sounds ranked it 13th,{{CN|date=December 2023}} The Village Voice ranked it 21st{{CN|date=December 2023}} and OOR ranked it 41st.{{CN|date=December 2023}} In 1995, Spin ranked the album at No. 94 in its list of the "Top 100 Alternative Albums".{{cite book |editor1-last=Weisbard |editor1-first=Eric |editor2-last=Marks |editor2-first=Craig |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |date=1995 |publisher=Vintage Books |location=New York |isbn=0679755748 |page=454 |chapter=Top 100 Alternative Albums}} Fast 'n' Bulbous ranked the album at number 283 in its list of "The 500 Best Albums Since 1965".[http://fastnbulbous.com/best-albums-since-1965/ Best Albums Since 1965 | Fast 'n' Bulbous] A 2002 poll of KCPR DJs ranked it at No. 40 in a list of the "Top 100 Records of the 80s".{{CN|date=December 2023}} Les Inrockuptibles included it in its list of "50 Years of Rock 'n' Roll."{{CN|date=December 2023}} 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.{{cite book |title=Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978–1984 |title-link=Rip It Up and Start Again |last=Reynolds |first=Simon |author-link=Simon Reynolds |publisher=Faber and Faber |year=2005 |isbn=0-571-21569-6}} In 2016, Paste ranked I Just Can't Stop It at No. 48 on its list of the 50 best new wave albums.{{cite web |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/new-wave/the-best-new-wave-albums/ |title=The 50 Best New Wave Albums |website=Paste |date=8 September 2016 |access-date=19 November 2020}}

"Mirror in the Bathroom" was ranked at No. 3 in the NME "Singles of the Year" list{{CN|date=December 2023}} and at No. 24 in Sounds' "Singles of the Year" list.{{CN|date=December 2023}} In 2003, Q ranked the song at No. 517 in its list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever".[http://www.muzieklijstjes.nl/Q1001bestsongsever.htm Q - 1001 best songs ever (2003)] In 2002, Gary Mulholland included the song in his list This Is Uncool: The 500 Best Singles Since Punk Rock.{{CN|date=December 2023}} In 2001, Michaelangelo Matos included it in his list of "The Top 100 Singles of the 80s."{{CN|date=December 2023}} In 2006, 97x ranked it at No. 186 in its list of "The 500 Best Modern Rock Songs of All Time."{{CN|date=December 2023}} In 1990, Robert Christgau ranked "Twist & Crawl" at No. 10 in his list of the best songs of the 1980s.[http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/list/decade80.php Robert Christgau: Decade Personal Best: '80s]

{{Track listing

| headline = Original UK release

| total_length =

| all_writing = The Beat (as per ASCAP: Roger Charlery, Andy Cox, Everett Morton, David Steele and Dave Wakeling),{{cite AV media notes |title=I Just Can't Stop It |others=The Beat |publisher=Go-Feet Records/Shout! Factory |location=Los Angeles |year=2012 |id=826663-13177-B1 |type=CD liner notes}} 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.

| title1 = Mirror in the Bathroom

| length1 = 3:10

| title2 = Hands Off...She's Mine

| length2 = 3:01

| title3 = Two Swords

| length3 = 2:19

| title4 = Twist & Crawl

| writer4 = {{hlist|The Beat|Dick Bradsell}}

| length4 = 2:35

| title5 = Rough Rider

| note5 = originally performed by Prince Buster & the All Stars

| writer5 = {{hlist|Eddy Grant|Patrick Grant|Dervan Gordon|Lincoln Gordon}}

| length5 = 4:53

| title6 = Click Click

| length6 = 1:28

| title7 = Big Shot

| length7 = 2:34

| title8 = Whine & Grine/Stand Down Margaret

| note8 = "Whine & Grine" originally performed by Prince Buster & the All Stars

| writer8 = {{hlist|The Beat|Prince Buster}}

| length8 = 3:51

| title9 = Noise in This World

| length9 = 2:19

| title10 = Can't Get Used to Losing You

| note10 = originally performed by Andy Williams

| writer10 = {{hlist|Doc Pomus|Mort Shuman}}

| length10 = 3:04

| title11 = Best Friend

| length11 = 3:01

| title12 = Jackpot

| note12 = originally performed by the Pioneers

| writer12 = {{hlist|George Agard|Sydney Crooks|Jackie Robinson}}

| length12 = 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). These tracks remained on subsequent CD reissues of the album.

{{Track listing

| headline = US LP release and CD reissues

| total_length =

| title1 = Mirror in the Bathroom

| length1 = 3:10

| title2 = Hands Off...She's Mine

| length2 = 3:01

| title3 = Two Swords

| length3 = 2:19

| title4 = Twist & Crawl

| writer4 = {{hlist|The Beat|Dick Bradsell}}

| length4 = 2:35

| title5 = Tears of a Clown

| note5 = originally performed by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles

| length5 = 2:39

| writer5 = {{hlist|Henry Cosby||Smokey Robinson|Stevie Wonder}}

| title6 = Rough Rider

| writer6 = {{hlist|Eddy Grant|Patrick Grant|Dervan Gordon|Lincoln Gordon}}

| length6 = 4:53

| title7 = Click Click

| length7 = 1:28

| title8 = Ranking Full Stop

| length8 = 2:44

| title9 = Big Shot

| length9 = 2:34

| title10 = Whine & Grine/Stand Down Margaret

| writer10 = {{hlist|The Beat|Prince Buster}}

| length10 = 3:51

| title11 = Noise in This World

| length11 = 2:19

| title12 = Can't Get Used to Losing You

| writer12 = {{hlist|Doc Pomus|Mort Shuman}}

| length12 = 3:04

| title13 = Best Friend

| length13 = 3:01

| title14 = Jackpot

| writer14 = {{hlist|George Agard|Sydney Crooks|Jackie Robinson}}

| length14 = 4:19

}}

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.{{cite AV media notes |title=I Just Can't Stop It |others=The Beat |publisher=Go-Feet Records |year=1980 |id=BEAT 1 |type=liner notes}}

The Beat

• Dave Wakeling – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
• Ranking Roger – toasting, vocals
• Andy Cox – lead guitar
• David Steele – bass guitar
• Everett Morton – drums
• Saxa – saxophone

Production and artwork

• Bob Sargeant – production
• Alvin Clark – engineering
• Mark Dearnley – engineering
• Mike Dunne – engineering
• Trevor Hallesy – engineering
• Nick Rogers – engineering
• Hunt Emerson – artwork

"Thanks to: John Peel, the Specials, Selecter, A/W Hunt Emerson"

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|title=I Just Can't Stop It|artist=Beat|type=album|award=Gold|accessdate=19 November 2020|id=3106-1645-2}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{discogs master|8315}}

{{The Beat}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:I Just Can't Stop It}}

Category:The Beat (British band) albums

Category:1980 debut albums

Category:Sire Records albums

Category:I.R.S. Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Bob Sargeant