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Mirror in the Bathroom

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I started talking to myself in the mirror, and said, "Dave, we don’t have to do this, mate. We don’t have to do this." And in the mirror behind me, the door of the bathroom had a tiny little latch on it, and I said to myself, "The door’s locked. There’s only me and you. Just me and you
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And you'd see it perhaps on Saturday afternoon with people window shopping, half the time they're actually just looking at their own reflection. Then this restaurant opened, and it was a big deal at the time because it had glass tables, and I was like, oh, you can watch
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on a mirror. Wakeling says that "in America in the early '80s, everybody gave me knowing winks and said, 'Oh, I know what that one's about, then, Dave.' And it wasn't that mirror in the bathroom at all, it was the one on the wall, and not the one on your knee."
604:, the song originated when he was working on a building site and he got up for work one winter morning after "a couple of drinks" and found his clothes still wet on the bathroom floor. While shaving, he says, 576:
and consequently was their highest charting release in the UK until 1983. It was released again in 1995 as a 12" single and early in 1996 as a CD single (both containing contemporary club remixes) to promote
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On his way to work on his motorbike, he thought about the idea of "The door is locked, just you and me"; and reflected on the nature of
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ranked the song at No. 517 in their list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever". In 2002, Gary Mulholland included the song in his list
68: 1064: 1216: 657:, 2 Tone's parent company, refused to allow them to release it as a single. Instead, they released a ska version of the 75: 1605: 1302: 1418: 950: 579: 394: 108: 673:, which released "Mirror in the Bathroom". It was released in April 1980 and reached No. 4 in the UK Singles Chart. 630:'s "revolutionary" 2/2 bassline, he thought, "Wow, that poem I was writing on the motorbike fits it like a glove." 57: 1615: 1425: 739: 1185: 46: 1120: 1095: 1245: 912: 1461: 1482: 328: 361: 1517: 1468: 1039: 1020: 310: 132: 82: 1503: 1145: 1372: 1347: 1311: 1043: 1024: 875: 830: 627: 568: 563: 516: 385: 297: 269: 156: 147: 35: 1295: 203: 1595: 1590: 1000: 1559: 1386: 666: 649:
wanted the Beat to release "Mirror in the Bathroom" as their first single for his company
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The title of the song led some to believe, mistakenly, that it was about drawing lines of
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Chick, Stevie (2015). "The Beat - "Save It for Later". In Dimery, Robert (ed.).
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A promo 12" containing only the first two tracks (VAIN 001) was also released.
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The song was ranked at #3 among the top ten "Tracks of the Year" for 1980 by
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includes a new remix version of "Mirror in the Bathroom" produced by
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2012 as a limited edition 750 run of 7" copies. Its B-side is "
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The song is included in the soundtracks of the 1987 film
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Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
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This is Uncool: The 500 Best Singles Since Punk Rock
681:"Mirror in the Bathroom" was ranked at No. 3 in the 357:
The English Beat - Mirror in the Bathroom (Official)
798:"Mirror in the Bathroom" (Tic Tac Toe Remix) — 5:41 376:"Mirror in the Bathroom (Mark "Spike" Stent Remix)" 49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 804:"Mirror in the Bathroom" (Original Version) — 3:08 775:"Mirror in the Bathroom" (Simon and Diamond Remix) 902: 694:'s "Singles of the Year" list for 1980. In 2003, 583:. The reissued single reached number 44 in 1996. 535:Mirror in the Bathroom (Mark "Spike" Stent Remix) 1577: 712:The single was re-released on 21 April 2012 for 801:"Mirror in the Bathroom" (Adelphi Remix) — 4:45 1296: 769:"Mirror in the Bathroom" (Sure Is Pure Remix) 772:"Mirror in the Bathroom" (Tic Tac Toe Remix) 1089: 1087: 1085: 1303: 1289: 131: 1058: 1056: 1054: 1052: 109:Learn how and when to remove this message 1626:Song recordings produced by Bob Sargeant 1611:Songs written by David Steele (musician) 1082: 974: 786:CD single, 74321232062 (January 8, 1996) 778:"Mirror in the Bathroom" (Adelphi Remix) 1183: 983:1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die 1578: 1062: 1049: 1284: 1093: 1035: 1033: 1016: 1014: 980: 676: 47:adding citations to reliable sources 18: 1096:"Dave Wakeling of The English Beat" 13: 1030: 1011: 14: 1637: 1419:B.P.M.: The Very Best of the Beat 1263: 887: 758: 707: 600:According to composer and singer 580:B.P.M.: The Very Best of the Beat 395:B.P.M.: The Very Best of the Beat 1184:Weidner, Erica (22 April 2020). 1040:"Official Singles Chart Top 100" 1021:"Official Singles Chart Top 100" 23: 1426:Beat This! The Best of the Beat 1209: 1177: 1173:Q - 1001 best songs ever (2003) 1166: 1146:"Albums and Tracks of the Year" 34:needs additional citations for 1621:Songs written by Ranking Roger 1138: 1113: 993: 943: 764:12" single, 74321232061 (1995) 595: 1: 1601:The Beat (British band) songs 1246:British Phonographic Industry 1063:Murray, Noel (24 July 2012). 936: 572:. It reached number 4 on the 558:" is a single by the British 542:"Mirror in the Bathroom CD2" 1525:Can't Get Used to Losing You 1310: 1094:Wiser, Carl (1 March 2008). 755:, by a project called Fifi. 7: 10: 1642: 1046:. Retrieved 13 June 2020. 1027:. Retrieved 13 June 2020. 962:. 19 April 1980. p. 4 791:"Mirror in the Bathroom" ( 641: 1606:Record Store Day releases 1552: 1534: 1453: 1435: 1403: 1364: 1318: 925: 910: 899: 896: 870: 840: 825: 808: 523: 515: 487: 466: 450: 424: 416: 405:19 October 1995 401: 391: 380: 375: 367: 354: 349: 345: 304: 296: 282: 244: 232: 216: 190: 175: 163: 153: 142: 130: 125: 1121:"Mirror in the Bathroom" 740:Someone to Watch Over Me 137:One of UK vinyl editions 126:"Mirror in the Bathroom" 58:"Mirror in the Bathroom" 1044:Official Charts Company 1025:Official Charts Company 179:25 April 1980 1616:Works about narcissism 1476:Mirror in the Bathroom 1469:Hands Off...She's Mine 1271:Mirror in the Bathroom 1001:"New Wave Music Songs" 624: 611: 556:Mirror in the Bathroom 320:Mirror in the Bathroom 311:Hands Off...She's Mine 619: 606: 313:" / "Twist and Crawl" 1387:Special Beat Service 1373:I Just Can't Stop It 1190:Is a Bop and a Half" 749:, and the 1999 film 728:Pop Off the Head Top 667:The Tears of a Clown 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"Mirror in the Bathroom"
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Single
The Beat
I Just Can't Stop It
B-side
Genre
Ska
two-tone
new wave
Label
Go-Feet
Songwriter(s)
Ranking Roger
Andy Cox
Everett Morton
David Steele
Dave Wakeling
Producer(s)
Bob Sargeant

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