The Look - I Am The Beat

[Exempttt]

Bought a pair of jeans when i was 12 and got this as a single free along with them...this song is the one that made me form my 1st band in school...im 44 now and still playing. Thank you for the upload...and yes... i do cover this track :-)

[blonde7000]

good song but audio is poor

[RockAndRollMassacre]

the singer looks like centre forward for a lower league football team

[Feisty1967]

I wish there were groups like this today, sigh...

[flares]

@madcharlii This song didn't actually get to No.1. It got to No.6. On your account page it says you're 18. This song came out in December 1980 so you couldn't have been a little girl, you weren't even born.

[madcharlii]

@flares my mum put that comment she was on my account and does it even matter ?

[flares]

@madcharlii The account is in your name so people assume the comment is from you. I don't suppose it really matters. Anyway I'm glad your mum enjoyed it.

[madcharlii]

@flares mum here, I did enjoy it, and you'll have to forgive me, i actually grew up thinking it had reached number one, don't know why, maybe because my family were making such a big fuss about it at the time, but then, like i said, i was just a little girl =0)

[Feisty1967]

Was everybody thumping the table to the beat like I was?

[mal2pool]

Superb song. remember the record wouldnt come off the turntable. Just said beat over and over stuck in the groove. Anyone know what the martians said in the song? Cant quite make it out

[20pst]

@mal2pool

When the martian came to earth I made him dance

[mal2pool]

@20pst Yea but straight after that, sounds like martians singing.....

[20pst]

@mal2pool

I think it's just meant to be squeaky martian noises - nothing else.

I can distinctly remember this particular TOTP performance - I was 15.

[SAHBfan]

The very first time I ever played on a proper stage to an audience was when we were the support act for the Look...

They were pretty good (we weren't ;-)

They liked to warm up before a gig by playing indoor football - the lighting guy was going nuts in case the ball hit one of his lights :-o

[bikespip]

My mate has just bought the organ used in this track, the one on stage...he has put it in his studio in ashton under lyne.... I would walk into the Globe pub when pubs were pubs and this would be on the duke box when they played vinyl and the sound just reminds me of the time ... many thanks for listing

[lyubichi]

Great memory! Where do you find a lyric like "who made the zombies all tap their feet" nowadays? This song isn't the only one with an everlasting groove, mind - "Bionic Santa" by Chris Hill has one as well. At the end, someone shouts "Oy! How much longer is this record going on?" and the answer is "for ever and ever - and ever - and ever - and ever..."

[motza2010]

What is the CD title? I want to buy it. Can't find it on ITunes either.

[cloudthecat]

@motza2010 Its a DJ CD (I used to be a club DJ - its from a series of 80's records.... which are hard to find. It is produced for DJ's I think Music Factory produced it.... There are about 10 CD's from all hard to find 80's tracks. From memory they were about £30 EACH CD!!! cloudthecat@sky.com

[cloudthecat]

I have got this record on CD!! Yes I WILL copy it for you if you want or MP3 it! xxx Let me know.....

[FamoussLastWordss]

My best freind is related to them !!!

[Feisty1967]

Fucking brilliant!

[xxxdogluvaxxx]

just taking a trip dowm memory lane when i was 15 aloved all the 80s music ohhh only if we could turn back time.

[amylNRG]

Love it, love it, love it! Thanks for posting!

[daveyellowcard]

I bought this single drove my parents mad with the never ending beat. what a line (I made the old man jump to his feet) Classic 80's also who remembers a great B side you do these things to me? NOSTALGIA GOD I NEED A DELOREAN

[clivegoodwill]

I loved this song like crazy - still do - played it over and over a thousand times - the keyboard player plays every chord to absolute perfection. this is a lesson to all musicians to play the right inversion. he is a master on the Hammond. In fact no one could have played this song any better. It's 'perfection' for me.

[pete123tap]

Creme Brulee - It's a shit business i'nt it!

[facehugger1001]

'Tonight' as well as 'I am the beat' were strong clubclassics in the Netherlands during the eighties. I've still got the vinyl singles, for keeps.

[mignonhenne]

they didn't deserve top 40 with this ****.

[plimred]

absolute shite

[meatballuk2008]

Did you know that this song holds the record for the longest single ever!!?

I've got the 7" vinyl and the last few words of the song "I am the beat" is scratched into the inner circle on the record,so it goes on forever lol

[simonfrederickson]

Quality.One of maybe only 4 or 5 songs guaranteed to make you smile.Perfect pop,if ever such a thing existed.Thanks flares.

I had the single and the apparent run off groove was a loop of "BEAT"..."BEAT"..."BEAT" :)

Warms the cockles.

[PrAnG2000]

@meatballuk2008

Yep! I always remember that being said about this song.

Excellent track from my primary school days.

[khogey]

I'd heard about that but always thought it was an urban myth!

[paulhamerton1]

@meatballuk2008 was a nightmare when i was DJING lol but great days

[naganokumas]

@meatballuk2008 Is this the only occassion when this has been tried?

It was after about day three when I realised I was a somnambulist, and that they had since gone home and I was actually listening to a loop.

My life has recovered those three days. I now appreciate it was a loop.

But is this the only occasion when this has been tried?

It was after about day three when I realised I was a somnambulist, and that they had since gone home and I was actually listening to a loop.

My life has re

[scherzomortale]

@meatballuk2008 WRONG ! Killing Joke did it back in 1979 with their debut single Nervous System/Turn to Red.

[dazumaz]

good song - kind like a poppier version of the Jam

[facehugger1001]

Great song by a great band. Shame these guys didn't get the success they deserved. I'm still looking for a Best Of CD by them, in particular looking for the other brilliant hit song 'Tonight'! Anyone?

[SoiCowboy2]

THe follow up to this was '3 steps away' and bombed. Was an awful record. 'Tonight' and 'Feeding Time' got a lot of airplay but don't think either charted.

[hhokett]

Bite your tongue! I LOVE this album!!!

[dfarmbrough]

I used to own this single. Shame they only had one big hit!

[louluvscats]

Great one hit wonder from the look back in jan 1981. Such talent and a gutter they didnt have more hits :-( like this one!!! Great memories though. Thanks for posting to YT! Benja :-)

[elkintobitle]

wheres the original video I used to see on tv for this song?

[Aussieduck57]

I have a video of the original clips. Anyone else posted them already? Or should I post them?

[elkintobitle]

yeah go ahead and post it. Ive been looking for the original one for a long time. thanks.

[hhokett]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE POST!!!!!!! I can't find anything by them. They are like tiny gems of pop perfection!!

[TheBoyFrom1962]

Bloody brilliant pure class

[izabelgoudie]

Totally agree.

[DarioGVN]

Hello, can somebody post me lyrics of this song ?I dont understang it.Thank you :)

[smellyfishyvag]

I loved this song - I loved the guys in the video clip - I probably (at the age of 13), used to masturbat to it!!

[UKSazzy67]

GOD! I absolutely love this song! Brings back great memories of when I was 13. Can't imagine anyone ever feeling such passion over a Westlife song. Westlife are completely souless,passionless and insipid. Oh for the old days! At least music had some balls to it then, and I'm speaking as a woman who cannot stand todays lightweight boybands and don't fancy them neither. So much patronising claptrap is targeted at us women these days, like we have'nt got minds of our own.

[karlzips1]

everyones taste is different and its arrogant to insult other peoples tastes! maybe you just have grown up and as for westlife i think record sales speak for themselves so if your going to make stupid comments please think carefully before you post them...

[mikser]

Yes we had real music then. I was 11 when this song came out. What a great era for music...lets face it alot of new bands just recycle music from this creative era....

[beautydaddy]

I think I love you now!

[bossendenwoodconvict]

@UKSazzy67 Have you noticed that all boy bands are interchangeable too? You could switch the group members between the bands and I'm sure no one would notice. There is a sort of formula- one member is blond, the rest dark and one waits for brainless girls to fall in love with him before announcing he is gay. It's all to a script. None of them play instruments and they all have silly dance routines. Fairly bland and boring and it has been that way since the early 90's.

[kfeve11]

@UKSazzy67 How many number ones have The Look had? It's a good song...but there is no reason to target a band which has a lot of success, loyal fans and a lot of talent that people who haven't seen their tours don't realise. I have an eclectic musical taste and Westlife, along with Queen, Meat Loaf, jazz and swing (the list goes on) are one of my favourite bands. Just because people like them, doesn't mean they don't have 'minds of their own'.

[GriefTourist]

Lost - the will to live, please return if you find it.

[michaeldon1]

I used to love this song..many thanks :-)

[Forestamtul]

Wonder what Peter isup to nowadays?

And this song is so catchy I just want to hear and dance to it so many times.

[RockAndRollMassacre]

my god have you heard the follow up single 'feeding time' complete garbage!

[pault1964]

i used to love putting this on in pub jukeboxes it never stopped

[wildenfree]

Yeah, Thats right, it was on a loop on the playout groove - revolutionary and it drove my parents mad..Lol

[GriefTourist]

i'm into mod i am the beat

[Greenthigh]

That's actually a better line, but I think its "I'm in demand"

[GriefTourist]

for years i thought it actually said i'm into mod!

[angelchops]

I absolutely LOVE this track. Really enjoyed seeing that footage.

[setupdisk1]

omfg!

[KnockoffNigeI]

Feeding time

The little boy he eat banana, i see the monkey in him grow.

[malcolmbryant]

When the Master came to earth I made him dance

And Mr Cooper had to thank me for his chance.

Presume Muhammad Ali and Henry Cooper?

[2DD]

It's mr krupa, as in Gene Krupa, US jazz legend, or even UK child jazz drumming prodgidy, Victor Feldman, nicknamed 'kid krupa', (not be confused with the more recent, talented Revillo's band musician, the late, 'kid krupa')

[malcolmbryant]

Cheers mate! All these years I thought it was Mr Cooper! There's another mention on the blog RetroUniverse which says the same as you but adds ""when the Martian came to Earth" which is even more eintriguing. Great song anyway eh?

[starchaser77]

Great one-hit wonder ... one of those 'never-ending' records.

[ELONut]

The drummer is my next door neighbours best friends cousin's little brother's son in law's great uncle

[bluesbrother37]

Better than todays shit music.

[scooterboy149]

the keyboardist is my great uncle

[chipfeltcher]

The base guitarist is my wifes uncle Martin (Guss)Goad, used his brothers name.

[madmacska]

no way a realy happy tune in that year

[eucris64]

It was annoying then and it's annoying now.Jesus! no wonder we lost an empire.

[neverbeen2]

the singer was born at an early age.top tune :)

[duck1344]

the bass gutairist is my grandads couzin

[scooterboy149]

the keyboardist in the white coat is my great uncle mick bass!

[jam011265]

does ne know there other hit 'feeding time'??

i cant find it newhere

[lostmangos]

I used to have feeding time on a K-Tel compilation xcalled Superhits (one of those - Buy superhits 1 and get superhits 2 free) came out Christmas 81

[lostmangos]

TYhought again - it wsn't K-Tel - it wsas Ronco . K - tel did Charthits 81 at the same time!

[jam011265]

should have been no1?!!

[archie09]

A brilliant, catchy number that I had totally forgotten about until I found the 7" in the attic. What a gem of a track !

[qpr60]

From Cambridgeshire, they were originally called Kreed and played mostly prog. This was a Top 10 hit in early 81 but the follow-up Feeding Time only scraped the Top 50 and Three Steps Away didn't chart. The record is best remembered for having a 'locked' run-out groove which played the 'beat, beat, beat' over and over until you lifted the stylus off the disc - try doing that with your download! Apparently they're still going, but I don't know if any of these blokes are part of the band now.

[ronham1]

I used to work with three members of The Look at Selfridges many years ago, so it was great to see this again.

[ilovemusic090465]

Wow i had forgot about this song great to hear it again thanks.

[VeniVidi]

Marvellous.

(+ Especially memorable for the low rumble at 00:44, which sounded like our old washing machine.)

[mattaddick]

Really great. Interesting melody and chords. Reminds me of New Year '81. Still got the seven inch vinyl of this.

[TopUpTV]

i remember the song, didnt know kevin keegan was the singer though

[Bodoman1]

Thanks for posting this old gem !

[KPW59]

superb,used to go see them live at all the london clubs marquee,music machine etc,loved the song cherie runaway which was all about my all time fav rock band

[fascinatedcraze13]

Kev - sure that's you - how you doin ????

[KPW59]

yes its me,we doing well thanx

[skubsy]

love this song

[diddydeltic]

Fantastic track also dont forget another rare one from them "Feeding Time" great track

[imagineerstube]

I see the monkey in him grow - classic line!!!

[Austin24468]

Haven't heard this song in years. Thanks for posting

[HendonKissArmy]

Always rememebr Tony Blackburn when he had the prime slot on a Sunday night on radio 1 top 0 announcing this was the worlds first never ending record

[pogsboo]

what a song from the past...love it....

[k3llz67]

i got it from limewire at long last

[limbobby]

First song I bought too! Fantastic.

[stelom]

Still a great song, after 27 years, god, it what a great time, the early 80's...

[juniorpick]

fantastic lyrics great beat

[Culpano]

I love this record.

[CossacksChampion]

PLease can anyone upload a better quality record of song ??? THis recording sucks bullox..

[flares]

Oh i'm so sorry!. This record is a fairly rare one hit wonder which you never hear any more. Have you got any idea how hard it is to find ANY copy of this song let alone a good quality one.

[bottomender]

You can find a copy of I am The Beat on The Look's new album available from AngelAir records - find them on the web.

[mo8eley]

I still have their one and only LP! Never been able to get a CD of it. Its on my ipod tho!

[davehep]

@flares don't look too hard for a better copy - it's a horrible song.

[gary1961]

I remember leaving this on for about 4 hours just to annoy some bastard neighbours of ours. When I got home it was stil going....Beat, Beat, beat, beat.... but unfortunately the neighbours had gone out too !!!

In hindsight, it was probably just as well, they might have put my windows through.

[terracottagazebos]

Probably the catchiest beat ever .Have the single with the neverending ending . My favourite bands might include Steely Dan ,Prefab Sprout,The Band,XTC but this song always makes my all time top 10 pop tracks and can be downloaded on Limewire.

[jnroff]

Brilliant song, the first i ever bought. Nice to hear it after 25 years. Now on napster

[zoutezee]

Always loved this. I was 14 buying the LP. At that time I wondered why this was the only single from this LP. All songs sounded to me like hits. A great experience. Every year since then I listen to it. Makes me jump through my house..

[numbskullandy]

First single I ever bought (aged 9!), not heard it for about 25 years, great stuff.

[sanctuary5]

This single had an intentional 'rut' in the vinyl at the end so it was meant to repeat the word 'Beat' until you put on another '45 or had a power cut. Unfortunately the first time I played it the stylus did a triple jump back down the vinyl meaning I could never play the thing again! Good marketing, though. If I'd been older than 11 I might have bought another copy.

[Quetelet]

Well done - Haven't heard this for years....

[Culpano]

Great record.