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Song · The English Beat

“Mirror in the Bathroom” by The English Beat

From the album I Just Can’t Stop It (1980)

“Mirror in the Bathroom” by The English Beat appears on 64 radio countdowns from 18 stations between 1981 and 2026. It was first released in 1980 on the album I Just Can’t Stop It. Its best result is #38 on the CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (1991 Edition). In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #105 alternative song of 1983 and #173 alternative song of all time.

64countdowns
18stations
#38best position
0#1 finishes
0top 10 finishes
1981–2026years charted

Watch

English Beat - Mirror In the Bathroom (Remaster)

Video from YouTube (RHINO). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube

"Mirror in the Bathroom" comes from I Just Can't Stop It, the English Beat's 1980 album, and it's a nervy, jittery dance record that never lets you sit still. All five credited writers, Andy Cox, Everett Morton, Ranking Roger, David Steele and Dave Wakeling, share the song, and it plays like a band wound into one tight machine.

Everett Morton's drums skitter and snap, David Steele's bass pumps underneath, and the guitars of Andy Cox and Dave Wakeling chop out a clipped, tense rhythm. Papa Saxa's saxophone darts in and out like a nervous tic, while Wakeling and Ranking Roger trade vocals over the top. Bob Sargeant produced it, keeping it dry, sharp and quick on its feet.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz.

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1981 98 KROQ Los Angeles, CA KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1981 106
1983 49 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana 91X Top 91 Songs of 1983 91
1984 59 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana 91X Top 91 Songs of 1984 91

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1988 43 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1988) 496
1988 125 Live 105 Live 105 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1988) 501
1989 454 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1989) 495
1989 184 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989) 500
1990 160 Live 105 Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1990) 299
1991 201 Live 105 Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1991) 302
1991 182 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1991) 500
1991 38 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (1991 Edition) 1002
1992 54 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1992) 500
1992 78 Live 105 Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1992) 299
1994 189 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1994) 497
1994 254 Live 105 Live 105 Revolutionary 500 (July 1994) 500
1994 198 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994) 500
1995 62 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1995) 500
1995 270 Live 105 Live 105 Revolutionary 300 (July 1995) 300
1996 70 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1996) 500
1996 291 Q101 Q101 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (1996) 500
1996 174 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1996) 498
1998 47 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1998) 488
1999 137 91X 91X Fat 500 Songs of All-Time (July 1999) 500
1999 151 WFNX WFNX Top 500 Songs of All-Time (June 1999) 500
1999 615 107.7 The End The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1077
1999 212 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1999) 500
1999 808 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
1999 84 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999) 1002
2000 194 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2000) 500
2000 859 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2001 195 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2001) 498
2001 861 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2001 703 WFPK WFPK 2001 Greatest Songs of All Time 2000
2002 240 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2002) 500
2002 861 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2002 193 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) 2002
2003 294 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2003) 500
2003 859 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2003 99 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003) 2044
2004 158 Q101 Q101 Top 300 Party Songs of All-Time (July 2004) 300
2004 859 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2005 254 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2005) 500
2005 859 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2005 822 99X 99X Freedom of Choice 1000 (2005) 1000
2006 307 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2006) 500
2006 186 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2006) 499
2007 917 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2007 816 WTMD WTMD Top 897 Songs of All Time 897
2008 217 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2008) 500
2008 854 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 869 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2010 902 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2011 874 CD101 CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) 2011
2013 847 CD101 CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) 2012
2014 855 CD101 CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) 2013
2021 440 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '80s 909
2023 53 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 850 Songs of the 1980s 850
2023 673 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of All Time 909
2023 1106 WYEP WYEP Countdown to Fall 2023 1229
2023 716 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 800 Songs About Places 800
2024 331 WYEP WYEP Best Songs of the Past 50 Years 1049
2024 685 KEXP The Best Opening Tracks of All Time 738
2026 311 WFPK WFPK Top 500 Songs of the '80s 498
2026 878 KXT KXT 917 Song Countdown 917

Also listed as: Mirror In The Bathroom; Mirror In the Bathroom.

Charting alongside it in 1983

Best songs of 1983 →
  1. 1New Year's DayU2
  2. 2Let's DanceDavid Bowie
  3. 3The LovecatsThe Cure
  4. 4Every Breath You TakeThe Police
  5. 5Rebel YellBilly Idol
  6. 6In a Big CountryBig Country

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