The Specials Lyrics
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From the Single
Ghost Town
Other Songs 007 (Shanty Town) A Little Bit Me a Little Bit You A Message To You Rudy Alcohol Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys Blam Blam Fever BLM Break Down the Door Breaking Point Bright Lights Concrete Jungle Dancing Mood Do The Dog Embarrassed By You Enjoy Yourself Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think) Fat Man Free Nelson Mandela Free Nelson Mandela [Version] Free Yourself Friday Night Saturday Morning Gangsters Guns of Navarone Guns of Navarone [BBC in Concert at the Paris Theatre (15.12.79); Live] Guns of Navarone [Live] Hey Little Rich Girl House Bound Housebound Hypocrite I Want To Go Home It Ain't What You Do It's You Jamaica Ska King of Ska Leave It Out Little Bitch Lonely Crowd Maggie's Farm [Bonus Track] Man at C andamp; A Message to You Rudy Mirror in the Bathroom Monkey Man Nelson Mandela Nite Klub Our Lips Are Sealed Our Lips Are Sealed [Zipper Mix] Pressure Drop Racist Friend Rat Race Rude Boys Outa Jail Stand Up Stereotype Stereotypes/Stereotypes Pt. 2 Stupid Marriage Take It Easy Tears in My Beer Tears of a Clown [Live] The Life and Times (Of a Man Called Depression) The Lonely Crowd The Lunatics (Have Taken Over the Asylum) Too Hot Too Much Too Young Too Nice to Talk To Vote For Me Wake Up War Crimes We Sell Hope What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend Why? You're Wondering Now
Other Songs 007 (Shanty Town) A Little Bit Me a Little Bit You A Message To You Rudy Alcohol Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys Blam Blam Fever BLM Break Down the Door Breaking Point Bright Lights Concrete Jungle Dancing Mood Do The Dog Embarrassed By You Enjoy Yourself Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think) Fat Man Free Nelson Mandela Free Nelson Mandela [Version] Free Yourself Friday Night Saturday Morning Gangsters Guns of Navarone Guns of Navarone [BBC in Concert at the Paris Theatre (15.12.79); Live] Guns of Navarone [Live] Hey Little Rich Girl House Bound Housebound Hypocrite I Want To Go Home It Ain't What You Do It's You Jamaica Ska King of Ska Leave It Out Little Bitch Lonely Crowd Maggie's Farm [Bonus Track] Man at C andamp; A Message to You Rudy Mirror in the Bathroom Monkey Man Nelson Mandela Nite Klub Our Lips Are Sealed Our Lips Are Sealed [Zipper Mix] Pressure Drop Racist Friend Rat Race Rude Boys Outa Jail Stand Up Stereotype Stereotypes/Stereotypes Pt. 2 Stupid Marriage Take It Easy Tears in My Beer Tears of a Clown [Live] The Life and Times (Of a Man Called Depression) The Lonely Crowd The Lunatics (Have Taken Over the Asylum) Too Hot Too Much Too Young Too Nice to Talk To Vote For Me Wake Up War Crimes We Sell Hope What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend Why? You're Wondering Now
The Specials, also known as The Special AKA, were an English 2 tone and ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry. After some early changes, the first stable lineup of the group consisted of Terry Hall and Neville Staple on vocals, Jerry Dammers on keyboards, Lynval Golding and Roddy Radiation on guitars, Horace Panter on bass, John Bradbury on drums, and Dick Cuthell and Rico Rodriguez on horns. The band wore mod-style "1960s period rude boy outfits (pork pie hats, tonic and mohair suits and loafers)".
Their music combines the danceable rhythms of ska and rocksteady with the energy and attitude of punk. Lyrically, their work (often written by primary songwriter Dammers) presented overt political and social commentary.
In 1980, their The Special AKA Live! EP, featuring lead track "Too Much Too Young", reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart. In 1981, the recession-themed single "Ghost Town" also hit No. 1 in the UK.
After seven consecutive UK top 10 singles between 1979 and 1981, main lead vocalists Hall and Staple, along with guitarist Golding, left to form Fun Boy Three. Continuing as "The Special AKA" (a name they used frequently on earlier Specials releases), a substantially revised Specials line-up issued new material until 1984, including the top 10 UK hit single "Free Nelson Mandela". After this, founder Jerry Dammers dissolved the band and pursued political activism.
The group re-formed in 1993, and continued to perform and record with varying line-ups - none of them involving Dammers - until the death of Terry Hall in December 2022.
Also Known As: The Special A.K.A.Their music combines the danceable rhythms of ska and rocksteady with the energy and attitude of punk. Lyrically, their work (often written by primary songwriter Dammers) presented overt political and social commentary.
In 1980, their The Special AKA Live! EP, featuring lead track "Too Much Too Young", reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart. In 1981, the recession-themed single "Ghost Town" also hit No. 1 in the UK.
After seven consecutive UK top 10 singles between 1979 and 1981, main lead vocalists Hall and Staple, along with guitarist Golding, left to form Fun Boy Three. Continuing as "The Special AKA" (a name they used frequently on earlier Specials releases), a substantially revised Specials line-up issued new material until 1984, including the top 10 UK hit single "Free Nelson Mandela". After this, founder Jerry Dammers dissolved the band and pursued political activism.
The group re-formed in 1993, and continued to perform and record with varying line-ups - none of them involving Dammers - until the death of Terry Hall in December 2022.
Members:
Terry Hall - lead vocals (1977-1981, 2008-2022; his death)
Lynval Golding - rhythm and lead guitar, vocals (1977-1981, 1993, 1994-1998, 2008-2022)
Horace Panter - bass guitar (1977-1981, 1982, 1993, 1994-1998, 2000-2001, 2008-2022)
Jerry Dammers - keyboards, principal songwriter, vocals (1977-1981)
Roddy Radiation - lead guitar, vocals (1978-1981, 1993, 1996-2001, 2008-2014)
Neville Staple - toasting, vocals, percussion (1978-1981, 1993, 1996-2001, 2008-2012)
John Bradbury - drums (1979-1984, 2008-2015; his death)
Dick Cuthell - flugelhorn, trumpet (1979-1984)
Rico Rodriguez - trombone, vocals (1979-1981, 1982; died 2015)
Genre(s): 2 tone, ska, new wave
Active From: 1977-1981, 1982-1984, 1993, 1996-2001, 2008-2022