The Specials were also part of a movement in England called Two Tone, a reference to the mix of black and white musicians. This is a snapshot of the late 70's English urban life.
Two tone was the independent label created by the Specials. It's checker board logo represented black and white in harmony - the band, the music. Influenced mostly by 60's ska, this group was my awakening to Northern Soul and a whole array of other sounds that didn't fit the mainstream. This song is as relevant today as it was in early 1980. This song was magic for the ears.
@@ijustneedmyself very much so brother, but then there was a 'white' conformity with how they dressed. The 60's onwards, allowed individuals to express themselves like never before. You would think that 80 years later, colour would no longer be an issue. That cops would protect all, irrespective of colour, gender or ability/disability. That freedoms fought and died for would not have been in vain. This applies as much to the UK as it does the US and further afield.
@Durian Durian The US has had mixed bands going back to the jazz age. While I admit it wasn't common, musicians tend to mix. Perhaps you should check Stax Records (Booker T & the MGs, Sam & Dave), Dr. John (working with Black and white musicians along with Black producer/arranger Harold Battiste), and the band Love to start. Believe it or not but most of the radio songs produced by Capital Records was made a group of studio musicians by what is loosely known as the Wreckin Crew, and that was a mix of races and included at least one woman. So your claim of none in the US is not true. It does not give credit to American musicians of various backgrounds that worked together through the decades. Few would be the better word.
OK! That was really unexpected. And kudos to the guy who suggested it. There are a few things to say about this song and a lot of context that has to be brought in as well. The first thing to say was that the Specials were at the forefront of the Ska revival of the late 70s in the UK. Ska (or Blue Beat) was the forerunner if you like of reggae as we know it, post -Wailers. There were a lot of bands at that time, (say 77 onwards ) such as Madness, The Selector and The (English) Beat but The Specials brought with them a particular authenticity and those bands in general also brought with them a particular lightness - dancing on your toes, compared with the lumpen ledness (sic) of a lot of the heavy metal bands that were around at the time. The second thing to say is that this is a VERY political song. The Specials came from Coventry, an industrial town in the midlands of England. By 1981, the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher was really starting to make clear what it wanted to do with Britain and if you lived in the traditional industrial areas of the country, the seats of the Industrial Revolution, then you were SOL. It's hard to overstate how divisive that government was -- they really encouraged the "I'm alright, Jack" mentality, especially in middle-class England, while the traditional manufacturing areas of the country were allowed to stagnate and die. The ghost towns of this song hadn't declined because bands weren't playing there any more -- I grew up in a shipbuilding town in Scotland and bands hadn't played there for years before I was old enough to notice -- but because the economic and social engineering being practiced by the government was actively killing them. This song was #1 in the UK for a reason. Outside of the wealthier and more affluent parts of the country, people were really hurting. If you haven't heard it, give a listen to Town Called Malice by The Jam (the best Motown record that Motown never made) for another reaction to how Britain's social fabric was being rent at time. Actually, listen to it anyway because it's one of the best songs ever. Full stop.
Iain McCorquodale : Excellent history. I was surprised, as an American, how much of this time in the UK’s history I knew about. Almost all from listening to punk, ska, new wave records. I guess, often, troubled times produce great timeless music. Check out this American take by James McMurtry th-cam.com/video/jTW0y6kazWM/w-d-xo.html
Thatcher was so divisive that she brought about the end not just of many industries but sowed the seeds for the end of the union between Scotland and England which seem to be inevitable now.
Rest In Peace Terry Hall lead singer of The Specials and beloved son of Coventry who sadly passed away aged 63. Much love to his family ,the rest of the band and to all his fans everywhere. 2-Tone forever.
Hi Justin. A bit late to the game, but here is some quick background on Ska for you & any others slightly curious. Ska started in Jamaica in 1958. The first written song believed to be "Oh, Carolina" by The Folkes Brothers (produced by Prince Buster). Ska was danceable & uptempo in style, featuring a distinctive guitar chop on the off beat, often with lots of horn sections. It was a mix of local & Caribbean music inspired by American R & B of the '50's. Dominant in Jamaica till 1966, when Rocksteady came along for a couple years. Rocksteady was Ska-slowed down in tempo. And around 1968, Jamaicans took it a step further by slowing down the Rocksteady tempo further to create Reggae. Historically, first Ska, then Rocksteady, & then Reggae.
"Ghost Town", by The Specials, was among the first music videos I watched on MTV back in 1981. I could really identify with the song, since I lived near Youngstown, Ohio, where a number of steel mills were shut down, and collapsed the local economy. It is a collapse from which we as a community have never fully recovered. This song is one of my favorite songs from that time period. The Specials was a large group, which spawned some other successful groups. The English Beat, Fun Boy Three, and Fine Young Cannibals, were created in the aftermath of The Specials' breakup. The Specials had another hit song and music video, for "A Message To You, Rudy". That song is more danceable one. It is a fun song and music video to watch and listen to.
Some other good ska tracks you should try: "Mirror in the bathroom" The Beat | "Rat Race" - The Specials | "Night Boat to Cairo" - Madness | "Missing Words" - The Selector |
Thanks for reacting to my suggestion, especially since you coincidentally posted it on my birthday! Loved your breakdown and reaction. My goal in suggesting this song was to give you something different to react to, so I'm ok if you don't feel it's worth multiple listens. It was a pretty popular song here in Canada during my college days.
Of course Alden, I appreciate you always being around. I like having something "different" to listen to and examine, so this was perfect. Thanks again.
For those who wondering about the different stages of Ska music, yes, there are three of them. The so-called Three Waves of Ska. 1st Wave, 2nd Wave, 3rd Wave. Jamaicans created Ska first from 1958 to 1966. This was the 1st Wave. Jamaican musical genres Rocksteady & then eventually Reggae, which derived from the parent Ska music, replaced Ska in Jamaica. However, they are not the 2nd & 3rd Waves! In the late 70's in Great Britain, White Punks & some Black kids revisited the original Ska and decided to infuse it with Punk guitars & some Punk attitude (aka Two Tone). This was the 2nd Wave. The 3rd Wave took that aggression even further when American Hardcore Punk kids in the late 80's brought even LOUDER Punk guitars (aka Ska Punk).
An accurate history lesson.... the police, the clash , UB40 were also all heavily influenced by ska, rocksteady and reggae ...( Joe Strummer called it rebel music).
Just to add a bit. "Third Wave" was so much more than ska punk. There were bands that went back to the sounds of Jamaican ska, rocksteady, and 2-Tone. Bands like Hepcat, Let's Go Bowling, early No Doubt, SeeSpot, Los Hooligans, Ocean 11, Dance Hall Crashers, The Toasters, Mobtown, Checkmate, The Scofflaws, New York Ska Jazz Ensemble and many many more.
All good for the most part. The hubby and I have a small collection of Jamaican music from the 1950s and 60s. VERY R&B inspired, but completely Jamaican. That being said, I also remember listening to a live recording of John Lennon in Japan from the 1970s. he is telling people about reggae, and how its going to change everything about music and the world is going to love it. Lastly, just to add the Gorrilaz first two album is almost all reggae beats.
Sorry to be so late commenting on this (always late to a party!) I remember this song so well, I lived in London and there was so much unrest between the police and the young black and minority groups culminating in the Brixton Riots of '81. Absolutely bang on the mood of the time.
I enjoyed this. I'm not a huge fan of Ska or even reagee but a cool song from either genre is groovy. The Specials are special. They do touch on punk and art prog with those chord changes away from the driving main theme. That and the use of the horns reminds me of Oingo Boingo and to a degree Talking Heads. I'm sure both were influenced by The Specials. Great job again, Justin. You do a thorough job with your reactions. Light years beyond the norm on youtube.
The song was about the inner cities devestated by the right wing government at the time. It perfectly created the mood of the time when there was a lot of social unrest and riots due to a lot of racial tension
Listening to The Specials brought me back, I have a request for another oddity from the same era but different genre. This song is from a new wave/art rock band called XTC, song called senses working overtime. Quirky but very good!
Some of the music in this song has an old 'creature feature', horror vibe. Really enjoying your vids. Would love to hear you do some of The Clash songs.
The Specials were at the forefront of what became Two Tone with their 1st 45 released in 1979. At the time there was only one decent radio DJ by the name of John Peel (RIP) who was legendary for promoting new sounds on his late night BBC radio show. He had been very instrumental in getting Punk Rock into the public's attention but by '79 that scene had reached it's peak and Two Tone along with the revival of '60's Mod had become the new scenes of interest to the up and coming teenage generation. Ska began in Jamaica in the very early 60s and that scene changed with the excessive summer heatwave of 1966 and as a result the bands slowed down the beat which became known as Rocksteady that evolved into Reggae by '68 and by the end of the '70's reggae had evolved through various phases such as Dub, DJ and Roots. Also by this time many Jamaicans had emigrated to the big cities in England bringing with them all these great sounds that added influence to UK music with The Clash being one of the more prominent Punk Rock bands to embrace it in 1977. Two Tone basically was a melting pot of all these scenes and Ghost Town released in 1981 pretty much was the peak of it with the Specials actually breaking up when the record reached the number 1 spot in the UK charts. Jerry Dammers (Keyboardist and founding member) carried on the band with some old and new members under the name Special AKA while Terry Hall (vocals) and 2 of the others formed Fun Boy 3 but neither of the 2 acts ever came close to having the vitality the Specials had.......
The Specials literally changed my life. That having been said, this was not one of my favorite songs of theirs. This was their last single before breaking up, so there is both depression at the state of Britain (and for this band specifically their home town Coventry) as well as a sense of impending doom for the band that had spawned an entire youth movement. In fact, many of their later songs have this feeling of dread. On the other hand, while still political, their earlier songs tend to be much more upbeat and danceable.
That was a cool tune, I think you nailed the breakdown. The Arabian sound reminded me of a snake in a basket with the snake master playing a clarinet. Not much else to say, definitely playlist for me.
4 pork pie hats. I had this album in early 80’s. Loved ‘Message to Rudy’ and ‘Much too much... Much too Young’. Ska also influenced The Clash and Joe Jackson, among others. Like Early Genesis, these bands were very 🇬🇧 oriented and often difficult for the casual music fan to identify with. Some, like Madness, had more commercial success with the hit ‘Our House’
I just discovered this reaction of yours Justin! It showed up in my recommendations just today. I didn't know you were aware of The Specials, most people are not. I've dug their music for quite a while. You can hear a lot of different influences in Ghost Town: the reggae/ska rhythm of course, but then they add this vibe with the horns and melody that reminds me of film noir private eyes, a 1940s feel. It's very cool. There is an extended version of Ghost Town that's 5:58 in length, and has a long horn interlude at the end that's kinda cool. The first album of theirs that I got decades ago had a song called "Gangsters" that's pretty cool. It's got a strong reggae beat and has very interesting songwriting. You should maybe check it out. I've always liked them, but it's not something that I listen to all the time. This song makes me think of another song that has a mid-eastern/Arabian feel to it. "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" by They Might Be Giants. You should definitely check it out. It's a cover of a 1953 swing-style song that they Might Be Giants recorded in the 90s. It's got a unique pop sound that borrows from mid-eatern music heavily. You may just like it!
The Specials were voicing what many felt at the time. The government were so disliked by many sections of society - Margaret Thatcher's right-wing years as PM, when lots of mines were shut down, devastating old established communities, lots of unemployment and years of poverty and hopelessness (and 'ghost towns'), leading to a lot of rioting. The song isn't meant to be 'relaxing'. It perfectly reflected the mood of much of society then. It says a lot that when 'Maggie' died in 2013, the song 'Ding dong the witch is dead' from the Wizard of Oz film, peaked at number 2 in the uk singles chart.
I´m just old enough to remember seeing this on Top of the Pops when it came out. As others have said, it captures the mood of the early Thatcher years perfectly. If you want to hear something completely bonkers listen to Lip Up Fatty by Bad Manners - not one for making a video of but for slipping into a playlist at a family party when everyone has had a few drinks. There´s no introspection, no deep and meaningful lyrics, just a brilliant Ska band fronted by a fat sweaty bloke pounding out the tune and having a ball. It´s the only song that I feel happy "dancing" to as I can relate to it. Note "dancing" means jumping up and down and nearly being knocked out my my own man boobs.
This song hit Number 1 in the UK at the time of major rioting in many cities around the country. The Specials broke up soon after this song was released.
I think I liked it because it was something different from what I usually listen to. The horns were nice. Though this wasn't bad, I'd prefer to listen to straight reggae. Score 3.2 with some jerk chicken.
Some of The Specials went on to form Fun Boy Three whose most well known song is "The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum", a song most apt for the years 202/21. Also Justin; Ska also included "Madness"...Now you MUST have heard of them...right? Check out "One Step Beyond". Madness are still playing and have become somewhat of a national treasure in Britain. The played a gig in London on their 25th anniversary at which the dancing was so vigorous it registered 4.2 on the Richter scale! (Now if that doesn't make you curious I don't know what will!)
The Specials released only two albums before splintering. Key members left and formed other groups who recorded with some semblance of success. So, from "The Specials" came "General Public" and "Fun Boy Three" with "Specials AKA" the name used for the material recorded with the remainder of the Specials. From General Public you should hear their song 'Tenderness'; from Fun Boy Three, 'The Tunnel of Love' and Specials AKA's mega hit was 'Free Nelson Mandela.' Check these out sometime, you'll be glad you did.
Enjoy Yourself, Gangsters, and A Message to you Rudy. Just 3 of many many great songs by them. Other 2 Tone era bands to check out are Madness and The English Beat.
One of the best songs ever. I think the specials where the first mixed race band, when race tensions where still not good. Or they where the first big mixed race band. True skinheads, who originally came from the Jamaican Rude boys (Roody) and so on. Before the far right took hold of many skinheads. Sadly most people only remember the far right ones :(
Two Tone was a record label in England in the 1970s which fused earlier Jamaican Ska with the punk atitude with bands like The Beat, The Specials, Madness etc which then brought an apreciation of the original Jamaican artists
Hi Justin stumbled across your channel a few weeks back, Thank you for not interrupting song you're reacting to and giving a fair and considered opinion even if it's not your thing "Ghost Town" really reflected the political and socio-economic mood in the U.K at the time and is a classic here in the U.K, Also became the Irish national anthem briefly (Father Ted joke there) Anyway all the best Jim, Surrey, England Cheers Dude X
This one made me finally subscribe to a reaction channel. Well done, sir. You really listened and had something interesting to say. As for requests, how about something by The Clash? Most will push London Calling but I think you might find Revolution Rock more interesting off the same album. If you want something fun to continue a Specials exploration, perhaps look up Fun Boy Three. They are the same three vocalists you hear on Ghast Town but as a different band. Dammers (one of the vocalists here) wrote "Our Lips are Sealed" with Jane Wydon(?) of the Go-Go's. A big hit for the Go-Gos but Fun Boy Three had their own version.
You've confused Jerry Dammers, the Specials keyboard player and main driving force, with Terry Hall who did sing with the Specials, Fun Boy 3 and as a solo artist as well as co-writing Our Lips Are Sealed with Jane Weilden of the Go-Gos.
@@JustJP If you do The Clash - another band that I know has great lyrics, but I don't enjoy, in general - than my vote goes Straight To Hell. Recently found another reaction channel and their take on this song was hilariously off the mark. I'm not a fan of the "you get it or you don't" philosophy, but they REALLY didn't get it...
As a long time music lover, you keep picking a lot of tracks that I love, all the way from prog to goth, ska and more. Ska was my first music love, when I as growing up in London in the early 80's. So I had to subscribe.
I was 17 when this came out and it captures the mood in the UK at the time. Punk had been a predominantly white anti-establishment movement a few years earlier but Specials and some of the other ska bands were mixed race. Young people showing the old guard the way. From the same year, UB40 ‘One in Ten’ captures the feeling of being young, unable to find work and struggling to survive. Might be worth a listen.
I have a vinyl sleeve of this signed by 3 original members of The Specials! Jerry Dammers the founder hopefully is going to sign it next! it came out in June 1981.
Ugh! They recommended THIS song? Oh my. Oh well. This is one of my least favorites of theirs, and I absolutely ADORE the Specials. In fact, I did a challenge just recently of listing 10 albums which influenced me most in my musical tastes and upbringing. "The Specials" title album was one of the first 2 or 3 I listed. Bands to list The Specials as particularly influential on them include The Police, Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, Madness, Amy Winehouse (and on and on). They were considered one of the most influential bands and sounds of their time. Let's see... what's a better recommendation(? thinking... give me a minute)? I tell ya, almost anything on their first album is more interesting to me than Ghost Town. I find "Message to Rudy" to be particularly interesting because the vast majority of people believe "Rudy" is a person, but Rudy isn't. Rudy was a slang name for the slang label "Rude Boys" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rude_boy (easier to link it than retype everything they say in that article), so the song is a "Message to the Rude Boys." I find "Stupid Marriage" to be one of the most fun songs to listen to, but it might be a tad too silly for you (I really like silly. You may, too, for all I know, but I don't know for sure). It's a LOT of fun, though!!! If you're looking for something to lighten things up and bring a bit of levity to your day, I would strongly recommend you give it a listen. Musically I find Blank Expression really gets across the instrumentation of Ska really well, but it's not the greatest song (lyrics are a tad dry--drums are fun, though). One of my favorite "F*ck off" songs (as in a category of song, LOL) is "Little Bitch." "Little Bitch" was also featured as dance music in the teen romp movie Sixteen Candles. I could go on a bit more about the Specials, but I really hope you choose to react to something from their first album. Their 2nd and 3rd albums were definitely a different vibe and were made after Terry Hall started suffering badly from depression, and basically started telling his fans to F*ck off. Anyway, glad you liked some of the parts of this song.
A lot of the British music around this time, late 70s to early 80s, was very much in this vein. The view from the street was extremely dystopian against a government that didn't seem to care, or even try to relate to the silent majority. Many bands of that era put their own spin on the situation, probably the best ones are Ghost Town (Specials), and Antmusic (Adam and the Ants), perhaps you could react to that one? Keep up the good work.
This was such a great song to dance to in the clubs with friends. The spooky slow feeling made it a great breaker song. Any music by the Specials made FANTASTIC party music. The fighting refers mostly to neo-nazi skin-heads instigating fights. It was particularly bad in England and parts of Europe. That stuff started fights, along with some tensions that started before clubtime. It popped up in the US in large cities mostly, but even in my little college town there were some twerps who decided to start moshing when no one else was. I remember when there was only one guy who decided to "slam dance" during Red Red Wine by UB40. A lovely slow ska/reggae song, and this guy just starts slamming and tripping into people in a wide birth. People were NOT happy. I think I poured what was left of my spilled beer onto him, and some people kicked him (among other not nice things). Eventually, the bouncers had to take him out. It was harder if there were more than one. The bars started 86ing those guys because they were so obnoxious. I can only imagine what it was like in London and other major English cities where a club had to be closed due to fighting. This is a fun little genre of music. UB40, The Beat (or English Beat), Madness... plus several others. It's an undervalued genre and deserves more credit for contributing to music as we know it today, particularly DJ formulated music. I also have to say that Rude Boys were snappy dressers!!!
I know I am really late to this party. First of all I am so psyched you reacted to this group, I haven’t seen anyone react to ska yet. Secondly, I am so surprised no one has mentioned “Free Nelson Mandela “ by The Special AKA, which is a protest of Apartheid in South Africa and of the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela. It is a gorgeous, upbeat song given the subject.
80s Britain. It's about the city of Coventry, a time of unemployment and poverty and how the city was just left to fall apart by the government. It was the same for many parts of the UK. So the song was revalent to the time.
Not really much extra to add. Some great comments on here for this track. I like the song a lot, even though Ska isn't a genre I listen to. I think I would have been maybe around 9 or 10 when this came out, and it's difficult to think of a song that sums up the mood and atmosphere of that time under Thatcher, with all the strikes and riots, and working class towns and cities being forgotten and neglected. Haunting really, and more so when you watch it with the original video. As always, great reaction Justin👍 Another song you should check out is 'Town Called Malice' by The Jam. More upbeat than this, but with similar subject matter. These are all soundtracks of a generation, that sum up the atmosphere of the time perfectly.
I always thought Ska came after Reggae as well. Turns out Ska was the birth of a lot of music in Jamaica. "Skank" refers to the up stroke of the guitar on the off beat where the terms Ska comes from. I would recommend "Rock Fort Rock" by The Skatellites. Its an early Ska song, with a very jazzy build but with that unique Ska feeling. Just started watching your videos and I'm hooked. I love watching you become a Genesis fan. You're very sincere and honest about good songs you don't like. I've only been cherry picking the songs I like right now, but i look forward to checking songs I'm not familiar with along with you.
i'll never forget this song reached no.1 in the charts just as the 80's Brixton riots were happening. an extraordinary moment and zeitgeist predicted and captured by Britain's foremost ska band
Ska is Reggae's grandfather. The Skatalites, Prince Buster and others in the early to mid 60's until it evolved into Rocksteady and later Reggae! The Rnglish Ska revival to elements of Jamaican Ska with Punk themed lyrics and new wave influences. Two Tone referred to not only the name of the label but because of the bands multi racial lineups!
Jamaican Ska was the first wave of Ska then Marley,Tosh,Bunny Wailer & Aston family man Barrett brought over their 60s ska style & then the UK exploded with it loads of Ska
Yes, yes, yes. Great band. You definitely should check out a few others by them. Gangsters, Too much to young and Rudy are three I would highly recommend. Great reaction and breakdown by the way.
Firmly with Justin on this one. I don't like reggae and I never enjoyed listening to this song. But it's brilliant for the unsettling atmosphere that it creates. Everything is spot-on in how it's dead-off. Truth be told, this is a masterpiece. I would check out The Specials, just on the basis of this song that I don't even like...strange. But I fear it's like with The Clash, who I heard good songs of, checked their stuff and found that I really don't enjoy listening to most of their material, no matter how thoughtful and "important" the lyrics may be. At the end of the day, it's still reggae.
My next suggestion is Peter Gabriel In Your Eyes Live Secret World. Peter Gabriel was the original lead vocalist for Genesis. The performance and feel good vibe of this track are simply unmatched by anything else. Very unique and beautiful.
Funny as I suggested a reaction to Rhythm Of The Heat which is such a different vibe than In Your Eyes. Just goes to show the musical range of Peter Gabriel.
Growing up live concert (circular stage that rotates) professionally filmed in Italy. Hands down the best concert ever. HD sound and picture. Imaginative stage sets including a boat for Mercy Street and a giant inflatable ball that PG sings inside of. Sadly you tube has cut it up in separate songs but still worth a watch. th-cam.com/play/PLCzjRwMz4w5BEvlYpHNFGLtaOBX0U5NN0.html
@@jaybird4093 The live (Secret World) version is another step up from the album. It sounds as good but the performance is where it shines. It's a life affirming, joyous experience that will leave you feeling "this is what it should all be about" and by that I mean life, society and relationships.
It’s talking about the late 70’s and early 80’s of Thatchers Britain . She had ripped the heart out of British heavy industry , coal mining , docks,steel making, car making, railways, ship building etc etc UK was a bleak environment at the time , strikes, mass unemployment, simmering racial tensions and inequality culminating in the Poll Tax riots …?dark days and that’s what they are reflecting here . IMO 👀 👍🏴
Technically it wasn't sampling because Michael Caine recorded his bits specifically for the song. Had to be talked into it by his daughter apparently, who was a fan of the band.
I think Madness sold out to SKA, they were great to start with then novelty took over, first two albums superb then '7' came out all down hill from then as they were only interested in pushing out novelty records.
The song is relating to racial tensions at concerts in the late 1970s and the rise of a political organisation called the National Front who would instigate violence mainly directed at any kind of racial unity. This was written in a time of mass unemployment and the destruction of manufacturing by Margaret Thatcher's Conservative Government and the sense of disillusionment and lack of investment in the youth and upcoming generation. This song became the soundtrack of a summer of Riots across the UK against treatment of BAME people by the Police and authorities (sound Familiar?) The Horn section is played by Jamaican musician Rico an original Ska Musician. The singers are Neville Staple and Terry Hall , Terry Hall doing the haunting refrains you refer to. So yes more than one vocal and vocalist features
Perfect for Covid 19. Check out The Police Don’t stand so close to me. Glad you checked out Ska. This reminds me of my teen years so much. I really would like it you checked out Toots and the Maytals. More reggaeish 54-46 is my number, Pressure Drop or Funky Kingston.
Gerry dammers is the lead singer of the specials , and he started the record label two tone. The first two tone tour included the selector Madness and dexis midnight runners. Madness who are still going are my favourite, try the prince, or cardiac arrest. The fantastic Mike Hard-on being behind most of the music.
I wish you would react to a french song called "Je t'aime moi non plus" by Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin. It was quite a scandal at the time (1968) and was banned both by the BBC and the Pope himself! You're in with a surprise for this one.
![The Specials - Ghost Town [Official HD Remastered Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RZ2oXzrnti4/mqdefault.jpg)
![[BAEMON NEWS 7] NEW ALBUM COMING IN](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wtVeAPimOyo/mqdefault.jpg)
Possibly the most important, most relevant song ever released in the U.K. A masterpiece of unease and isolation.
Couldn't put it any better than that, One of the greatest songs of all time
Written in the aftermath of the Southall riots!
One of the best times I've ever had was getting completely p****d with Roddy Radiation a few years back in Boston, Ma!
"unease and isolation". Nailed it.
The Specials were also part of a movement in England called Two Tone, a reference to the mix of black and white musicians. This is a snapshot of the late 70's English urban life.
Makes sense; thanks Dire
@Durian Durian That's not true though 🤨 There were mixed bands in the U.S. even in the 40s.
Two tone was the independent label created by the Specials. It's checker board logo represented black and white in harmony - the band, the music. Influenced mostly by 60's ska, this group was my awakening to Northern Soul and a whole array of other sounds that didn't fit the mainstream.
This song is as relevant today as it was in early 1980. This song was magic for the ears.
@@ijustneedmyself very much so brother, but then there was a 'white' conformity with how they dressed. The 60's onwards, allowed individuals to express themselves like never before. You would think that 80 years later, colour would no longer be an issue. That cops would protect all, irrespective of colour, gender or ability/disability. That freedoms fought and died for would not have been in vain. This applies as much to the UK as it does the US and further afield.
@Durian Durian The US has had mixed bands going back to the jazz age. While I admit it wasn't common, musicians tend to mix. Perhaps you should check Stax Records (Booker T & the MGs, Sam & Dave), Dr. John (working with Black and white musicians along with Black producer/arranger Harold Battiste), and the band Love to start. Believe it or not but most of the radio songs produced by Capital Records was made a group of studio musicians by what is loosely known as the Wreckin Crew, and that was a mix of races and included at least one woman. So your claim of none in the US is not true. It does not give credit to American musicians of various backgrounds that worked together through the decades. Few would be the better word.
OK! That was really unexpected. And kudos to the guy who suggested it. There are a few things to say about this song and a lot of context that has to be brought in as well.
The first thing to say was that the Specials were at the forefront of the Ska revival of the late 70s in the UK. Ska (or Blue Beat) was the forerunner if you like of reggae as we know it, post -Wailers. There were a lot of bands at that time, (say 77 onwards ) such as Madness, The Selector and The (English) Beat but The Specials brought with them a particular authenticity and those bands in general also brought with them a particular lightness - dancing on your toes, compared with the lumpen ledness (sic) of a lot of the heavy metal bands that were around at the time.
The second thing to say is that this is a VERY political song. The Specials came from Coventry, an industrial town in the midlands of England. By 1981, the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher was really starting to make clear what it wanted to do with Britain and if you lived in the traditional industrial areas of the country, the seats of the Industrial Revolution, then you were SOL. It's hard to overstate how divisive that government was -- they really encouraged the "I'm alright, Jack" mentality, especially in middle-class England, while the traditional manufacturing areas of the country were allowed to stagnate and die. The ghost towns of this song hadn't declined because bands weren't playing there any more -- I grew up in a shipbuilding town in Scotland and bands hadn't played there for years before I was old enough to notice -- but because the economic and social engineering being practiced by the government was actively killing them.
This song was #1 in the UK for a reason. Outside of the wealthier and more affluent parts of the country, people were really hurting. If you haven't heard it, give a listen to Town Called Malice by The Jam (the best Motown record that Motown never made) for another reaction to how Britain's social fabric was being rent at time. Actually, listen to it anyway because it's one of the best songs ever. Full stop.
Iain McCorquodale : Excellent history. I was surprised, as an American, how much of this time in the UK’s history I knew about. Almost all from listening to punk, ska, new wave records. I guess, often, troubled times produce great timeless music. Check out this American take by James McMurtry th-cam.com/video/jTW0y6kazWM/w-d-xo.html
Iain McCorquodale Thanks for the insight, Iain! I like the song even more, now!
It was my request thanks.
Really appreciate all the info and history; adds a ton of context to the song. Thanks Iain!
Thatcher was so divisive that she brought about the end not just of many industries but sowed the seeds for the end of the union between Scotland and England which seem to be inevitable now.
Rest In Peace Terry Hall lead singer of The Specials and beloved son of Coventry who sadly passed away aged 63. Much love to his family ,the rest of the band and to all his fans everywhere. 2-Tone forever.
This song is about the late 70s early 80s Britain it captured the mood perfectly
It's fitting the bloody mood in 2024 a little too accurately as well.
Hi Justin. A bit late to the game, but here is some quick background on Ska for you & any others slightly curious. Ska started in Jamaica in 1958. The first written song believed to be "Oh, Carolina" by The Folkes Brothers (produced by Prince Buster). Ska was danceable & uptempo in style, featuring a distinctive guitar chop on the off beat, often with lots of horn sections. It was a mix of local & Caribbean music inspired by American R & B of the '50's. Dominant in Jamaica till 1966, when Rocksteady came along for a couple years. Rocksteady was Ska-slowed down in tempo. And around 1968, Jamaicans took it a step further by slowing down the Rocksteady tempo further to create Reggae. Historically, first Ska, then Rocksteady, & then Reggae.
"Ghost Town", by The Specials, was among the first music videos I watched on MTV back in 1981. I could really identify with the song, since I lived near Youngstown, Ohio, where a number of steel mills were shut down, and collapsed the local economy. It is a collapse from which we as a community have never fully recovered. This song is one of my favorite songs from that time period. The Specials was a large group, which spawned some other successful groups. The English Beat, Fun Boy Three, and Fine Young Cannibals, were created in the aftermath of The Specials' breakup. The Specials had another hit song and music video, for "A Message To You, Rudy". That song is more danceable one. It is a fun song and music video to watch and listen to.
One of the best songs of the 80's. The Specials were superb, as were The Beat and The Selector. Check them out :-)
WarrenCromartie2 I thought it was The Selecter ?
Johonnac it is
Some other good ska tracks you should try: "Mirror in the bathroom" The Beat | "Rat Race" - The Specials | "Night Boat to Cairo" - Madness | "Missing Words" - The Selector |
Love this song. It really captured a mood here in the UK when it was released. 1981 saw a wave of riots in major cities in the UK.
It sums up the time in England when this song was released. Cheers from Down Under.
Thanks for reacting to my suggestion, especially since you coincidentally posted it on my birthday! Loved your breakdown and reaction. My goal in suggesting this song was to give you something different to react to, so I'm ok if you don't feel it's worth multiple listens. It was a pretty popular song here in Canada during my college days.
Of course Alden, I appreciate you always being around. I like having something "different" to listen to and examine, so this was perfect. Thanks again.
The Specials are from my city of Coventry, 2-Tone is a wonderful creation! They played 4 nights inside our cathedrals ruins this year, it was magical!
That does sound awesome!
i got 3 original members of The Specials to sign my vinyl sleeve of Ghost Town! it is a classic.
For those who wondering about the different stages of Ska music, yes, there are three of them. The so-called Three Waves of Ska. 1st Wave, 2nd Wave, 3rd Wave. Jamaicans created Ska first from 1958 to 1966. This was the 1st Wave. Jamaican musical genres Rocksteady & then eventually Reggae, which derived from the parent Ska music, replaced Ska in Jamaica. However, they are not the 2nd & 3rd Waves! In the late 70's in Great Britain, White Punks & some Black kids revisited the original Ska and decided to infuse it with Punk guitars & some Punk attitude (aka Two Tone). This was the 2nd Wave. The 3rd Wave took that aggression even further when American Hardcore Punk kids in the late 80's brought even LOUDER Punk guitars (aka Ska Punk).
An accurate history lesson.... the police, the clash , UB40 were also all heavily influenced by ska, rocksteady and reggae ...( Joe Strummer called it rebel music).
Just to add a bit. "Third Wave" was so much more than ska punk. There were bands that went back to the sounds of Jamaican ska, rocksteady, and 2-Tone. Bands like Hepcat, Let's Go Bowling, early No Doubt, SeeSpot, Los Hooligans, Ocean 11, Dance Hall Crashers, The Toasters, Mobtown, Checkmate, The Scofflaws, New York Ska Jazz Ensemble and many many more.
All good for the most part. The hubby and I have a small collection of Jamaican music from the 1950s and 60s. VERY R&B inspired, but completely Jamaican.
That being said, I also remember listening to a live recording of John Lennon in Japan from the 1970s. he is telling people about reggae, and how its going to change everything about music and the world is going to love it.
Lastly, just to add the Gorrilaz first two album is almost all reggae beats.
Sorry to be so late commenting on this (always late to a party!) I remember this song so well, I lived in London and there was so much unrest between the police and the young black and minority groups culminating in the Brixton Riots of '81. Absolutely bang on the mood of the time.
The band Madness is also great....."Our House" is their big hit, but "The Prince" or "Shut Up" or "Night Boat to Cairo" are excellent SKA.
2tone not ska, ska is a form of reggae whereas 2tone is a mixture of ska & punk
Ska came first & reggae came from ska. 2tone was a record label.
now 2tone is the late 70s early 80s ska revival. then in the 90s was the 3rd wave etc.
House of Fun - all about trying to buy condoms.
Man..you have a pretty brilliant take on this song, very refreshing to hear a review that is thought out and considerate..very well done man
Thanks again CN!
I enjoyed this. I'm not a huge fan of Ska or even reagee but a cool song from either genre is groovy. The Specials are special. They do touch on punk and art prog with those chord changes away from the driving main theme. That and the use of the horns reminds me of Oingo Boingo and to a degree Talking Heads. I'm sure both were influenced by The Specials. Great job again, Justin. You do a thorough job with your reactions. Light years beyond the norm on youtube.
That actually means a lot to me Rosen; thank you.
Try: Too Much Too Young and A Message to You Rudy
It does annoy me when songs like this, or Love Will Tear Us Apart, are used when they are not, for me, a true reflection of their usual music.
This song was a great dance track back in the punk/new wave clubs back in the day! Very original tune!
The song was about the inner cities devestated by the right wing government at the time. It perfectly created the mood of the time when there was a lot of social unrest and riots due to a lot of racial tension
Listening to The Specials brought me back, I have a request for another oddity from the same era but different genre. This song is from a new wave/art rock band called XTC, song called senses working overtime. Quirky but very good!
Thanks Ron!
Love the album Skylarking.
Some of the music in this song has an old 'creature feature', horror vibe. Really enjoying your vids. Would love to hear you do some of The Clash songs.
The Specials were at the forefront of what became Two Tone with their 1st 45 released in 1979. At the time there was only one decent radio DJ by the name of John Peel (RIP) who was legendary for promoting new sounds on his late night BBC radio show. He had been very instrumental in getting Punk Rock into the public's attention but by '79 that scene had reached it's peak and Two Tone along with the revival of '60's Mod had become the new scenes of interest to the up and coming teenage generation. Ska began in Jamaica in the very early 60s and that scene changed with the excessive summer heatwave of 1966 and as a result the bands slowed down the beat which became known as Rocksteady that evolved into Reggae by '68 and by the end of the '70's reggae had evolved through various phases such as Dub, DJ and Roots. Also by this time many Jamaicans had emigrated to the big cities in England bringing with them all these great sounds that added influence to UK music with The Clash being one of the more prominent Punk Rock bands to embrace it in 1977. Two Tone basically was a melting pot of all these scenes and Ghost Town released in 1981 pretty much was the peak of it with the Specials actually breaking up when the record reached the number 1 spot in the UK charts. Jerry Dammers (Keyboardist and founding member) carried on the band with some old and new members under the name Special AKA while Terry Hall (vocals) and 2 of the others formed Fun Boy 3 but neither of the 2 acts ever came close to having the vitality the Specials had.......
A vaguely interesting fact: this was a number ONE hit in the UK in 1981.
The lyrics and the atmosphere of the song fits so well the 2020 "pandemic/riots" days in a very eery way...I just realized that.
The Specials literally changed my life. That having been said, this was not one of my favorite songs of theirs. This was their last single before breaking up, so there is both depression at the state of Britain (and for this band specifically their home town Coventry) as well as a sense of impending doom for the band that had spawned an entire youth movement. In fact, many of their later songs have this feeling of dread. On the other hand, while still political, their earlier songs tend to be much more upbeat and danceable.
Ska was pre reggae, then had a revival in the ‘70’s
Check out the story of Trojan music
I'M WATCHING IN 2023 AND CANNOT BELIEVE HOW YOUNG YOU LOOK IN THIS!!
Love this song and it fitting in our COVID-19 world today. Our cities looking like ghost towns.
That was a cool tune, I think you nailed the breakdown. The Arabian sound reminded me of a snake in a basket with the snake master playing a clarinet. Not much else to say, definitely playlist for me.
Definitely had that snake charmer sound lol.
@@JustJP Charmer:-) I was racking my brain trying to figure out what they can the snake guy, so I settled with master LOL.
It's actually called the devils chord and you could get hung for playing it back in the middle ages😂
@@harrisonlupton3857 utter nonsense!
That was Coventry uk....motor city, went the same way as Detroit .I remember when they worked in the virgin record store before they were famous.
4 pork pie hats. I had this album in early 80’s. Loved ‘Message to Rudy’ and ‘Much too much... Much too Young’. Ska also influenced The Clash and Joe Jackson, among others.
Like Early Genesis, these bands were very 🇬🇧 oriented and often difficult for the casual music fan to identify with. Some, like Madness, had more commercial success with the hit ‘Our House’
An Amazing decade in the Uk from 70 to 80,Glam Rock,Punk,Goth,Post Punk,New Wave,New Romantic and completed by Ska,A Great time to be alive in the Uk.
I just discovered this reaction of yours Justin! It showed up in my recommendations just today. I didn't know you were aware of The Specials, most people are not. I've dug their music for quite a while. You can hear a lot of different influences in Ghost Town: the reggae/ska rhythm of course, but then they add this vibe with the horns and melody that reminds me of film noir private eyes, a 1940s feel. It's very cool. There is an extended version of Ghost Town that's 5:58 in length, and has a long horn interlude at the end that's kinda cool. The first album of theirs that I got decades ago had a song called "Gangsters" that's pretty cool. It's got a strong reggae beat and has very interesting songwriting. You should maybe check it out. I've always liked them, but it's not something that I listen to all the time.
This song makes me think of another song that has a mid-eastern/Arabian feel to it. "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" by They Might Be Giants. You should definitely check it out. It's a cover of a 1953 swing-style song that they Might Be Giants recorded in the 90s. It's got a unique pop sound that borrows from mid-eatern music heavily. You may just like it!
The Specials were voicing what many felt at the time. The government were so disliked by many sections of society - Margaret Thatcher's right-wing years as PM, when lots of mines were shut down, devastating old established communities, lots of unemployment and years of poverty and hopelessness (and 'ghost towns'), leading to a lot of rioting. The song isn't meant to be 'relaxing'. It perfectly reflected the mood of much of society then. It says a lot that when 'Maggie' died in 2013, the song 'Ding dong the witch is dead' from the Wizard of Oz film, peaked at number 2 in the uk singles chart.
Nice catch on the upbeat music vs haunting music in the good vs bad times 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
When I hear this part:
yaaaaaaaAAAA
yaaaa yaaa yaa yaa yaaaa YAAAAA
I always picture the Muppets singing backup, colorful hair and fur swaying along
A timeless classic.
Two great songs from The Specials are Gangsters & The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum (as Fun Boy Three)
as a teenager I heard the hell out of The Specials, The Selecter and Bad Manners.... wow.. great to find them on your channel.
Ty Tintop
I´m just old enough to remember seeing this on Top of the Pops when it came out. As others have said, it captures the mood of the early Thatcher years perfectly. If you want to hear something completely bonkers listen to Lip Up Fatty by Bad Manners - not one for making a video of but for slipping into a playlist at a family party when everyone has had a few drinks. There´s no introspection, no deep and meaningful lyrics, just a brilliant Ska band fronted by a fat sweaty bloke pounding out the tune and having a ball. It´s the only song that I feel happy "dancing" to as I can relate to it. Note "dancing" means jumping up and down and nearly being knocked out my my own man boobs.
This song hit Number 1 in the UK at the time of major rioting in many cities around the country. The Specials broke up soon after this song was released.
Brilliant track.....thanks JP
I think I liked it because it was something different from what I usually listen to. The horns were nice. Though this wasn't bad, I'd prefer to listen to straight reggae. Score 3.2 with some jerk chicken.
How about going back to the early days of ska, with Prince Buster, Toots & The Maytals, The Skatalites, Desmond Dekker. Loads of gold to dig up there.
Some of The Specials went on to form Fun Boy Three whose most well known song is "The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum", a song most apt for the years 202/21.
Also Justin; Ska also included "Madness"...Now you MUST have heard of them...right?
Check out "One Step Beyond".
Madness are still playing and have become somewhat of a national treasure in Britain.
The played a gig in London on their 25th anniversary at which the dancing was so vigorous it registered 4.2 on the Richter scale!
(Now if that doesn't make you curious I don't know what will!)
Takes me back to my school days
The Specials released only two albums before splintering. Key members left and formed other groups who recorded with some semblance of success. So, from "The Specials" came "General Public" and "Fun Boy Three" with "Specials AKA" the name used for the material recorded with the remainder of the Specials. From General Public you should hear their song 'Tenderness'; from Fun Boy Three, 'The Tunnel of Love' and Specials AKA's mega hit was 'Free Nelson Mandela.' Check these out sometime, you'll be glad you did.
Enjoy Yourself, Gangsters, and A Message to you Rudy. Just 3 of many many great songs by them. Other 2 Tone era bands to check out are Madness and The English Beat.
One of the best songs ever. I think the specials where the first mixed race band, when race tensions where still not good. Or they where the first big mixed race band.
True skinheads, who originally came from the Jamaican Rude boys (Roody) and so on. Before the far right took hold of many skinheads. Sadly most people only remember the far right ones :(
Two Tone was a record label in England in the 1970s which fused earlier Jamaican Ska with the punk atitude with bands like The Beat, The Specials, Madness etc which then brought an apreciation of the original Jamaican artists
Hi Justin stumbled across your channel a few weeks back, Thank you for not interrupting song you're reacting to and giving a fair and considered opinion even if it's not your thing "Ghost Town" really reflected the political and socio-economic mood in the U.K at the time and is a classic here in the U.K, Also became the Irish national anthem briefly (Father Ted joke there) Anyway all the best Jim, Surrey, England Cheers Dude X
Hey there Druid! Thank you so much, I appreciate that
This one made me finally subscribe to a reaction channel. Well done, sir. You really listened and had something interesting to say. As for requests, how about something by The Clash? Most will push London Calling but I think you might find Revolution Rock more interesting off the same album. If you want something fun to continue a Specials exploration, perhaps look up Fun Boy Three. They are the same three vocalists you hear on Ghast Town but as a different band. Dammers (one of the vocalists here) wrote "Our Lips are Sealed" with Jane Wydon(?) of the Go-Go's. A big hit for the Go-Gos but Fun Boy Three had their own version.
Thats means a lot Timon, thank you so much. I may have to do some Clash; can't say I've ever gotten into them.
You've confused Jerry Dammers, the Specials keyboard player and main driving force, with Terry Hall who did sing with the Specials, Fun Boy 3 and as a solo artist as well as co-writing Our Lips Are Sealed with Jane Weilden of the Go-Gos.
@@MrTumshie You got me. That's what I get for trying to remember 30-year-old information on the fly. Thanks for the correction.
@@JustJP If you do The Clash - another band that I know has great lyrics, but I don't enjoy, in general - than my vote goes Straight To Hell. Recently found another reaction channel and their take on this song was hilariously off the mark. I'm not a fan of the "you get it or you don't" philosophy, but they REALLY didn't get it...
This song is awesome! So awesome. It was awesome long before Covid made every town become a ghost town.
That’s a great tune and not one often reacted to. Nice!
As a long time music lover, you keep picking a lot of tracks that I love, all the way from prog to goth, ska and more. Ska was my first music love, when I as growing up in London in the early 80's.
So I had to subscribe.
Nice! Appreciate you joining me here!
I was 17 when this came out and it captures the mood in the UK at the time. Punk had been a predominantly white anti-establishment movement a few years earlier but Specials and some of the other ska bands were mixed race. Young people showing the old guard the way. From the same year, UB40 ‘One in Ten’ captures the feeling of being young, unable to find work and struggling to survive. Might be worth a listen.
You are correct, they’re are different waves and influences/ decades of ska starting in the late 70s and peaking in the mid to late 90s
Great band Great song
The 6 minute extended version is incredible and superior to the shorter single version.
I have a vinyl sleeve of this signed by 3 original members of The Specials! Jerry Dammers the founder hopefully is going to sign it next! it came out in June 1981.
Ugh! They recommended THIS song? Oh my. Oh well. This is one of my least favorites of theirs, and I absolutely ADORE the Specials. In fact, I did a challenge just recently of listing 10 albums which influenced me most in my musical tastes and upbringing. "The Specials" title album was one of the first 2 or 3 I listed. Bands to list The Specials as particularly influential on them include The Police, Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, Madness, Amy Winehouse (and on and on). They were considered one of the most influential bands and sounds of their time. Let's see... what's a better recommendation(? thinking... give me a minute)? I tell ya, almost anything on their first album is more interesting to me than Ghost Town. I find "Message to Rudy" to be particularly interesting because the vast majority of people believe "Rudy" is a person, but Rudy isn't. Rudy was a slang name for the slang label "Rude Boys" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rude_boy (easier to link it than retype everything they say in that article), so the song is a "Message to the Rude Boys."
I find "Stupid Marriage" to be one of the most fun songs to listen to, but it might be a tad too silly for you (I really like silly. You may, too, for all I know, but I don't know for sure). It's a LOT of fun, though!!! If you're looking for something to lighten things up and bring a bit of levity to your day, I would strongly recommend you give it a listen. Musically I find Blank Expression really gets across the instrumentation of Ska really well, but it's not the greatest song (lyrics are a tad dry--drums are fun, though). One of my favorite "F*ck off" songs (as in a category of song, LOL) is "Little Bitch." "Little Bitch" was also featured as dance music in the teen romp movie Sixteen Candles.
I could go on a bit more about the Specials, but I really hope you choose to react to something from their first album. Their 2nd and 3rd albums were definitely a different vibe and were made after Terry Hall started suffering badly from depression, and basically started telling his fans to F*ck off. Anyway, glad you liked some of the parts of this song.
A lot of the British music around this time, late 70s to early 80s, was very much in this vein. The view from the street was extremely dystopian against a government that didn't seem to care, or even try to relate to the silent majority.
Many bands of that era put their own spin on the situation, probably the best ones are Ghost Town (Specials), and Antmusic (Adam and the Ants), perhaps you could react to that one? Keep up the good work.
It summs up the UK at the time I was 14 when this came out. Anger was real at the time Grimm times
This was such a great song to dance to in the clubs with friends. The spooky slow feeling made it a great breaker song. Any music by the Specials made FANTASTIC party music. The fighting refers mostly to neo-nazi skin-heads instigating fights. It was particularly bad in England and parts of Europe. That stuff started fights, along with some tensions that started before clubtime. It popped up in the US in large cities mostly, but even in my little college town there were some twerps who decided to start moshing when no one else was. I remember when there was only one guy who decided to "slam dance" during Red Red Wine by UB40. A lovely slow ska/reggae song, and this guy just starts slamming and tripping into people in a wide birth. People were NOT happy. I think I poured what was left of my spilled beer onto him, and some people kicked him (among other not nice things). Eventually, the bouncers had to take him out. It was harder if there were more than one. The bars started 86ing those guys because they were so obnoxious. I can only imagine what it was like in London and other major English cities where a club had to be closed due to fighting.
This is a fun little genre of music. UB40, The Beat (or English Beat), Madness... plus several others. It's an undervalued genre and deserves more credit for contributing to music as we know it today, particularly DJ formulated music.
I also have to say that Rude Boys were snappy dressers!!!
Deep rooted positive take on despair and change in the '80s
I am only getting Jerry Dammers autograph! he founded The Specials of Coventry. A timeless reggae/ska classic from 1981.
C. '23
I know I am really late to this party. First of all I am so psyched you reacted to this group, I haven’t seen anyone react to ska yet. Secondly, I am so surprised no one has mentioned “Free Nelson Mandela “ by The Special AKA, which is a protest of Apartheid in South Africa and of the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela. It is a gorgeous, upbeat song given the subject.
A classic track that got to number 1 in the United Kingdom.
80s Britain. It's about the city of Coventry, a time of unemployment and poverty and how the city was just left to fall apart by the government. It was the same for many parts of the UK. So the song was revalent to the time.
Not really much extra to add. Some great comments on here for this track. I like the song a lot, even though Ska isn't a genre I listen to. I think I would have been maybe around 9 or 10 when this came out, and it's difficult to think of a song that sums up the mood and atmosphere of that time under Thatcher, with all the strikes and riots, and working class towns and cities being forgotten and neglected. Haunting really, and more so when you watch it with the original video.
As always, great reaction Justin👍 Another song you should check out is 'Town Called Malice' by The Jam. More upbeat than this, but with similar subject matter. These are all soundtracks of a generation, that sum up the atmosphere of the time perfectly.
Thanks Carter!
Nite Klub, A Message to you, Rudy, Much too Young all good stuff
I always thought Ska came after Reggae as well. Turns out Ska was the birth of a lot of music in Jamaica. "Skank" refers to the up stroke of the guitar on the off beat where the terms Ska comes from. I would recommend "Rock Fort Rock" by The Skatellites. Its an early Ska song, with a very jazzy build but with that unique Ska feeling.
Just started watching your videos and I'm hooked. I love watching you become a Genesis fan. You're very sincere and honest about good songs you don't like. I've only been cherry picking the songs I like right now, but i look forward to checking songs I'm not familiar with along with you.
Thanks so much Red, appreciate you watching and enjoying the channel :)
i'll never forget this song reached no.1 in the charts just as the 80's Brixton riots were happening.
an extraordinary moment and zeitgeist predicted and captured by Britain's foremost ska band
The riots were all over the country that week.
Ska is Reggae's grandfather. The Skatalites, Prince Buster and others in the early to mid 60's until it evolved into Rocksteady and later Reggae! The Rnglish Ska revival to elements of Jamaican Ska with Punk themed lyrics and new wave influences. Two Tone referred to not only the name of the label but because of the bands multi racial lineups!
Love this song
I didn't expect Renaissance or Egg and now The Specials, it's safe to say I'm impressed.
I aim to impress and surprise :D ty
Bed and Breakfast Man by Madness... you will like that :)
P.S. Thanks for paying attention to my hero, Tom Waits. For that alone, you deserve a medal.
Great song kind of a mood piece hope you get into it
Jamaican Ska was the first wave of Ska then Marley,Tosh,Bunny Wailer & Aston family man Barrett brought over their 60s ska style & then the UK exploded with it loads of Ska
SKA is the forerunner of Reggae,revival ska was a british late 70s genre with many mixed races
Can't forget Rocksteady! I'm forever grateful to the Jamaican people for the amazing music they brought into this world.
Yes, yes, yes. Great band. You definitely should check out a few others by them. Gangsters, Too much to young and Rudy are three I would highly recommend. Great reaction and breakdown by the way.
Ty Rich!
I've got this on a 45 with a cool cover sleeve.
Yes, do Sublime - Doing Time.
Great song!
Firmly with Justin on this one. I don't like reggae and I never enjoyed listening to this song. But it's brilliant for the unsettling atmosphere that it creates. Everything is spot-on in how it's dead-off. Truth be told, this is a masterpiece.
I would check out The Specials, just on the basis of this song that I don't even like...strange. But I fear it's like with The Clash, who I heard good songs of, checked their stuff and found that I really don't enjoy listening to most of their material, no matter how thoughtful and "important" the lyrics may be. At the end of the day, it's still reggae.
Written in 1970s/80s Birmingham. Now applicable to somewhere like Flint, MI or maybe even Detroit.
My next suggestion is Peter Gabriel In Your Eyes Live Secret World. Peter Gabriel was the original lead vocalist for Genesis. The performance and feel good vibe of this track are simply unmatched by anything else. Very unique and beautiful.
Alden21 In Your Eyes is probably my favorite Gabriel song. I've never heard the live version so I’ll have to check it out.
Funny as I suggested a reaction to Rhythm Of The Heat which is such a different vibe than In Your Eyes. Just goes to show the musical range of Peter Gabriel.
Growing up live concert (circular stage that rotates) professionally filmed in Italy. Hands down the best concert ever. HD sound and picture. Imaginative stage sets including a boat for Mercy Street and a giant inflatable ball that PG sings inside of. Sadly you tube has cut it up in separate songs but still worth a watch. th-cam.com/play/PLCzjRwMz4w5BEvlYpHNFGLtaOBX0U5NN0.html
@@sidecardog5244 Secret World Live is far better.
@@jaybird4093 The live (Secret World) version is another step up from the album. It sounds as good but the performance is where it shines. It's a life affirming, joyous experience that will leave you feeling "this is what it should all be about" and by that I mean life, society and relationships.
"Rat Race" is a must by the band. Also, the rock/ska "Save It For Later" by the English Beat.
No way.
COVENTRY IN THE HOUSE!!!!
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It’s talking about the late 70’s and early 80’s of Thatchers Britain . She had ripped the heart out of British heavy industry , coal mining , docks,steel making, car making, railways, ship building etc etc UK was a bleak environment at the time , strikes, mass unemployment, simmering racial tensions and inequality culminating in the Poll Tax riots …?dark days and that’s what they are reflecting here . IMO 👀
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SKAA! "My Name is Michael Caine" by Madness.The dawn of sampling.
Technically it wasn't sampling because Michael Caine recorded his bits specifically for the song. Had to be talked into it by his daughter apparently, who was a fan of the band.
I think Madness sold out to SKA, they were great to start with then novelty took over, first two albums superb then '7' came out all down hill from then as they were only interested in pushing out novelty records.
The song is relating to racial tensions at concerts in the late 1970s and the rise of a political organisation called the National Front who would instigate violence mainly directed at any kind of racial unity.
This was written in a time of mass unemployment and the destruction of manufacturing by Margaret Thatcher's Conservative Government and the sense of disillusionment and lack of investment in the youth and upcoming generation.
This song became the soundtrack of a summer of Riots across the UK against treatment of BAME people by the Police and authorities (sound Familiar?)
The Horn section is played by Jamaican musician Rico an original Ska Musician.
The singers are Neville Staple and Terry Hall , Terry Hall doing the haunting refrains you refer to. So yes more than one vocal and vocalist features
Must try UB40 too. They came from the same camp and had that 80s cultural reggae sound
Perfect for Covid 19. Check out The Police Don’t stand so close to me. Glad you checked out Ska. This reminds me of my teen years so much. I really would like it you checked out Toots and the Maytals. More reggaeish 54-46 is my number, Pressure Drop or Funky Kingston.
Thanks so much Nanci! Very familiar with the Police' hits, love them.
Gerry dammers is the lead singer of the specials , and he started the record label two tone. The first two tone tour included the selector Madness and dexis midnight runners.
Madness who are still going are my favourite, try the prince, or cardiac arrest. The fantastic Mike Hard-on being behind most of the music.
Dammers the lead singer ?...are you sure ?
Jerry.
He is BACKING singer only. He is the FOUNDER and the ORGANIST of The Specials. Terry Hall and Neville Staple were the 2 vocalists.
To me this song has the same spookyness as strange days from the doors.
I wish you would react to a french song called "Je t'aime moi non plus" by Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin. It was quite a scandal at the time (1968) and was banned both by the BBC and the Pope himself! You're in with a surprise for this one.
Thanks Marcel!