The Specials “More Specials”

sfilzen — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 20:33:22 +0000

The Specials “More Specials” 1980. 2 Tone Records. Today’s ska spin is in honor of singer Terry Hall, who died Sunday at age 63. More Specials is the band’s second LP; it hit #5 in the UK and edged onto the US chart at #98. Of note: More Specials features Hall’s first co-composition (with keyboardist/primary songwriter Jerry Dammers), “Man at C&A.” The record also has contributions by members of the Go-Go’s on background vocals. Hall and Go-Go Jane Wiedlin had affair around the time of this album’s recording, which resulted in the Go-Go’s hit “Our Lips Are Sealed,” co-written by Wiedlin and Hall, a fact – and song – that delights me to no end. (Hall’s band Fun Boy Three, formed in 1981 after Hall left The Specials, recorded their own version of “Our Lips Are Sealed” in 1983; it went to #7 in the UK.)

More Specials is a lot ska, but it also has other elements like lounge (not a fan: the song “Pearl’s Cafe” is not good), rockabilly and soul (am a fan: the track “Sock It to ’em J.B.” kicks). There’s even a touch of spaghetti western on the single “Stereotype” which hit #6 in the UK. The Specials released three other singles: the upbeat “Enjoy Yourself” (first recorded in 1949 by Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians), “Rat Race” (on the US release, not the UK version) which went to #5 in the UK and to #89 on the US Dance chart, and “Do Nothing” (#4 UK).

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The Specials “The Specials”

sfilzen — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 18:11:29 +0000

The Specials “The Specials” 1979. The Specials’ debut album, produced by Elvis Costello, mashed up classic ska with a few twists of 70′s UK punk to become a pivotal moment for ska revival (it’s considered one of the best British releases of the era). The Specials has several covers of classic Jamaican ska/rocksteady tracks like the fantastic “A Message to You, Rudy” (originally by Dandy Livingstone, 1967; trombonist Rico Rodriguez played on Livingstone’s and The Specials versions) which went to #10 in the UK; this is one of my favorite ska songs of all-time. They also cover “Monkey Man” (originally by Toots & the Maytals, 1969) – another favorite – as well as “Too Hot” (originally by Prince Buster, 1966) and “You’re Wondering Now” (Andy & Joey, 1964 and The Skatalites). I also really like the more punked-up tracks like “Do the Dog” (originally by Rufus Thomas who was not a ska musician but rather a DJ and R&B musician from Memphis) and “Concrete Jungle,” a Specials original written by guitarist Roddy Byers. Ours is the 1980 US release on Chrysalis Records (the original UK version was on 2 Tone Records) so includes the track “Gangsters” (written by Specials keyboardist Jerry Dammers) and shortens “Too Much Too Young” down by several minutes.

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The Specials “More Specials”

The Specials “The Specials”