History Music / TheSpecials

* ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjONGEeOSyQ Gangsters]]''
* ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-B1MfQeRXz4 Too Much Too Young]]''
* ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVcD1xAMTo8&feature=channel A Message to You, Rudy]]''
* ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ2oXzrnti4&feature=channel Ghost Town]]''

The band released two albums and seven consecutive top ten singles before breaking up in 1981 when Hall, Staple and Golding left to form a new group (Music/TheFunBoyThree), Byers struck out on his own and Horace Panter decided to quit. Reverting back to the original name of the Special AKA, Dammers kept the band going long enough to make a third, less successful album (though the single "Nelson Mandela" was a hit), and the group had disappeared by the mid-1980s. After several attempts to get the band back together during TheNineties, the Specials reformed in 2009 with their original line-up and a new horn section, but Jerry Dammers himself was conspicuously absent.

[[caption-width-right:350:Rude Boys Outta Jail. Clockwise from top left: Roddy Byers, John Bradbury, Lynval Golding, Jerry Dammers, Terry Hall, Horace Panter, Neville Staple.]]

The band that would become the Specials was formed as the Coventry Automatics in 1977 in [[UsefulNotes/TheMidlands Coventry, England]]. Leading members of Britain's second-wave ska revival, their sound - popularly known as 2 Tone - was a combination of danceable {{Ska}} and energetic PunkRock, popular in Britain at the time. Their most recognised, seven man line-up consisted of Terry Hall (vocals), Neville Staple (vocals, toasting), Jerry Dammers (organ, main songwriter), Roddy Radiation (lead guitar), Lynval Golding (rhythm guitar), Horace Panter (bass guitar) and John Bradbury (drums). Horn players Rico Rodriguez (trombone) and Dick Cuthell (trumpet, cornet and flugelhorn) were included as honourary members during their late-seventies heyday.

Keyboard player Jerry Dammers was undoubtedly the driving force behind the band and perhaps even the entire 2 tone movement. As one of the founders of 2 Tone Records, Dammers provided a springboard for many aspiring ska groups thanks to the 2 Tone policy of contracting an artist for one single with no obligation to produce further records for the label. Bands who benefitted from these unconventional arrangements included {{Music/Madness}} and The Beat, both of whom released successful debut singles under the 2 Tone label before moving on to different companies.

Popular in their day, many of their lyrics were socially and politically conscious. Their number-one hits, ''Too Much Too Young'' and ''Ghost Town'' encouraged contraception and attacked the [[UsefulNotes/MargaretThatcher Thatcher government]] for its role in creating unemployment respectively. Dammers was also strongly anti-racist and he wanted to use his music to promote racial harmony and attack the [[ThoseWackyNazis National Front]]. The music itself was generally standard ska fare, characterised by syncopated guitar chops, energetic hammond organ accompaniments and reasonably simple horn arrangements; trombone player Rico Rodriguez had played with several first wave ska artists in Jamaica before he moved to the UK. As front man, Terry Hall had a sarcastic, expressionless delivery which contrasted with the energetic, wacky toasting style of Neville Staple.

The band released two albums and seven consecutive top ten singles before breaking up in 1981 when Hall, Staple and Golding left to form a new group (Music/TheFunBoyThree), Roddy Radiation struck out on his own and Horace Panter decided to quit. Reverting back to the original name of the Special AKA, Dammers kept the band going long enough to make a third, less successful album (though the single "Nelson Mandela" was a hit), and the group had disappeared by the mid-1980s. After several attempts to get the band back together during TheNineties, the Specials reformed in 2009 with their original line-up and a new horn section, but Jerry Dammers himself was conspicuously absent.

Their drummer, John Bradbury, died at the age of 62 on December 28 of 2015. Three months earlier, Rico, the trombonist, had passed away.

* TheBandMinusTheFace: Terry Hall was absent from the often-overlooked albums produced during TheNineties, but the trope was averted to an extent because Neville Staple is equally recognisable as front-man.

* SurprisinglyGentleSong: "It Doesn't Make It Alright" from ''Specials'', which is a slow and peaceful song about [[BeYourself being yourself]], in contrast to much more energetic (and [[LyricalDissonance spiteful]]) tracks from the album.

[[caption-width-right:350:Rude Boys Outta Jail]]

* YouSuck: The reason that the song "Stereotype" exists, and "Little Bitch" to a lesser extent.

Popular in their day, many of their lyrics were socially and politically conscious. Their number-one hits, ''Too Much Too Young'' and ''Ghost Town'' encouraged contraception and attacked the [[MargaretThatcher Thatcher government]] for its role in creating unemployment respectively. Dammers was also strongly anti-racist and he wanted to use his music to promote racial harmony and attack the [[ThoseWackyNazis National Front]]. The music itself was generally standard ska fare, characterised by syncopated guitar chops, energetic hammond organ accompaniments and reasonably simple horn arrangements; trombone player Rico Rodriguez had played with several first wave ska artists in Jamaica before he moved to the UK. As front man, Terry Hall had a sarcastic, expressionless delivery which contrasted with the energetic, wacky toasting style of Neville Staple.

* GhostTown: They wrote the song which provides the page quotation as a critique of the policies of MargaretThatcher.

* TakeThat: Most of what Jerry Dammers wrote was a Take That against somebody, be it MargaretThatcher, the National Front, women in general or the band's own fans.
* TheVillainSucksSong: Their cover version of Music/BobDylan's "Maggie's Farm" was targeted squarely at MargaretThatcher.

----

The band released two albums and seven consecutive top ten singles before breaking up in 1981 when Hall, Staple and Golding left to form a new group (Fun Boy Three), Roddy Radiation struck out on his own and Horace Panter decided to quit. Reverting back to the original name of the Special AKA, Dammers kept the band going long enough to make a third, less successful album (though the single "Nelson Mandela" was a hit), and the group had disappeared by the mid-1980s. After several attempts to get the band back together during TheNineties, the Specials reformed in 2009 with their original line-up and a new horn section, but Jerry Dammers himself was conspicuously absent.

Their drummer, John Bradbury, died at the age of 62 on December 28 of 2015.

Their drummer, John Bradbury, died at the age of 62 on the penultimate day of 2015.

Keyboard player Jerry Dammers was undoubtedly the driving force behind the band and perhaps even the entire 2 tone movement. As one of the founders of 2 Tone Records, Dammers provided a springboard for many aspiring ska groups thanks to the 2 Tone policy of contracting an artist for one single with no obligation to produce further records for the label. Bands who benefitted from these unconventional arrangements included {{Music/Madness}} and the EnglishBeat, both of whom released successful debut singles under the 2 Tone label before moving on to different companies.

No relation to the film.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: "Why?" was written by Lynval Golding in response to a violent race-related attack that left him with broken ribs.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: "Why?" was written by Lynval Golding after being the victim of racial assault.

The band that would become the Specials was formed as the Coventry Automatics in 1977 in [[TheMidlands Coventry, England]]. Leading members of Britain's second-wave ska revival, their sound - popularly known as 2 Tone - was a combination of danceable {{Ska}} and energetic PunkRock, popular in Britain at the time. Their most recognised, seven man line-up consisted of Terry Hall (vocals), Neville Staple (vocals, toasting), Jerry Dammers (organ, main songwriter), Roddy Radiation (lead guitar), Lynval Golding (rhythm guitar), Horace Panter (bass guitar) and John Bradbury (drums). Horn players Rico Rodriguez (trombone) and Dick Cuthell (trumpet, cornet and flugelhorn) were included as honourary members during their late-seventies heyday.

The band released two albums and seven consecutive top ten singles before breaking up in 1981 when Hall, Staple and Golding left to form a new group (Fun Boy Three), Roddy Radiation struck out on his own and Horace Panter decided to quit. Reverting back to the original name of the Special AKA, Dammers kept the band going long enough to make a third, less successful album, and the group had disappeared by the mid-1980s. After several attempts to get the band back together during TheNineties, the Specials reformed in 2009 with their original line-up and a new horn section, but Jerry Dammers himself was conspicuously absent.

Popular in their day, many of their lyrics were socially and politically conscious. Their number-one hits, "Too Much Too Young" and "GhostTown" encouraged contraception and attacked the [[MargaretThatcher Thatcher government]] for its role in creating unemployment respectively. Dammers was also strongly anti-racist and he wanted to use his music to promote racial harmony and attack the [[ThoseWackyNazis National Front]]. The music itself was generally standard ska fare, characterised by syncopated guitar chops, energetic hammond organ accompaniments and reasonably simple horn arrangements; trombone player Rico Rodriguez had played with several first wave ska artists in Jamaica before he moved to the UK. As front man, Terry Hall had a sarcastic, expressionless delivery which contrasted with the energetic, wacky toasting style of Neville Staple.

* ElvisCostello: Produced the first album and "Free Nelson Mandela".

* TheVillainSucksSong: Their cover version of "[[BobDylan Maggie's Farm]]" was targeted squarely at MargaretThatcher.

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http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Specials_01.jpg
[[caption-width:475:Rude Boys Outta Jail]]

* AndTheFandomRejoiced: As far as the core of the fanbase (mods who enjoyed Northern Soul and reggae) was concerned, the inclusion of Rico Rodriguez on the first album.
* {{Anvilicious}}: Quite a few of their more politically charged songs ended up like this. The most anvilicious of them all, though, are probably ''Racist Friend'' and ''War Crimes''.

** And now the 2009 tour minus Dammers.
* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: The song "Holiday Fortnight" on the second album is an easy listening Latin jazz instrumental, at right angles to the style of the rest of the record.

* CoveredUp: Their version of "A Message to You Rudy". Two of their earlier songs, "Gangsters" and "Too Much Too Young", also borrowed heavily from earlier Jamaican ska songs.

* FaceOfTheBand: Mostly Terry Hall and Neville Staple.
* HighOctaneNightmareFuel: "The Boiler".

* {{Narm}}: While Jerry Dammers was a talented songwriter, some of his lyrics could leave something to be desired.

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!!Tropes

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: The song ''Holiday Fortnight'' on the second album is an easy listening Latin jazz instrumental, at right angles to the style of the rest of the record.
* ControlFreak: Some members of the band say Jerry Dammers behaved like this in TheSeventies, which is why he wasn't allowed to take part in the reunion. Dammers side of the story characterises the band getting back together as more of a hostile takeover than a proper reunion.
* CoveredUp: Their version of ''A Message to You Rudy''. Two of their earlier songs, ''Gangsters'' and ''Too Much Too Young'', also borrowed heavily from earlier Jamaican ska songs.

* CueCullen: As far as the core of the fanbase (mods who enjoyed Northern Soul and reggae) was concerned, the inclusion of Rico Rodriguez on the first album.

* HighOctaneNightmareFuel: ''The Boiler''.
* LyricalDissonance: Practically a trademark. Good examples include ''Hey Little Rich Girl'', ''Stupid Marriage'' and ''Little Bitch''. There are many more, of course.

* ProtestSong: ''Free Nelson Mandela'' and ''War Crimes'', both released by Dammers after the original band broke up. The former is credited with making Nelson Mandela a ''cause celebré'' and is still a popular song in Africa.

* TheVillainSucksSong: Their cover version of [[BobDylan Maggie's Farm]] was targeted squarely at MargaretThatcher.
* YouSuck: The reason that the song ''Stereotype'' exists, and ''Little Bitch'' to a lesser extent.

Popular in their day, many of their lyrics were socially and politically conscious. Their number-one hits, ''Too Much Too Young'' and ''GhostTown'' encouraged contraception and attacked the [[MargaretThatcher Thatcher government]] for its role in creating unemployment respectively. Dammers was also strongly anti-racist and he wanted to use his music to promote racial harmony and attack the [[ThoseWackyNazis National Front]]. The music itself was generally standard ska fare, characterised by syncopated guitar chops, energetic hammond organ accompaniments and reasonably simple horn arrangements; trombone player Rico Rodriguez had played with several first wave ska artists in Jamaica before he moved to the UK. As front man, Terry Hall had a sarcastic, expressionless delivery which contrasted with the energetic, wacky toasting style of Neville Staple.