"Rudy" stands for rude boys. Jamaican "street" gangsters, rather than a person. The song was a cover of a 1960s Jamaican song by Dandy Livingstone. I LOVE the Specials, my growing up songs, but definitely VERY specific to Coventry where they grew up. SO British , though.

@kevinashby291

5 ай бұрын

Coventry my home city and I was born around this time in 1980.

@clanmac66

5 ай бұрын

I lived in Coventry from 1970 aged 4 till 16 (1982) Saw The Special aka and Selecter live back in the day and not forgetting the support band The Bodysnatchers!

@PedroConejo1939

5 ай бұрын

@@clanmac66 I loved the Two Tone sound - I grew up in Derby, where they certainly had their fans. I saw the Selecter (might have had a crush on Pauline Black 😊) but missed the Specials' gigs. I was going to see them more recently but the lockdown intervened, and now Terry has gone; it's a reminder of how long ago those times were. Same with Toots and the Maytals. Was going to see them but lockdown and now Toots has died too.

@LouieLouie3

5 ай бұрын

Need to hit the English Beat "Stand Down Margaret"

@jamesalexander5623

5 ай бұрын

The Ruts had a great song "Staring at the Rude Boys"!

The Specials are anything but silly. They are a band with a huge social conscience. So glad you've got to them again. Was lucky to see them 3 times live, and they bring the house down.

@cameronmccaskell5024

5 ай бұрын

Indeed. The rise of the fascist National Front in the UK was confronted by the Anti Nazi League, many community organisations and activists. Music played a huge part in this resistance and bands like the Specials and the Clash were central to it.

@michaelburggraf2822

5 ай бұрын

If I remember correctly there was some turmoil in British politics when that song was released by The Specials. Wasn't that the time of the conflict between miners and the conservative government of Margret Thatcher ? Anyway I'd rather put Ska music in the 1970ies and 1980ies than the 1990ies.

@cameronmccaskell5024

5 ай бұрын

@@michaelburggraf2822 This song came out in 79, same year that Thatcher became PM. Soon followed by riots in Brixton and Toxteth. Miners' strike was 84-85.

@michaelburggraf2822

5 ай бұрын

@@cameronmccaskell5024 thanks for the correction. I was relying on my memory but seem to have memorized it wrongly.

@normandavidtidiman9918

5 ай бұрын

​@cameronmccaskell5024 Mercifully, The Clash (apart from the Rock Against RACISM gig in Victoria Park) had nothing to do with the real fascist group called the "Anti-Nazi League". And as far as I remember, the NF were actually DEMOCRATIC, not Fascist at all.

The Specials are legends in British music, but they cannot be described as a fun, quirky, silly group. Their music reflected a period of time in the UK that we were living and they sung about many serious social issues.

@pamphillips5968

5 ай бұрын

Never knew that

@jamesalexander5623

5 ай бұрын

Very Anti-Thatcher, Anti-Tory!

@helenjarvis7755

5 ай бұрын

YES

@creative-streets

5 ай бұрын

And the were one of the early racially integrated groups - 2-tone (get it). Very socially influential band. Its actually about street violence and gangsters. BUT don't let that stop onyone from dancing.

@444turk

16 күн бұрын

Damn straight

Too much too young was a great “Special’s” song. Worth a listen!

@ChelseaPensioner-DJW

5 ай бұрын

Playing at home and my Catholic Mum got meaning of the song, and was quite happy till she spat her tea out when they finished with "Try Wearing a Cap". I collapsed at her reaction.

@sandrahughes8645

5 ай бұрын

@@ChelseaPensioner-DJW 😂❤️

@gartgreenside3657

5 ай бұрын

My favourite of theirs.

@mkrmkr3805

5 ай бұрын

Top tune indeed. So appropriate then and now. Won't our host's find it 'silly,' though...?

@briz1965

5 ай бұрын

Arguably all their songs are worth a listen, loved this song as a kid. I grew up in a KES type school, 4th/5th years this came out. We already had a weekly disco on Wednesday lunchtime at school (unbelievably) and we all had a good time!!!!

Each song from the Specials is a social commentary.

@philhebden374

5 ай бұрын

bang on.

Rest in Peace, Terry Hall (the white guy singing in the center). He just passed away in 2022 and was the group's primary songwriter. He even co-wrote the Go-Go's "Our Lips Are Sealed" with Go-Go Jane Weidlin. He suffered from bouts of severe depression for most of his life and bipolar disorder later in life as a result of being abducted and abused when he was twelve.

@1969JohnnyM

4 ай бұрын

The band was formed by Jerry Dahmers who also created 2 Tone Records, he was the primary song writer such as Ghost Town. The band had 7 top 10 singles then in 1981 Hall, Staple and Golding left to form Fun Boy Three. Dahmers then used an earlier name the band had used at times The Special AKA with which there biggest hit in that time was'Free Nelson Mandela'. Really surprised a fan of The Specials didn't know Dahmers {Guy with missing front teeth} was their primary song writer in their peak period .

I can't easily convey how much this band meant to my friends and I. Legends. RIP, Terry.

This music is called Ska, and the lead singer Terry Hall has left us now at the young age of 63

The Specials were way more than a “silly fun type of group”. Their songs had deep meaning, reflecting the concerns of disaffected Caribbean youth culture in England. The Specials were at the forefront of the ska revival of the late 70s and early 80s, centered around the Two Tone record label. This song is a cover of an original ska song from the 1960s. There was a “silly fun” group in the ska revival who you have also reacted to, Madness.

@lynnejamieson2063

5 ай бұрын

Very true, though I would go further than saying they were ‘reflecting the concerns of disaffected Caribbean youth culture’. I’d say they were talking about fears and everyday strife of all the youth and young adults of working class backgrounds (throughout the UK, not just England) as they were experiencing the decimation of everything that was familiar and safe to their areas, along with UK industries disappearing…and what do the youth in deprived areas do? They become antisocial as they have nowhere to go and nothing to do, they hang around on the street amusing themselves, which seems intimidating to many, that leads to anger, which makes them behave worse.

@HelenH-fk2jh

5 ай бұрын

@@lynnejamieson2063 Yeah, they're definitely not Madness. Who were the "silly fun type of group". The Specials were REALLY not like that. Much, much deeper, much more serious.

@andymageen5308

5 ай бұрын

It’s hard to convey what they meant to a modern audience, they just don’t have the references ✌️

@StephenGoddard-MiisterSpiice

5 ай бұрын

Two Tone was music to bring black and white people together.

@mrbenn1489

5 ай бұрын

🙄

I know every generation thinks the music they grew up with was the greatest but imo here in the UK the Post Punk/New Wave/Ska music from ‘77 to ‘82 really was fantastic. The Specials were one of the best around. I learned a lot about the world I was entering from their music and lyrics.

@trevorhope8447

5 ай бұрын

Totally agree, mate. Me and my mates are always saying that, virtually word for word.

@jeffreekoch9298

5 ай бұрын

​@@Spo-Dee-O-DeeBoomers? This is more like Gen X

@jeffreekoch9298

5 ай бұрын

@@Spo-Dee-O-Dee I gotcha. Fair enuff. Also the older Gen Xers were 14 when this came out. Lol.

@carolmillins9199

5 ай бұрын

Ditto to that...oh to be able to go back to those days.

@1970sthrowback

5 ай бұрын

@@Spo-Dee-O-Dee agreed, i was 15 when this came out . For me music was at its best '65 - '85 latest. Motown, classic rock, glam, disco, some punk not all, new wave , ska, new romantic. After that i stopped listening and go back to the classics.

DEFINITELY check out this classic,, Desmond Dekker & The Aces "Israelites"..A MUST HEAR! 🎶❤️

@darrenkessler1968

5 ай бұрын

Yes - a wonderful ska classic

@philiptodd6255

5 ай бұрын

Or it mek

Ska was not only counter-culture but covert language. "Rude Boy" is Jamaican slang for a street gangster, Rudie is a personification. Transplanted Jamaican community in London metro attracted a lot of stress and young men were denied jobs in the austerity economy of Thatcher's 1970's Britain.

@sparky6086

5 ай бұрын

Austerity was before Thatcher. In fact, it led to both The Sex Pistols & Thatcher!

@dogstar7

5 ай бұрын

@@sparky6086 Good point. 'The Crown' covers that time well.

@lynnejamieson2063

5 ай бұрын

Thatcher didn’t become PM until ‘79, so whilst she definitely had a hand in the woes of the 80’s and for many of the issues we still deal with today. She wasn’t responsible for the issues of the 70’s.

@highpath4776

5 ай бұрын

@@lynnejamieson2063 Thatcher the Milk Snatcher - 1974

@lynnejamieson2063

5 ай бұрын

@@highpath4776 and? She didn’t become the leader of the tories until ‘75 and as I previously stated, the PM until ‘79. So as despicable a human as she was, all the issues that the 70’s threw up cannot be pinned on her but all the issues of the 80’s can…as she was PM for the entire decade…and actions she took are still having a great impact on this country like the privatisation of the utilities and transport systems, the selling off council homes without replacing them and the annihilation of UK industries…along with the stunting of Trade Unions.

'Too much , Too Young' - The Specials Must see

The Specials are definitely not a joke/ joking group they are a major influence to other bands with the mixture of SKA AND REGGAE music, look into the background of the lead singer Terry Hall, kidnapped and sexually abused for years before he managed to get away, to go through what he did and form a successful group. Amazing man/ amazing group.

@martinhutton66

5 ай бұрын

kzread.info/dash/bejne/fIeq2tytd5Sypps.htmlsi=-v8dhNvWrwkmRZMw HERE'S THE LINK FOR THE TERRY HALL INTERVIEW WHERE HE TALKS ABOUT THE ABDUCTION AND ABUSE.

Nelson Mandela served 27 years in prison (1963-1990) in his fight against apartheid and for human rights.....and in 1984, The Specials (The Special AKA at that time) released the song "Free Nelson Mandela".....it's an absolute BANGER!.....a must listen

@BGNOLA

5 ай бұрын

He was a terrorist, which always gets overlooked

@ediefolta9494

5 ай бұрын

YES! So good!

@coldwhite4240

5 ай бұрын

The joke at the time used to be: "FREE Nelson Mandela... with every ten gallons of 4 star". 🤣

@domcataldi1382

5 ай бұрын

And offered release if he would just denounce violence, he wouldn't. So he served over 20 years longer than needed. He was convicted for the illegal possession of grenades, bomb making material (a police station had recently been blown up by his group) and firearms. While in jail the ANC (his group) became famous for necklacing people, lighting a tire on fire that was placed around the victim's neck. This resulted in people being burned alive. He refused to denounce this. He's no hero, learn your history.

@BuddyBoy68

5 ай бұрын

An absolute banger. Jay and Amber would love it! 👍

Obviously Jay and Amber have the title confused. 'The Specials' were a great band, inspired by the original Ska bands and artists such as 'Prince Buster'. Rudy = A Rude Boy, someone into Jamaican street culture in the '60s, the term saw a revival in '70s U.K. with the Two Tone movement. Other tracks by them: "Nite Klub", "Little Bitch", "Too Much Too Young" (as 'The Special A.K.A.'), "Gangsters" (as 'The Special A.K.A.'), "Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think)", "Do Nothing", "Nelson Mandela" (as 'The Special A.K.A.'), "Rude Boys Otta Jail", "Hey, Little Rich Girl". There are many more tracks by them but these are good ones to continue with.

@panamafloyd1469

5 ай бұрын

Oh, you beat me to it, but I'm glad you did! We had one Jamaican kid in my little clique in high school (here in the US). I bought The Clash's "London Calling", couldn't wait to play it for everyone. "Rudie Can't Fail" started playing, and the guy started laughing. "I have some 45rpm in my record collection. I shall bring them next week." Yeah, you've already guessed..it was mostly Prince Buster and the Skatalites.

@Adam_Le-Roi_Davis.

5 ай бұрын

@@panamafloyd1469 Thank you, I'm great lover of Ska, Rocksteady, and Reggae music in general. I thought that it would be a good idea to explain a little history/background for Jay and Amber.

@panamafloyd1469

5 ай бұрын

@@Adam_Le-Roi_Davis., you did the work I was too lazy to do. One of the likes on your comment is me.. 😄

@Reani71

5 ай бұрын

@@Adam_Le-Roi_Davis. I remember that I explained it to them months ago already, also that there were three separate waves in the 60s, the 80s and the 90s. Either they forgot or they didn't read it at all.

@lynnejamieson2063

5 ай бұрын

Great list, though I’d personally add on Friday Night Saturday Morning and Man at C&A.

1. The Specials - "Ghost Town" (1981) 2. Madness - "Our House" (1982) 3. The Selecter - "On My Radio" (1980) 4. The English Beat - "Mirror in the Bathroom" (1980) 5. Bad Manners - "Special Brew" (1980) 6. The Toasters - "Don't Let the Bastards Grind You Down" (1987) 7. The Specials - "A Message to You, Rudy" (1980) 8. Madness - "One Step Beyond" (1979, but popular in the early '80s) 9. The Beat - "Save It for Later" (1982) 10. Fishbone - "Party at Ground Zero" (1985) These songs showcase the vibrant and energetic ska scene during the 1980s.

@BuddyBoy68

5 ай бұрын

Don't forget 'The Prince' by Madness. Yet another banger of theirs from the very start of their wonderful career. Æ 🙏

@dancarter482

5 ай бұрын

@@BuddyBoy68 YES! Without doubt their BEST song.

@vernonrabbetts

5 ай бұрын

I'm an old bastard and I endorse this message..

@briz1965

5 ай бұрын

Lip up, fatty 😊

@orcoastgal

5 ай бұрын

FISHBONE!🎉

This is late 70's ,early 80's. They were a fun Ska band, but often with a serious message as at that time unemployment in the UK was quite high. Two good ones by them were 'Gangsters' and 'Rat race'. Terry hall was the lead vocalist who went on to be part of Fun Boy Three and also solo . Fun boy three did some songs with the girl group Banarama , and they are worth checking out with 'Robert De Niro is waiting' and 'Shy Boy'-Colin Ward

@theodoreritola7641

5 ай бұрын

Released in the 70s

@seanswinton6242

5 ай бұрын

Also, Fun Boy Three, "Ain't What You Do, It's The Way That You Do It"- a song by Fun Boy Three also with Bananarama.

A very important influential group who’s many songs addressed what was happening in Society at the time ,the original was a 60’s Rocksteady sound which is also great

The Best of times, 80's midlands , oh to have it back !

The Specials were part of a British Ska revival in the late 70's and early 80's which also included Madness, The Beat, The Bodysnachers, The Selector and Bad Manners.

Im now 68 years old... THIS was my youth !...

@mickraines8908

5 ай бұрын

Hey Carl me too

@carlmildner859

5 ай бұрын

I was one of those unruly youths who came out of the skinhead culture ( where paradoxically , we loved Ska and Reggae )... The Specials and Selecta were a natural move forward from the youth culture music I was into... do you remember Bob & Marcia ... "Young, Gifted & Black "? @@mickraines8908

When I was a teenager SKA was massive and in London it was rife. We had the rebirth of the mods, punk and ska all at the same time. Great Times. 🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿✌️🧡

The three main members of the Specials left and formed Fun Boy Three - who did a song with Bananarama called "It Aint What you do (but the way that you do it)" ❣

@sheikyebouti184

5 ай бұрын

Sorry, but I think you will find the main person behind The Specials is Jerry Dammers. The founder and main songwriter/arranger of their early material

Hi, you two! It's Andrew Erroch fae Paisley in Scotland here. This is what I've been waiting for from you. I've just had a quick look at the comments and I see others have nailed it already. This is definitely not a silly, fun band. Their songs do have a fun sound to them. I'll give you that, but there is usually a serious message behind them. My all-time favourite song of The Specials, or I should say, 'The Special AKA', as they are sometimes known, was also the very first 7-inch vinyl single I ever bought, in 1979. I just had to have it, and I was only 11 years old at the time. That amazing song is 'Gangsters'. It's an absolute classic and it's timeless. You'll find it's quite a bit different from those you've heard already, but I'm sure you'll love it. Maybe not as much as I did, and still do, but I'm sure you will love it. Probably best that you avoid their single 'The Boiler', sung by Rhoda Dakar, as that might traumatise you. Please also check out other Two Tone Ska music. For example, you've already reacted to Madness, but there is soooo much more to them for you to discover, including their first two tone single, called 'The Prince', in honour of Jamaican legendary artist, Prince Buster. Æx 🙏

@MrYahboo

5 ай бұрын

Mind the Bungalow Bar, aye?

@BuddyBoy68

5 ай бұрын

@MrYahboo Do you mean the Bungalow Bar on Shuttle Street in Paisley? Aye, they have some great gigs in there, mainly tribute acts, but very good. 👍

@MrYahboo

5 ай бұрын

@@BuddyBoy68 the very same. Back in the day (early 80s) it wasn't just tribute acts - pretty much all the punk bands around at the time played there.

@BuddyBoy68

5 ай бұрын

And @MrYahboo I believe the place is still going strong. 👍

My father came from Jamaica with an original 7 inch vinyl of this. This remake was right up his street 25 years later.

Thank you so much for this! I grew up in Tottenham in London and this was the sound of my childhood. At a time when we went to the youth club and had a Friday night disco, great memories ❤

Ska is Jamaican music from the 60's which was later picked up by English kids and had a revival in the late 70's and 80's. First there was Ska, then Rock Steady followed by Reggae. Brief history of 60's Jamaican music.

@seanswinton6242

5 ай бұрын

Exactly. You nailed it.

@kevanwillis4571

5 ай бұрын

Before Ska we called it Bluebeat. Also it's worth listening to Mighty Sparrow, Ten to one it's murder.

Been a favorite of mine since I first head it at my brother’s 21st Birthday Party November 1979.

The Specials were what would become known as a 2-Tone band, from the desire to overcome racial tensions in Thatchers Britain, bands that signed to the 2-Tone label tended to feature both black and white artists. The 2-Tone label was founded in 1979 by a member of The Specials, the first 2-Tone release was by The Specials and The Selector...

@seanswinton6242

5 ай бұрын

True. I just saw a documentary on the entire period and the history of 2Tone Records.

@savaloy666999

5 ай бұрын

Saved me typing that... 👍

They went on to form The Fun Boy Three and also made a song with Bananarama, which you have checked out b4 ❤😊🇬🇧

You're Wondering Now, Pressure Drop... Love The Specials. One of my ALL TIME favorites.

I blame the mislabeling on the cheer weekend. They're all discombobulated. 🤣

Definitely have to check out the Specials ( Specials AkA ) Free Nelson Mandela the Video It’s one of my all time favorite videos because they mix Jamaican Ska with South African Juju music ( South African Soul/Funk music) The video takes place in a dance hall with regular folks Totally Getting Down doing the dance of the youth of South Africa which can be described as African type of break dance and it’s cool AF And the song it’s self is five alarm 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥!!!!

The Specials were incredible! Love the melody and instrumentation on this one!

I love reggae and ska. Grew up in Ontario Canada and I love this music. The Specials guarantee a smile. Enjoy Yourself ..That song was used in a beer commercial years ago. Just a fun Ska/Reggae fusion band.

'Too Much, Too Young' is also good from them...

Wow, the Captain & Tennille have changed a lot from what I remember!🤪🤪

@cassyharrison3592

5 ай бұрын

LOL

@RobertoSantana61

5 ай бұрын

🤣🤣🤣

@CPny65

5 ай бұрын

LMAO

@jamesevans3492

5 ай бұрын

Yep . . . Ouch, And lol . . .

@Joseph-wf4qg

5 ай бұрын

They actually song great. They were unlistenable back in the day

The specials are amazing, madness and the jam are great ska bands

Specials were not Kookie, they were very political. This is a cover of an original SKA song from 1967 by Dandy Livingstone, of Suzanne beware of the devil fame, and many more. The saxophonist is Rico Rodriguez who was one of the early SKA musicians, and carried on in the late 70s and 80s revival.

@terenceprice3972

5 ай бұрын

It’s actually a trombone Rico is playing. He was awarded an MBE in 2007 for his contribution to music. Sadly passed in 2015.

You are thinking of Ska Punk, like No Doubt (Gwen Stefani), Mighty Bosstones, Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, Rancid, etc. Which is a fusion of ska and punk. Popular during the '90s and '00s. But, started back in the '70s and '80s. Ska/reggae bands and punk rock bands would share the same concerts, due to their underground roots and similar ideology. . That's why you they shared influences on each others music. Created the fusion of punk and ska. Shared the same crowd and audience. You got ska/reggae fans enjoying punk, and punk rock fans enjoying reggae/ska. There was a large influx of Caribbeans immigrating into the UK during those years. So that is where it began. They brought over reggae, ska, etc. Ska, which is Caribbean music upbeat version of reggae with horns. Bands like Madness, The Beat, The Specials, Bad Manners, etc, So you kinda got it.

@jamesalexander5623

5 ай бұрын

"Lip Up Fatty"!

Pressure Drop, since you've already heard Ghost Town.

Rudy is a reference to rude boys that was a movement in Jamaica to call young delinquents who listened to Ska and Reggae. Later on in the 70's and 80's it was a very popular cultural movement in England a bit after the Punk explosion. Check out The Clash song Rudie Can't Fail for another great example of Rude Boy culture.

NO, no no!!!! I couldn't get this BRAIN WORM of a song out of my head when it was first on the radio and now you've brought it back! It's living in my brain!

@tamcon72

5 ай бұрын

This works for either song!

@davelister2961

5 ай бұрын

Memes be meme-ing.

Growing up when we had this great ska revival music was fantastic but my dad schooled me where it all come from and to this day I still play all his original ska and reggae records, if you have spare time just listen to a few artists from trojan records , it’s a good start and expand from there

That definitely ain’t The Captain & Tennille!!

@kentonkruger8333

5 ай бұрын

"This is not Mel Tormé..."

@tinahairston6383

5 ай бұрын

It's funny how several other comments didn't point out that this isn't Captain and Tennille because they didn't listen first, LOL!

@brad6576

5 ай бұрын

@@kentonkruger8333 Deja Vu "Haven't we met before?"

@kentonkruger8333

5 ай бұрын

@@brad6576 So happy somebody got that one :)

@dannyrhollingsworth4200

5 ай бұрын

I don't think this is the right video

Rob Squad getting a little good natured roast from the loving fans...

Not what I was expecting But any day is a good day for some ska The specials were great 🎶

@Jude_196

5 ай бұрын

Great tune!! The Specials were awesome - but, I'm guessing Toni & The Captain were "off stage" to the left??

Part of the British new wave ska/reggae Two Tone movement like The English Beat, UB40 etc

No, The Specials were a SKA band with very serious (usually social) messages.

This song was featured on the Grosse Pointe Blank soundtrack, which I recommend for your movie channel.

@jeffreymayes907

5 ай бұрын

Good movie with a good soundtrack

@patkelly8309

5 ай бұрын

Might watch that now actually Thanks

Actually they were a serious band singing about social issues.

Now you’re playing my music… Two-Tone Forever! The 2nd Ska Revival was Pioneered by The Specials. This s 2nd wave of ska, also known as two-tone ska, was a popular in the late ‘70s & early ‘80s This is a remake of the 1967 rocksteady song by Dandy Livingstone. Original Ska dated from about 1960 to mid 1966. Rocksteady lasted from late 1966 to late 1968. The popular beat from 1969 to about 1983 was named reggae and had two phases 'early reggae, from about 1969 to 1974, and 'roots reggae, from about 1975 to 1983. Roots, Rock, Reggae!!

This is a SPECIAL song 😉😄

The Specials - “Gangsters”

For more great 80's Ska you should definitely check out some Bad Manners. They will put a smile on your face.

The Specials had a great great song in the mid-80s, called "Free Nelson Mandela". I recommend it.

I went through my Ska phase from the late 70s through the mid 80s. Loved every minute of it. THE ENGLISH BEAT were my favorites 😊

Finally some good ska music,, The Specials "Monkey Man",, "Pressure Drop" & "Nelson Mandela"

In 1979, I was 14 when this song came out. Back then, according to the music you followed, you'd be called a Punk, A Grebo, A Mod. This song falls under the Mod/Ska banner. I liked Mod/Ska/Reggae but I also like most music so it was a great time for music, as all the 70s & 80s were ;-)

Rude boy, mon (Jamacian accent)! 😅. Ska is awesome music its fun. 🕺🎺🎸

This is the first Specials song I heard on the radio way back when and got hooked.

When Nelson Mandela was still in prison and not widely known outside of South Africa The Specials released a song called 'Free Nelson Mandela' to shine a spotlight on his cause, this was in 1984 a full six years before he finally gained his freedom but the song opened a lot of people's eyes to what was happening and contributed to the UK putting sanctions on the apartheid government of South Africa in 1986. It didn't hurt that its a really catchy song just like a lot of the music they made.

A message to you,Rudy. By The Specials.

Part of Ska's 2nd wave from the late 70s-early 80s in England...Two Tone. What Amber remembered was the Ska 3rd wave (So-Cal ska-punk from the 90s). Other Two-Tone bands that I believe you guys have reviewed are Madness and English Beat.

I would love to see you guys react to The English Beat "Mirror in the Bathroom". It gives more of that 80s Ska sound.

I've been waiting for this one! Great choice.

The Specials where the Social Commentary ones, Madness where the Nutty Boys and Bad Manners where the party boys!

Gangsters & blank expression are worth a listen 👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧

The Specials were a key member of the Two Tone movement in the UK. In the 70s the UK was plagued with riots by and against immigrants from the Caribbean and South Asia. A lot of police brutality, racist "go home movements" and uprisings in the poor/immigrant- dominated public housing estates. The Two Tone movement preached a new definition of the UK as multicultural. Musically they drew heavily from the Caribbean. This song is a cover of an original Jamaican reggae song.

RIP Terry hall a cool band from my area in the uk

Save it for later- The Beat is probably my favorite song of all time. Ska was such a great departure

Something to check out. The Melbourne Ska Orchestra (MSO) is an Australian ska and reggae band formed in 2003 by Nicky Bomba. Known for their dynamic performances, the orchestra boasts a large lineup featuring a brass section, percussionists, and more. Here are a few notable songs by The Melbourne Ska Orchestra: 1. **"Get Smart"** 2. **"Lygon Street Meltdown"** 3. **"The Diplomat"** 4. **"Third Time Lucky"** 5. **"Funky Monkey"** 6. **"Heard It Through the Grapevine"** (Cover) 7. **"Ain't Nobody"** (Cover) 8. **"Time to Wake Up"** These tracks showcase the band's eclectic mix of ska, reggae, and influences from various genres, making them a distinctive presence in the contemporary ska scene.

Lol, way off on the title, 😂 But thanks for doing The Specials again, they are very difficult to understand if you weren’t there at the time, they are very socially conscious and most of their songs carry a much deeper meaning. This song is a warning to their fans, Rude Boys (rudie) who were getting a bad reputation for tearing up the clubs where the band were playing. It’s hard to understand with only a modern reference. ✌️

@BGNOLA

5 ай бұрын

I know this was a cover of an early 60s ska song

One of the most important bands to come out from the uk 2 tone legends I was there at the beginning 1979 still a rude boy RIP Terry hall - John Bradbury and Rico

“A silly, fun type of group” you couldn’t be more wrong!

lol!! ’Explain this!’ Your title is hilarious!!😂😂

they and 'Madness' took the Go Gos to England to tour in 1980 before they got famous- it was that tour and their release of 'We Got the Beat' in England that led to their getting a record deal/etc.

The Specials are such a cool band! A Message to You Rudy is a remake of a traditional reggae/ska song. Rudy or Rude Boy was a young follower of Reggae. This is when punk went ska. London was in turmoil and the Specials caught into that vibe. One of the lead singers co-wrote the Go-Go's Our Lips are Sealed. Their new band Fun Boy Three does an amazing take on the song; I would recommend it. It is sometimes called the British version of Our Lips are Sealed.

TERRY HALL (WHITE VOCALIST) is the one who composed the GOGOs song OUR LIPS ARE SEALED. He was romantically involved with JANE WIELAND (Guitarist of the GOGOs). Try his other band FUNBOY THREE's version of OUR LIPS ARE SEALED. Do the live studio version

Just to put them on your radar, especially for female friday, there were a couple groups on Two Tone(the Specials record label, run by their keyboard player, Jerry Dammers) with woman among their ranks. The Selecter and The Bodysnatchers. Check out Missing Words by The Selecter, and Easy Life by The Bodysnatchers Also, if you’re waiting to do anything from Bob Marley & The Wailers, Tuesday, the 6th, would’ve been Bob’s 79th birthday. So, that’d be cool.

Tennile was a Honorary Beach Boy. She played keyboard with Beach Boys on Tour.

@paulwalker9421

5 ай бұрын

wasn't that the captain?

@Great-Documentaries

5 ай бұрын

So what? Lots of people played on "Beach Boys" songs both in the studio and on tour. What she did with the Captain is FAR more important.

@stevenjohnson4190

5 ай бұрын

​@@paulwalker9421 Yes, both have played with the beach boys during their careers.

The SPECIALS were the real deal, the best in class

Another band around the same time is The Beat from England worth a look❤😊🇬🇧

@johnsilva9139

5 ай бұрын

Oh yes, they must do The English Beat, not to be confused with the American group called The Beat. "Mirror in the Bathroom" and "Too Nice toTalk To" were two of my favorite songs.

@jackieburchell2187

5 ай бұрын

@@johnsilva9139 yes great songs gonna have a look again myself ❤😊🇬🇧

Ska music was from Jamaica the mods in the U.K. adopted it in the 1960 s by the late 60 s it morphed into what is known as reggae this cover was from the second wave of the mod movement in 1979

@seanswinton6242

5 ай бұрын

The 2Tone Records label sound from Coventry! Great stuff! ❤

I remember Tennille as being a whole lot prettier! 🤣

Ok you labeled this wrong, lol.

This was not as advertised!!😬 For a minute there I thought it was April fool's day! 😄😄

Love me some ska, well played!! 🎉

A great ska band with an Excellent female lead is The Selector. Try On My Radio and Too Much Pressure. They were in Coventry, England, where The Specials are from, around the same time - late 1970s through the 1980s.

Man, my brother used to love this song!!

I love that you think this is goofy fun. Ska and Two Tone in the UK grew out of the West Indian community in a time of real tension. Many of my mates were Jamaican heritage and I loved the culture. I wore all the 2 tone style. Terry Hall and the guys were very serious about the message they were putting out. I think you might be confusing The Specials with Madness, the Nutty Boys, who were more quirky, who you have reacted to. Check out The Beat as well.

I had no clue The Captain and Tennille were part of The Specials!!! You kids must have been exhausted when doing the title for this one... *SLEEP* dear children, sleep 😴🛌

@Jude_196

5 ай бұрын

They must've been singing backup??

The first album by The Specials started the Ska Revival in 1979. I never get tired of Ska, either. That first album had great songs like Too Hot, Monkey Man, Gansters, and You Wondering Now. The horns on Nite Klub are excellent! The next Album More Specials begins with Enjoy Yourself, Its Later Than You Think, a cover. Rat Race, Stereotype, and Do Nothing, were huge hits in the UK, but not the USA. Ghost Town, from the 3rd Album, went to number 1 in the Uk. I liked The Selecter just as much. On My Radio, Carry Go Bring Come (a cover), and their version of the James Bond Theme, and Too Much Pressure stood out to me.

Oooooh I remember this one, good vibe!

Oh my not what I expected. Muskrat love was sung by America or Captain N Tennille . Lol

@DanalynTuthill-yl4hd

5 ай бұрын

It was done by both. I thought America did it first.

More ska please! The Toasters are a great second wave ska band (like The Specials and Madness), and they will be playing at Mercury Lounge in Tulsa on April 25th. You guys should make the drive over to see them if you can! We don't have a lot of ska bands come through Oklahoma, but The Toasters have been stopping here for years. They're always great.

@BretSnyder

5 ай бұрын

And some Untouchables

The Specialis are legends

A hint of Madness about them adding the fun element to music

Y'all mentioned that you used to think of ska as sort of nineties punk-ish stuff, and I've met a number of young people who didn't know that ska and punk predate the nineties. Ska was an early sixties Jamaican form that was revived by bands like the Specials in the late seventies (this 1979 song is a cover of a 1967 Jamaican song), and punk originated (in the form people are familiar with) in 1976-77. Jordan mentioned that he thinks of the Specials as fun and silly, but many of their songs are political and social commentary. "Ghost Town" was about Thatcherite England. Successor band The Special AKA put out one of my favorite songs of all time in 1984: "Free Nelson Mandela."