Ghost Town

The Specials

About Ghost Town

"Ghost Town" is a song by the British two-tone band the Specials, released on 12 June 1981. The song spent three weeks at number one and 10 weeks in total in the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart. Addressing themes of urban decay, deindustrialisation, unemployment and violence in inner cities, the song is remembered for being a hit at the same time as riots were occurring in British cities. Internal tensions within the band were also coming to a head when the single was being recorded, resulting in the song being the last single recorded by the original seven members of the group before splitting up. However, the song was hailed by the contemporary UK music press as a major piece of popular social commentary, and all three of the major UK music magazines of the time awarded "Ghost Town" the accolade of "Single of the Year" for 1981. 


Year:
2000
3:41
81 

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This town, is coming like a ghost town 
All the clubs have been closed down 
This place, becoming like a ghost town 
Bands won't play no more 
too much fighting on the dance floor 

Do you remember the good old days before the ghost town? 
We danced and sang, and the music played in a de boomtown 

This town's becoming like a ghost town 
Why must the youth fight against themselves? 
Government leaving the youth on the shelf 
This place, is coming like a ghost town 
No job to be found in this country 
Can't go on no more 
The people getting angry 

This town's becoming like a ghost town 
This town's becoming like a ghost town 
This town's becoming like a ghost town 
This town's becoming like a ghost town

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The Specials

The Specials (sometimes called The Special AKA ) are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups. The band wore mod-style "1960s period rude boy outfits (pork pie hats, tonic and mohair suits, and loafers)." In 1980, the song "Too Much Too Young", the lead track on their The Special AKA Live! EP, reached number one in the UK. In 1981, the unemployment-themed single "Ghost Town" also hit number one in the UK Singles Chart. After seven consecutive UK Top 10 singles between 1979 and 1981, the band broke up. Their 1983 song "Free Nelson Mandela" was a No. 9 U… more »

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Written by: Jerry Dammers

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

Genre Classification
“Ghost Town” is a song by the British 2 Tone and ska revival band The Specials. The genre is a mix of ska, punk, rock, and reggae.
Chart Position
The song was released in 1981 and reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart, making it one of The Specials' most famous songs.
Contextual Significance
The lyrics of "Ghost Town" were a reference to the high levels of unemployment and social unrest in the United Kingdom during the 1980s.
Album Detail
While most of The Specials' songs were part of their standard albums, "Ghost Town" was not included in any studio album but was released as a standalone single.
Band Developments
This song was the last single recorded by the original seven-member line-up before five of them left the band.
Multiple Versions
There are two versions of "Ghost Town" — a shorter version that went to number one on the UK Singles Chart and an extended version that was popular in clubs.
Cultural Impact
"Ghost Town" was notably used as a backdrop during urban riots in the UK in the summer of 1981, and it is considered an anthem of its time.
Accolades
In 2011, NME placed "Ghost Town" at number 89 on its list of the 150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years.
Music Video
The music video of "Ghost Town" featured the band members driving around a deserted London in a 1961 Vauxhall Cresta, creating a visually compelling atmosphere.
Reentries
The song reentered the UK charts at number 67 in 2008, almost 30 years after it originally topped the charts.
Cover Versions
"Ghost Town" has been covered by several bands and artists across the world, manifesting its enduring popularity. Some of the bands include The Prodigy and Hot 8 Brass Band.

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