The Specials — Ghost Town
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Total ratings: 4716
Length: 5:42
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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
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
Comments (498)add comment
Love the Specials, but please play another song from them. Come on. This is the automatic specials song that always get played.
Tremendous track.
As it's from the soundtrack, can't hear this without thinking of Mystery Men.
"You dress in the manner of a male prostitute."
"You dress in the manner of a male prostitute."
6.9? Sigh...
lily34 wrote:
this is exactly what i picture anytime i hear ska.
I Gree! Same here! Thanx RP!
this is exactly what i picture anytime i hear ska.
I Gree! Same here! Thanx RP!
ziggytrix wrote:
This ain't rock & roll, it's ska!
this is exactly what i picture anytime i hear ska.
This ain't rock & roll, it's ska!
this is exactly what i picture anytime i hear ska.
Slightly poignant with Terry Hall passing away this week.
RIP Terry Hall 
His musical legacy is there.
For us all to listen to.
And we are hearing again.
SO refreshing.
đ
Terry Hall has died at the age of 63.
Terry was a wonderful husband and father and one of the kindest, funniest, and most genuine of souls," a friend wrote.
"His music and his performances encapsulated the very essence of life⊠the joy, the pain, the humour, the fight for justice, but mostly the love.
"He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him and leaves behind the gift of his remarkable music and profound humanity."
Terry was a wonderful husband and father and one of the kindest, funniest, and most genuine of souls," a friend wrote.
"His music and his performances encapsulated the very essence of life⊠the joy, the pain, the humour, the fight for justice, but mostly the love.
"He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him and leaves behind the gift of his remarkable music and profound humanity."
Chrispy wrote:
LOL!
Nice of Yoko to provide background vox.
LOL!
Nice of Yoko to provide background vox.
1981... spectacular!
I've never heard this version! It's great!
I used to love this - and I guess I still do - but anyone who ever watched Channel 4's "Father Ted" will never be able to listen to this in the same away again...
ziggytrix wrote:
This ain't rock & roll, it's ska!
I miss ska!
This ain't rock & roll, it's ska!
I miss ska!
Truly weird mashup of genres. Halloween music? Still - cool horns and engaging vocals. Variety is the spice of life, right?
"... Desert Eagle, 0.50 ..."
Sounds like the choir from The Good, Bad and Ugly took a wrong turn and somehow ended up in a spooky house in the Bahamas
uksminas wrote:
cool image, but I don't know how it's making any sound without lungs......
cool image, but I don't know how it's making any sound without lungs......
This is one of those songs tied to a lot of nostalgia in my life. I was 21 when it came out, hitting a lot of dance clubs, listening to new music. This was cutting edge. I give it a solid 10. I'm kind of surprised to see it is rated so low but I'm happy to see all the positive comments. We are an eclectic bunch of listeners here!
slates13 wrote:
Maybe you forgot to press the final Buy Now button on your purchase of Radio Paradise!
Why is this song ever played!? It is in my bottom 5 from RP
Maybe you forgot to press the final Buy Now button on your purchase of Radio Paradise!
Funny how the day can change your opinion of a song. I forgot I had listened to and not liked this one at all- I rated it a 3. Tonight, I said "Huh! Catchy and fun!"
ziggytrix wrote:
There are some folks who wander these parts who've made it known that they detest animated GIFs.
I reckon no one knows why.
I don't detest them, but I do dislike them. I have an RP tab on one of my monitors so I can glance over and see information on the current song playing, maybe glance over for a micro-break, etc. When an animated gif comes up, it ruins my concentration because my eyes are drawn to it. But it's simple, I scroll it off the screen and move on with my life. I don't thumbs down or negatively rate a song because of it. So some people just need to move on with their lives.
This song in particular is part of the sound-track of my youth. Specials, Selecter, English Beat... Love it.
There are some folks who wander these parts who've made it known that they detest animated GIFs.
I reckon no one knows why.
I don't detest them, but I do dislike them. I have an RP tab on one of my monitors so I can glance over and see information on the current song playing, maybe glance over for a micro-break, etc. When an animated gif comes up, it ruins my concentration because my eyes are drawn to it. But it's simple, I scroll it off the screen and move on with my life. I don't thumbs down or negatively rate a song because of it. So some people just need to move on with their lives.
This song in particular is part of the sound-track of my youth. Specials, Selecter, English Beat... Love it.
Typesbad wrote:
I played trombone in school band and you're right, we never hear the trombone in rock, this is a great track, if strange and VooDoo magic sounding
As a one-time trombone player, I often don't often get to hear my instrument in rock. That is probably a good thing, but I like it here.
I played trombone in school band and you're right, we never hear the trombone in rock, this is a great track, if strange and VooDoo magic sounding
As a one-time trombone player, I often don't often get to hear my instrument in rock. That is probably a good thing, but I like it here.
slates13 wrote:
Why do you exist?
Why is this song ever played!? It is in my bottom 5 from RP
slates13 wrote:
Because a LOT of RP listeners LIKE IT!!! I like it!!!
Why is this song ever played!? It is in my bottom 5 from RP
Because a LOT of RP listeners LIKE IT!!! I like it!!!
Timeless, for me - The Prodigy cover is great too! Think they did it for a Warchild charity album - check it out! đ
slates13 wrote:
'Cause it's in the top 5 or 10 for a whole lotta folks.
Diff'rent strokes, baby.
c.
Why is this song ever played!? It is in my bottom 5 from RP
'Cause it's in the top 5 or 10 for a whole lotta folks.
Diff'rent strokes, baby.
c.
Why is this song ever played!? It is in my bottom 5 from RP
The more I hear this, the more I like it! Thanx RP!
ziggytrix wrote:
There are some folks who wander these parts who've made it known that they detest animated GIFs.
I reckon no one knows why.
But it was likely a couple of them who thumbed your skull.
I'm one of them. I can't stand animated GIFs because they're distracting and dumb, and whatever humour they might initially have gets old very, very quickly.
There are some folks who wander these parts who've made it known that they detest animated GIFs.
I reckon no one knows why.
But it was likely a couple of them who thumbed your skull.
I'm one of them. I can't stand animated GIFs because they're distracting and dumb, and whatever humour they might initially have gets old very, very quickly.
Excellent!!
rgio wrote:
Sorry, but, are you alive?
Glad to hear this one again....thanks Bill.
Sorry, but, are you alive?
I used to skip this song every time it came on. A few times I wasn't close enough to reach the skip button. Now, I turn it up whenever I can.
uksminas wrote:
Thank Mr Skeltal
Thank Mr Skeltal
Jelani wrote:
Who are the humorless A-holes who gave this two thumbs down?
There are some folks who wander these parts who've made it known that they detest animated GIFs.
I reckon no one knows why.
But it was likely a couple of them who thumbed your skull.
Who are the humorless A-holes who gave this two thumbs down?
There are some folks who wander these parts who've made it known that they detest animated GIFs.
I reckon no one knows why.
But it was likely a couple of them who thumbed your skull.
Can't get less than a 1 on this scale, or I would. Every time this comes on, my ears flinch.
Was walking down the strip around this time last year when Vegas was pretty much dead and some lone joker - the only car on LV BLVD at the time - was blaring this tune out at 400 billion watts from his car stereo. Priceless!
Glad Yoko agreed to do background vox
Our local small-town shopping centre plays music which appears to just be a random selection of whatever was released in the 1980s... One day they were playing this. Fantastic song, but definitely not something you want to play in your shopping centre đ
Hmm, this following the Stones Living In A Ghost Town.. wonder what ghoulish tune will be next?
Ghost Town update: folks are trickling back in but business still down around 30%. Another PPP round may be needed.
Nice programming... The Stones 'Living in a Ghost Town' followed by the Specials 'Ghost Town'. As much as I love the Stones I have to say I prefer the Specials song of these two.
I am a huge specials fan, but for all that is good, why is this the only specials song that is played. There are 15 other songs better than this one. Please, mix up the specials!!
It goes down 1 level every time I have to turn it down because it hurts my ears.
FourFortyEight wrote:
40 years; keep playing it.
OH dear god. I've been hearing this song for 10 years. please put this to rest.
40 years; keep playing it.
prickelpit96 wrote:
Haha "...weeks..." (Oh had we known then?!)
Perfect for these strange weeks...
And a great song too!
And a great song too!
Haha "...weeks..." (Oh had we known then?!)
OH dear god. I've been hearing this song for 10 years. please put this to rest.
actually currently as before...
Too much Covid for the dance floor...
So 2020, it's madness...
Love the descending chromatics.
in the first part of the trombone solo, he plays a melody line that you can hear in an interlude within the song âsummertimeâ by Sublime. The lyric in that song is, âoh, take this veil from off my eyes.â. itâs a nice call back.
prickelpit96 wrote:
Weeks have become months.
But yeah, great song!
Perfect for these strange weeks...
And a great song too!
And a great song too!
Weeks have become months.
But yeah, great song!
Makes me think of the Farscape theme. Though I suppose if I was older it would have been the other way.
A great song coming around again in the Covid era...how apt!
A stunning song perfectly capturing Thatcher's Britain.
Love the trombone....
âAll the clubs are being closed down. This town is looking like a ghost townâ kinda sums up the live music scene in most places. :-(
Stunningly annoying, but it's sure different!
I saw the Specials at a club in San Francisco sometime in the 90's. They weren't even having a concert. It was such a random event to walk into a dance club, hear live music, recognize the songs and then...What? Who? Is that reallyThe Specials? It was..
rtrt wrote:
Pogoing was done to punk in the 70s. By the 80s it was slamming and moshing to hardcore and then industrial music. None of these were done to "New Wave".
Proclivities wrote:
Other than being from the same decade, in what way are they alike? The chord progressions, tempos, instrumentation, and subject matters are entirely different.
Well I have to agree
The writer/lead singer, Ivan Doroschuk, has explained that "The Safety Dance" is a protest against bouncers stopping dancers pogoing to 1980s new wave music in clubs when disco was dying and new wave was up and coming
No way is that close to Ghost Town message
Other than being from the same decade, in what way are they alike? The chord progressions, tempos, instrumentation, and subject matters are entirely different.
Well I have to agree
The writer/lead singer, Ivan Doroschuk, has explained that "The Safety Dance" is a protest against bouncers stopping dancers pogoing to 1980s new wave music in clubs when disco was dying and new wave was up and coming
No way is that close to Ghost Town message
Pogoing was done to punk in the 70s. By the 80s it was slamming and moshing to hardcore and then industrial music. None of these were done to "New Wave".
On the last day I had my Year 11s in before lockdown, I played this song, which seemed to sum up all our feelings...
Now THIS is wassup!
Do you remember the Good Old Days before the Ghost Town?
Do you remember the Good Old Days before the Ghost Town?
Turning this bad boy all the way up to 10 
Perfect lockdown music!
Quinn Martin's production of the funky chicken
Nice two-fer of this following Rolling Stones "Living In A Ghost Town," Bill!
Never heard it sound so good!
Pandemic theme music. The lyrics are particularly apt.
schayler wrote:
I guess if your were born in 1901 as your profile says, its a little close to home...
Itâs just gross and awful and annoying and grating. When the first few notes hit the airwaves I canât get to my phone fast enough to turn it off.
I guess if your were born in 1901 as your profile says, its a little close to home...
Perfect for these strange weeks...
And a great song too!
And a great song too!
I was wondering when this song would appear. It was a ghost town this morning for sure.
this song reminds of when my gramma took me to my first punk show.Mosh pits,sixty second quickies and tonnes of rage."Jump in there and bash some heads"she would say.Good Times,thank you gramma and the specials too I guess.
Shades of Oingo Boingo
macadavy wrote:
Anyone else noticed the demise of live music venues (stadium concerts excepted) in their own town? It's all DJs now, they're cheaper than a live band (no offence Bill!). Too bad!
where I live there's a resurgence of the whole live music scene. uksminas wrote:
Who are the humorless A-holes who gave this two thumbs down?
Who are the humorless A-holes who gave this two thumbs down?
Anyone else noticed the demise of live music venues (stadium concerts excepted) in their own town? It's all DJs now, they're cheaper than a live band (no offence Bill!). Too bad!
HORNS!! Yippee!
Itâs just gross and awful and annoying and grating. When the first few notes hit the airwaves I canât get to my phone fast enough to turn it off.
Thought this wasn't too bad at the time, now when compared to the utter crap played on mainstream stations these days it sounds brilliant.
How good is this? 10. That's how good. Amen.
poetdancer wrote:
Just saw them May 25th at the Fox in Oakland - terrific show! And of course they played this song!
Yes! The San Diego show was terrific as well. They still bring some great energy...was fun bouncing around the dance floor.
Just saw them May 25th at the Fox in Oakland - terrific show! And of course they played this song!
Yes! The San Diego show was terrific as well. They still bring some great energy...was fun bouncing around the dance floor.
Cannon wrote:
Just saw them May 25th at the Fox in Oakland - terrific show! And of course they played this song!
I just finished purchasing my tickets for next Friday's show at the HOB in SD, and this song comes on...isn't that Special!
Just saw them May 25th at the Fox in Oakland - terrific show! And of course they played this song!
I just finished purchasing my tickets for next Friday's show at the HOB in SD, and this song comes on...isn't that Special!
Great track.
Still relevant lyrics.
No community centers
No activities for kids
Less night clubs
Less pubs
Funny this came out during a Tory Gov. as well
Still relevant lyrics.
No community centers
No activities for kids
Less night clubs
Less pubs
Funny this came out during a Tory Gov. as well
I am so glad I had a chance to hear this !
Gets incrementally annoying with each hearing.
This adjustment to the lyrics just popped into my head:
Everybody was dance floor fighting!
*pats self on head, gives self a cookie*
Everybody was dance floor fighting!
*pats self on head, gives self a cookie*
chinaski wrote:
Sorry to hear about the devastation there. Tragic.
Our RadioParadise hosts Bill and Rebecca Goldsmith just had their entire hometown of Paradise, California go up in flames in the wildfires raging throughout the state. Paradise is now that ghost town. Let's hope they are alright and post some news. See here:
Sorry to hear about the devastation there. Tragic.
Our RadioParadise hosts Bill and Rebecca Goldsmith just had their entire hometown of Paradise, California go up in flames in the wildfires raging throughout the state. Paradise is now that ghost town. Let's hope they are alright and post some news. See here:
Proclivities wrote:
Other than being from the same decade, in what way are they alike? The chord progressions, tempos, instrumentation, and subject matters are entirely different.
Well I have to agree
The writer/lead singer, Ivan Doroschuk, has explained that "The Safety Dance" is a protest against bouncers stopping dancers pogoing to 1980s new wave music in clubs when disco was dying and new wave was up and coming
No way is that close to Ghost Town message
Other than being from the same decade, in what way are they alike? The chord progressions, tempos, instrumentation, and subject matters are entirely different.
Well I have to agree
The writer/lead singer, Ivan Doroschuk, has explained that "The Safety Dance" is a protest against bouncers stopping dancers pogoing to 1980s new wave music in clubs when disco was dying and new wave was up and coming
No way is that close to Ghost Town message
pfreet wrote:
Other than being from the same decade, in what way are they alike? The chord progressions, tempos, instrumentation, and subject matters are entirely different.
Interestingly, this song and Safety Dance by Men Without Hats are about the same thing.
Other than being from the same decade, in what way are they alike? The chord progressions, tempos, instrumentation, and subject matters are entirely different.
Ghost town as featured on UK comedy "Father Ted": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9oRWKeKzC8
Interestingly, this song and Safety Dance by Men Without Hats are about the same thing.
TUNE !
Jota wrote:
It's strange because in the UK we now have 10 Orange asshats influencing government with the DUP, The Hillbilly Taliban, influencing the Conservative party.
Hey Jota, you don't speak for everybody in the UK - in fact your region doesn't even want to remain within the UK so shut up and try this on for size...
It's strange because in the UK we now have 10 Orange asshats influencing government with the DUP, The Hillbilly Taliban, influencing the Conservative party.
Hey Jota, you don't speak for everybody in the UK - in fact your region doesn't even want to remain within the UK so shut up and try this on for size...
Listening to this in Coventry right now. Perfect!
LowPhreak wrote:
Or not. The Orange Asshat and his minions have just gotten started.
It's strange because in the UK we now have 10 Orange asshats influencing government with the DUP, The Hillbilly Taliban, influencing the Conservative party.
Or not. The Orange Asshat and his minions have just gotten started.
It's strange because in the UK we now have 10 Orange asshats influencing government with the DUP, The Hillbilly Taliban, influencing the Conservative party.
The Specials were unbelievably good at a gig near here a couple of days ago. Amazingly tight, and so many great songs for a band that was only together for two years and two albums.
vinylbob wrote:
Relax. The country will be fine.
Or not. The Orange Asshat and his minions have just gotten started.
Relax. The country will be fine.
Or not. The Orange Asshat and his minions have just gotten started.
hayduke2 wrote:
always loved this piece of music
scary shit going on it's true, Putin's puppy will hopefully be impeached before we're all screwed
Relax. The country will be fine.
always loved this piece of music
scary shit going on it's true, Putin's puppy will hopefully be impeached before we're all screwed
Relax. The country will be fine.
fredriley wrote:
always loved this piece of music
scary shit going on it's true, Putin's puppy will hopefully be impeached before we're all screwed
This was a signature song of the early 80s, when the Thatcher regime's wilful destruction of manufacturing industry and associated communities was in full flow. It referred to Coventry in particular, but also applied to so many other manufacturing centres that were being destroyed. See the Wikipedia entry. Regardless of its musical de/merits, it's a classic song of social commentary.
always loved this piece of music
scary shit going on it's true, Putin's puppy will hopefully be impeached before we're all screwed
Funtastic!
ska ska ska!
chileflyfishing8348 wrote:
The late and great Rico Rodriguez.
Was that the "Late and Great" Nico blowing trombone on the track ?
The late and great Rico Rodriguez.
hahahaha, me hungry for something, brains even 
Was that the "Late and Great" Nico blowing trombone on the track ?
It was almost genius !!!!
I saw the link but for me it didn't quite catch>
I saw the link but for me it didn't quite catch>
Bill, Bill! This is a segué that can happen nowhere else. "Caravan" to this. F*CKING GENIUS.
This was a signature song of the early 80s, when the Thatcher regime's wilful destruction of manufacturing industry and associated communities was in full flow. It referred to Coventry in particular, but also applied to so many other manufacturing centres that were being destroyed. See the Wikipedia entry. Regardless of its musical de/merits, it's a classic song of social commentary.
The Specials "In the Studio" album is great (my failing memory had "Ghost Town" on that album but apparently it's not)
I associate this song with Halloween so much (it has worked really well on my Halloween Party playlist), so it's always weird when I hear it on RP in the middle of June.