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The Specials — Gangsters
Album: The Specials
Avg rating:
7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1000









Released: 1979
Length: 2:46
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Bernie Rhodes knows Don't Argue

Why must you record my phone calls?
Are you planning a bootleg LP?
Said you've been threatened by gangsters
Now it's you, that's threatening me

Can't fight corruption with con tricks
They use the law to commit crime
And I dread, dread to think what the future will bring
When we're living in gangster time

Don't call me scar face

Can't interrupt while I'm talking
Or they'll confiscate all your guitars
And Catch 22 says if I sing the truth
They won't make me an overnight star

Don't offer us legal protection
They use the law to commit crime
I dread to think what the future will bring
When we're living in real gangster time

Bernie Rhodes knows Don't Argue
Comments (79)add comment
Rest in Peace Terry you will be sadly missed. 
Wonderful - probably my fave song of theirs! 👍
made me look up 

Bernie Rhodes
The Specials as a cultural-social phenomena is... well... very SPECIAL

Chika chika chika

Keep on steppin' 
Oh now this takes me back.... Two Tone. Still a breath of fresh air.
absolutely the best ska band of all ... so so good
I just love the abrupt, skillful rhythm changes on this one. Addictive, and tons of fun, it flashes of so many kinds of brilliance. RP rocks!
Still true today...

"Can't fight corruption with con tricks
They use the law to commit crime
And I dread, dread to think what the future will bring
When we're living in gangster time
Don't call me scar face"
Just saw these guys live in concert last week.  Fantastic!
 ceicilbee wrote:
i keep hearing mc hammer "can't touch this" at certain moments...

 
That's unfortunate.
{#Clap}{#Clap}{#Clap} Great Stuff! Specials Forever! {#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}
i keep hearing mc hammer "can't touch this" at certain moments...

A chilling anthem of the winter of discontent.
Coventry's most famous sons. For that matter, The Specials are probably Coventry's only famous offspring. The city is pretty underwhelming and downbeat, and doesn't seem to have improved much since they recorded Ghost Town about how the place was wrecked during the Thatcher years.
Polka anyone?
It's funny but i am old enough to know madness and the specials from when they were hot, but in the beginning for a moment i thought this was madness too. and although i did not see it that way then i have to agree: this is much better than madness. The specials were really ... Something special :)
worst version of this ever heard......{#Ass}
sounds like the Munsters theme.....{#Lol}
 philinnz wrote:
I thought it was Madness - and I love it

 
Much MUCH better than Madness!
I thought it was Madness - and I love it
That's more like it!
I was so tired of punk back then when The Specials came along with a new kind of party.
After a mess of myopic folkies and hipsters, the humor of ska and the Specials is so refreshing!
Nice to hear this from The Specials
Ska on Thanksgiving Day.   Love it.


Hey! have you been in my mind? Ska: no more than 2 tracks a day,"do not exceed stated dose" 

 
ziakut wrote:
This is wonderful in smaller doses...much like the way I feel about Madness. 
 


This is wonderful in smaller doses...much like the way I feel about Madness. 
 Foot wrote:
Are you kidding!  Instant classic circa 1982...
 
Yes, great song - circa 1979, however.


 neuticle wrote:
If you don't like this, I don't know if I feel sorry for you or am mad..tough one..
 
I was just about to say: I'm not a big fan of the Specials, but I do like this one.
If you don't like this, I don't know if I feel sorry for you or am mad..tough one..
Back in the day you either dug the Specials or you didn't. I loved them.
 musicdan wrote:
Great Friday afternoon music! 
 

...give it a try on a rainy Monday morning!
SPECIAL!
Are you kidding!  Instant classic circa 1982...
 musicdan wrote:
Great Friday afternoon music! 
 
And how!
Great Friday afternoon music! 
anything with that ska beat get's me skankin'!
For 30 years, have remebered this performance on SNL as one of the all-time best.  After hearing now, went to YouTube to confirm.

https://youtu.be/iP-0MIs_Jjk 

Verdict: Yep.
great song that sounds as fresh now as it did when it first came out.
 rickhoran wrote:
don't call me scarface!
 
I always thought he was saying "Don't call me snot-face".

Did anything actually come of these guys regrouping? There was a report in the Grauny last year that they were getting back together.
 lemmoth wrote:
great song from a great record produced by Declan Patrick Aloyisius MacManus
 
Elvis Costello

 tapatia1072 wrote:
FABULOUS set this morning! Thanks Bill for making my first Monday back at the office post-vacation a bearable - even pleasant - one.
 
Agreed!
FABULOUS set this morning! Thanks Bill for making my first Monday back at the office post-vacation a bearable - even pleasant - one.

"Ghost Town" flicks my switch


 Bridieboo wrote:
Fab!
 
2nd!
Thank you for your quick answer. Nice song IMHO.

 
oppositelock wrote:
Amy Winehouse has covered a couple Specials songs including Hey Little Rich Girl, Monkey Man and Your Wondering Now. Not sure about Gangsters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mu3XcgI6VOA

 

Fab!
great song from a great record produced by Declan Patrick Aloyisius MacManus
don't call me scarface!

A song (excellent by the way) from the economically troubled times of 1979 - how apt Bill! Thanks.
Wow, that was spectacularly horrid.
Me luffs Terry Hall.
Chumbawamba-1984 wrote:
Help! There is a cover of this song. I can't remember who did it.
Amy Winehouse has covered a couple Specials songs including Hey Little Rich Girl, Monkey Man and Your Wondering Now. Not sure about Gangsters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mu3XcgI6VOA
Help! There is a cover of this song. I can't remember who did it.
algrif wrote:
Don't call me Scarface!
This'll wake you up!
"Don't ask me cause I don't know" part is from Dallas soundtrack :)
rocco1207 wrote:
for my high school talent show, me and my friends formed a band and did a Specials medley of this song, Nite Club and one other one. We called ourselves Rudy and the Mod Vespas
Awesome! Wish I'd been at that school!
for my high school talent show, me and my friends formed a band and did a Specials medley of this song, Nite Club and one other one. We called ourselves Rudy and the Mod Vespas
oppositelock wrote:
Don't call me Ska Face!
Pretty much sums it up. More Specials!
Oh yeah...
Don't call me Ska Face!
Schweet transition from the delgados. Er, nice recovery I mean.
Brought the house down with this song on SLN a couple of years ago, I mean a couple of decades ago.
Where's my lederhosen??
I'm liking it...and I'm an old school metal head!
Love this band, they still get heavy rotation at my ranch 20+ years on
very cool. brings back some crazy, hazy memories!
specials are awesome!
No, no, don't stop this noise!
Easy 9.
will you stop with this noise, gee whiz
Don't call me Scarface! My name's Capone. Al Capone
This reminds me of something, what I dunno.... I give it a 6, mby higher if I remember (of course higher might be the reason I forget)
Nice to hear Bill mix it up a bit. Ska is fun in small doses.
A classic. Thanks for playing this, and to the uploader!