Formed in Coventry, The Specials were the undoubted leaders of the Two Tone scene and the Ska/Rocksteady revival in the late 1970s/early 1980s.
The frontman of the band was keyboard player and founder Jerry Dammers rather than main vocalist Terry Hall, and became a regular in the music press, being noted for his outspoken political views. I had purchased the eponymously named first album, but for some reason I bought the cassette rather than the vinyl version, hence it not yet being reviewed in Fatbear's Lockdown LPs !
However, it was noticeable that I thought the best songs on the album were either covers ( "A Message To You Rudy", "Monkey Man", "You're Wondering Now" ) or written by someone other than Dammers eg "Concrete Jungle" by guitarist Roddy Radiation.
I didn't care too much for the Number 1 hit "Too Much Too Young", which was credited to Dammers, but was based on a song by Lloyd Charmers, who received an acknowledgement, whilst "Stupid Marriage" drew heavily from a Prince Buster song.
"Rat Race" was released as a single six months prior to the second album "More Specials", and Dammers was again all over the music papers describing his intense dislike for college/university students who would waste three years mostly getting pissed before getting good jobs. I was going to university a few months later so wouldn't exactly be a friend of Jerry's, although his description was uncannily accurate ! However, I actually liked the song, but was surprised when I discovered that the song was written by Roddy Radiation ! "Rat Race" was only included on the US release of "More Specials".
The first single from "More Specials" was "Stereotype", which was something very different to the band's earlier work, and was described in some quarters as "Muzak" or "Lounge Music", but I found it quite hypnotic. Shortly after, I purchased the album, and again found the better tracks, apart from "Stereotypes" were not written by Dammers.
My favourite songs at the time were "Enjoy Yourself", written in 1949 and which became the theme tune to Billy Cotton's Band Show in the 1950s and a music hall standard, "Hey, Little Rich Girl", written by Roddy Radiation, "Do Nothing", written by guitarist Lynval Golding, although I would also admit to quite liking the Dammers penned "Pearl's Cafe", which featured Rhoda Dakar from the Bodysnatchers.
The sticker on the cover states there is a free single included. If I did receive this then it is no longer in my record collection, and I have no clue what songs were on it !
Looking at the track-listing now, there were two songs that I couldn't remember, but I expected that they would become very familiar again after the first few notes.
Side one begins with "Enjoy Yourself" and as the title implies it is a jaunty number, played in a ska style, with boisterous backing vocals, and brass on the edge of being out of tune. It sounds like everyone is having fun. Apparently, the verses sung here are taken from the Prince Buster cover rather than the 1949 original. "Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think. Enjoy yourself, while you're still in the pink. The years go by, as quickly as you wink. Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself, it's later than you think. Hello I'm Terry, and I'm going to enjoy myself first !".
"Man At C&A"is notable for being the first song where Terry Hall is a joint songwriter. Its a bit of a reggae/muzak crossover with Latin/Jazz horns over doomsday and nuclear war lyrics. The horns are the best part of the track. It starts with "Warning Warning, nuclear attack" with the chorus "But I'm the man in grey, just the man at C&A. And I don't have a say in the war games that they play".
"Hey, Little Rich Girl" tells the sad tale of a young girl moving to London with high aspirations only to fall into pornography to make ends meet, and her father then being shocked to see videos in which she is the screen star. Musically, it is a lively toe-tapper with Lee Thompson from Madness playing saxophone, and Amy Winehouse later did a good cover version. Listening today it is my favourite song on the album. "And you were a rich girl, only having fun. But your worn out dresses brought stares from everyone. Hey, little rich girl where did you go wrong?".
Ska number "Do Nothing" has an easy going, slower pace, a catchy chorus and brass similar to "A Message To You, Rudy". "They're just living in a life without meaning. I walk and walk, do nothing"
"Pearl's Cafe" is a whimsical duet between Terry Hall and Rhoda Dakar. "It's all a load of bollocks, and bollocks to it all" and it finishes with "When I first saw you, I really thought you were a wet dream come true. Now I know that you don't care about somebody else's nightmare".
The Northern Soul "Sock It To 'em J.B" is basically filler. The J.B here is James Bond, and the lyrics are essentially the chanting the names of Bond movies.
Side two opens with "Stereotypes" which comes in two parts. Part 1 is the track that was the hit single with Latin rhythms, Gregorian style backing vocals, and horns that belong in a Spaghetti Western. "He's just a stereotype. He drinks his age in pints. He drives home pissed at night, and he listens to his stereo". It then morphs into Part 2 where Neville Staples sings/toasts over a similar musical backing. "Uncle Joe, he never had a stereo".
Probably the reason I couldn't remember "Holiday Fortnight" is that it is a mariachi style instrumental ! And I've already forgotten it again.........
"I Can't Stand It" is fairly jazzy and is another duet between Terry Hall and Rhoda Dakar. It has quite a nice, melodic chorus but is sung really badly by both. In the right hands it could be quite decent ! "I'll stay at home where I can be alone because I just can't stand it, the way you've planned it. No, I can't stand it any longer"
"International Jet Set" is another lengthy Muzak track, coming in at over five and a half minutes. Lyrically it is a bleak song about having a breakdown on a DC10 and the out of control aircraft crashes. In parts the vocal is reminiscent of "Gangsters". "Will the muzak never end ?"
The closing "Enjoy Yourself ( Reprise )" is much slower that the opening version with just keyboard and light drumming, and it sounds like everyone is on the way home after a few drinks too many. Apparently three members of the Go-Go's are singing along.
Overall, "More Specials" was better than I remembered but the production on some of the tracks on side one now sound a bit tinny. There is one stand-out song, "Hey Little Rich Girl" and the rest is listenable, although "I Can't Stand It" is murdered.
Track Listing :
Side One :
1. Enjoy Yourself
2. Man At C&A
3. Hey, Little Rich Girl
4. Do Nothing
5. Pearl's Cafe
6. Sock It To 'em J.B
1. Stereotypes
2. Holiday Fortnight
3. I Can't Stand It
4. International Jet Set
5. Enjoy Yourself ( Reprise )
Released : 1980
UK Chart Position : 5
Singles :
Stereotype ( No 6 - 1980 )
Do Nothing ( No 4 - 1980 )
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